How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

[Jammer864]

Its a Cobra SX, not Cobra, drive. Drive was disassembled by a shop that made a mistake and parts are now together in a box. ( They wont be covering their mistake and Im on my own with it now and, really, Im better off this way I believe).

I want the pinion bearing carrier shimmed, upper and lower gears shimmed, lash checked, and tooth contact pattern checked. Just the upper gear housing, not the lower. Gears and bearings are still pressed on. With cost of shims, seals, upper driveshaft nut, and crush sleeve, any one have an idea of what is a fair amount in parts and labor?

Im thinking that someone doing it frequently would need 4 hours.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Its a Cobra SX, not Cobra, drive. Drive was disassembled by a shop that made a mistake and parts are now together in a box. ( They wont be covering their mistake and Im on my own with it now and, really, Im better off this way I believe).

I want the pinion bearing carrier shimmed, upper and lower gears shimmed, lash checked, and tooth contact pattern checked. Just the upper gear housing, not the lower. Gears and bearings are still pressed on. With cost of shims, seals, upper driveshaft nut, and crush sleeve, any one have an idea of what is a fair amount in parts and labor?

Im thinking that someone doing it frequently would need 4 hours.

What was the failure to begin with? What was the mistake they made? Do you just want the upper assembled or do you want the drive assembled and installed filled with oil and tested? Are you certain that the box of parts is all from your drive and all there? Are the old shims available for a starting point? Am I responsible to warranty the unit full of used parts? Are some of the questions I'd ask prior to giving an estimate for a job like this.

 

[Don S]

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Take your box of parts to your local shops and let them SEE what you have. Then, they can give you an estimate. This site is to help DIYers, and as such, not a place to get quotes from. Most of the ones I see diyers trying to make are laughable.

 

[Jammer864]

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Boatguya1, I can appreciate your questions.

Original problem was bent prop shaft and leaking prop shaft seal. Believe it or not, but a 5 minute run time with a bent stainless steel prop bent the shaft. On the lift with the aluminum prop-no leaks. Went to pull some tubes and changed prop to my SS "pulling" prop out on the water. Prop had been dropped and was bent but I didnt realize what a mistake to put it on was until I ran it. Ran it back into a calm cove and replaced with the aluminum prop. Back on the lift, and noticed leaking oil at the prop shaft seal.

They were to separate upper and lower halves, repair lower half, check rolling torque, reassemble and leak check. Mechanic misunderstood and disassembled upper half too. When I showed up and said WTF?, became a "he said, she said", and had a falling out with the shop.

I just want the upper assembled, plain and simple. Dont confuse this with "I want my drive overhauled". All the parts are there but, no, I am not certain they are mine but have no reason to believe they are not. Still have the shims. Im not interested in asking for a warranty as this is a piecemeal job, but I expect the lash and shimming to be done to spec. Dont want the shift cover installed as I will check the gear tooth pattern with marking compound. After checking, I will install the shift cover, shim it, and put the upper half on the shelf as a spare, should I ever need it.

All I really want to know is how many hours does it take an experienced SX drive guy to do the job as I have described. Forget what I said about parts in my original post. When I start shopping to get the job done, then I am armed with what I believe would be an honest estimate of the labor hours.

What was the failure to begin with? What was the mistake they made? Do you just want the upper assembled or do you want the drive assembled and installed filled with oil and tested? Are you certain that the box of parts is all from your drive and all there? Are the old shims available for a starting point? Am I responsible to warranty the unit full of used parts? Are some of the questions I'd ask prior to giving an estimate for a job like this.

 

[Jammer864]

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Take your box of parts to your local shops and let them SEE what you have. Then, they can give you an estimate. This site is to help DIYers, and as such, not a place to get quotes from. Most of the ones I see diyers trying to make are laughable.

Don, Im not asking anyone on here to give me a quote for them to do the work. I apologize if it came across that way. Im trying to see if Im getting "Ozarked". Is it that hard to say the job scope, as I have described it, usually takes X hours? Back in my mechanic days I could answer that question with one look at the book to see what it paid. I do realize that there is some trial and error involved also and that re-shimming may be involved. This is Mercruiser country and only one shop here at Lake of the Ozarks will work on a SX drive and Im not going back there. This upper will be shipped out, possibly a shop in St Louis. As I assume people in the know are honest on here, it would be nice to know going in what they think is a reasonable time to do the this portion of the job.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

Re: Labor estimate to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive

All I really want to know is how many hours does it take an experienced SX drive guy to do the job as I have described. Forget what I said about parts in my original post. When I start shopping to get the job done, then I am armed with what I believe would be an honest estimate of the labor hours.

If you came to me and said that you took it apart ("forget what I said about parts") I'd still want to see it to make an estimate. After a quick glance in my manual I'm not finding anything about gear pattern so I'd tell you that I will shim it per the manual. You can check the pattern if you like, but I get paid either way as I have followed the factory procedure.
Assuming all parts there and OK I'd charge 4.5 hrs for this. I might get done quicker, might take longer, you pay 4.5hrs.
I'll let you look up the part prices, expect to pay retail not internet discount prices.

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

After a quick glance in my manual I'm not finding anything about gear pattern so I'd tell you that I will shim it per the manual. You can check the pattern if you like, but I get paid either way as I have followed the factory procedure.

Might want to take a closer look at your manual. ALL Volvo drives and Oem service manuals, call for a pattern check and you adjust as needed after that.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

Might want to take a closer look at your manual. ALL Volvo drives and Oem service manuals, call for a pattern check and you adjust as needed after that.

I'm looking at my 1994 Cobra sx service manual (per thread title even though we both know we need serial numbers to make sure) and do not see anything about gear patterns. Please tell me what page in my factory manual shows this?

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

The MD model manual has it starting on page 3-40.

Manual # 7796484 04-1994

 

[boatguya1]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

The MD model manual has it starting on page 3-40.

Manual # 7796484 04-1994

Interesting it's not n the HU 1994 OMC cobra SX manual, 1995 omc cobra SX NC also does not have it. I don't have a 1996 omc cobra manual handy to check. The NC 1996 Volvo manual has it on page 3-40 out of order for the procedure, The 1998 BY Volvo manual has it in the correct spot in the manual where you would perform it as the next step.

Are the Volvo and OMC SX not the same drive? I've been under the impression that they were at this time (early). Different service procedures for the same drive?

 

[Jammer864]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

Thank you for taking the time to respond, Boatguya1. I appreciate your effort. Thanks Don for your guidance on what I post. This forum is a wealth of information and I appreciate your time also.

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

Thank you for taking the time to respond, Boatguya1. I appreciate your effort. Thanks Don for your guidance on what I post. This forum is a wealth of information and I appreciate your time also.

Get an estimate from your local shops. If you think your quote/estimate is way out of line, it doesn't hurt to ask. But to ask us to come up with even an estimate without seeing what we have to work with is crazy. I could be obvious just by looking at the parts that the upper is junk, but without seeing it we would never no that. Service shops also don't care what you hear on the internet about what the price should be. Someone here may reply where their labor rate is 65 an hour, and you may have to pay 120 an hour in your area.
Companies also make money on parts they sell. Even automotive. But they don't live under water.
You have 2 choices, accept their bid, or go somewhere else.

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

Are the Volvo and OMC SX not the same drive? I've been under the impression that they were at this time (early). Different service procedures for the same drive?

They are the same drive, and they were designed by Volvo.

I am looking at the Volvo manuals, not OMC. The HU (95 model) and the NC (96 model) also has it on page 3-40.
Maybe OMC wasn't happy about Volvo designing the drive and left that info out. I don't know.

 

[Jammer864]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

I wasnt asking anyone to make a judgement call on the condition of the parts in the drive. Am I wrong to assume someone that has assembled dozens or even hundreds of these drives can say "assuming all the parts are fine it usually takes me x amount of hours to put one of these together"? I know in my automotive career I have said that hundreds of times. Im sorry I asked anything about prices. Once again, this forum is a learning experience for me.

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

4 to 5 hours is typical for re-shimming and re-sealing an upper on the SX drives. Is that what you was looking for?

 

[boatguya1]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

They are the same drive, and they were designed by Volvo.

I am looking at the Volvo manuals, not OMC. The HU (95 model) and the NC (96 model) also has it on page 3-40.
Maybe OMC wasn't happy about Volvo designing the drive and left that info out. I don't know.

When I'm back at work I'll see if I can hunt up some later "joint adventure" OMC manualls and see if they included it.

Warranty sure was different between OMC and Volvo on the SX drives. OMC would have me lapping cones and with the same problem Volvo would send an entire upper. One still here, one out of business, wonder which one did it right.


To the OP.... In this case I would stick by my estimate and perform the extra task in Volvo manual at no additional charge after being shown that the procedure was in the Volvo manual. I would do this weather you had an OMC SX or a Volvo SX as it provides the best result for my customer. My shop is at a marina and I have to be able to look my customers in the eye every week they are there. Find a shop that cares about the customer and stick with them.

 

[Don S]

Re: How many hours to assemble 1994 Cobra SX drive Upper?

OMC would have me lapping cones and with the same problem Volvo would send an entire upper.

Volvo changed cone material before the SX, if you lapped the SX cones you usually had problems getting them out of gear, or slipping. Just depends on how the drive felt at the time.
Volvo engineered and designed everthing in the SX, not OMC. OMC was too busy going out of business to care.