Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

[Greg68S]

Anyone have any input on the OMC king cobra engines? IC them in a lot of mid to late 80's boats. I'm curious as to there reliability and efficiency. Also the matching out drives. Are they problematic?

 

[Greg68S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

Well I just read an article about these drives. So no further explanation needed. Haha that was an easily avoided mistake. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Greg68S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

The more I read about OMC drives and ignition systems the clearer I see the massive migraine behind it all.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

Anyone have any input on the OMC king cobra engines? IC them in a lot of mid to late 80's boats. I'm curious as to there reliability and efficiency. Also the matching out drives. Are they problematic?

The only thing I could add is that with TWIN OMC King Cobra's, you'll have TWICE the fun :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

Yeah, I had one of those.

Only buy it if you can "steal" it. (read---for almost nothing or get paid to haul it away)

THEN part it out. I sold my complete 460 King Kobra engine, drive, transom-mount, and associated parts over a 3-4 year period.

So far, I am up to about $3400 and I still some parts left......Oil and fuel filter mounts, and a few other things (stuff that I'm keeping!)

There's still a lot of people out there in radio land that are STUCK with this junk and still need (used) parts cause you cannot buy some fairly critical parts for them.


Cheers,


Rick

 

[Greg68S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

This is a '88 four Winns 315 vista. King cobra 460's and king cobra drives. What drives could you swap in place? Or would a complete repower to twin mercs and bravo's be your safest bet? I won't but this thing even though its 100% like new. But more or less out of curiosity.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

This is a '88 four Winns 315 vista. King cobra 460's and king cobra drives. What drives could you swap in place? Or would a complete repower to twin mercs and bravo's be your safest bet? I won't but this thing even though its 100% like new. But more or less out of curiosity.

Ayuh,.... Safest Bet,..?? The Only other bet is a full repower with a Volvo....

Not only is yer Drive an Issue,...
The 460 Ford is an Issue all by itself....
Neither yer motor, nor yer drive will work with anything but what it is....

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

This is a '88 four Winns 315 vista. King cobra 460's and king cobra drives. What drives could you swap in place? Or would a complete repower to twin mercs and bravo's be your safest bet? I won't but this thing even though its 100% like new. But more or less out of curiosity.

For me to want it, it would have to be perfect, and I would need to get it for a "song". Then I would already have to have sitting in the shop 2 complete 300HP 5.7MPI V-8's, 454's or 496's with Bravo III's (That I would also want to get for a "song")

Then swap all, and part out the OMC junk to to whoever needs it.

You would have to buy the boat pretty cheap to make it worth it......

 

[Greg68S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

The boat is beautiful 100%. It's owned by a private marina in erie, PA. I could probably pick it up for around $7K. Both engines have been overhauled. And both drives are new rebuilds. He supposedly has paperwork on them. Is that what you meant by cheap?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

The boat is beautiful 100%. It's owned by a private marina in erie, PA. I could probably pick it up for around $7K. Both engines have been overhauled. And both drives are new rebuilds. He supposedly has paperwork on them. Is that what you meant by cheap?

Ayuh,.... That's 'bout $6,999.99 Too Much for 460/ King Cobras...

 

[Don S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

The boat is beautiful 100%. It's owned by a private marina in erie, PA. I could probably pick it up for around $7K. Both engines have been overhauled. And both drives are new rebuilds. He supposedly has paperwork on them. Is that what you meant by cheap?

Then buy it, if that's what you want to hear> Then when you find you can't even buy impellers for those drives, you can't say you wasn't warned. OMC went out of buisness in 98.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

Ayuh,.... That's 'bout $6,999.99 Too Much for 460/ King Cobras...

Yeah, I tend to agree.

Those are Dog-clutch Cobras..........So the impellers are the same as the "other" Dog-clutch cobras. (unlike the newer, even more rare cone-clutch models....)

BUT couplers for those engines are rare......manifolds until recently were unavailable....... certain parts for that very unique drive (that they ONLY bolted to the 460), are NOT available except from junk yards....


With 2 of them, you have twice the chance of a "show-stopper" part failing. THen you're "hauling-out" the boat and removing/parting out the King Kobra stuff.....(or perusing the junk yards, craigslist etc)

I would only buy the boat with the idea of repowering. If you can do it all yourself,

Consider your total cost the cost, the cost obtaining either new or used, Volvo Penta or Mercury-Bravo engines and drives, and the total labor to swap it all out (unless you do it all yourself). MINUS what you get parting out the OMC stuff.

Buy and run "as is", and most of us will guarantee you'll be back here asking where you can obtain some of those "show-stopper" parts in the not too distant future!


Good luck.


Rick.

 

[Greg68S]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

To be perfectly clear. I have no intention now nor did I have of buying this thing. If it were powered with something other than the ford I would have considered it. Or if i had a pair of 5.7L's and bravos i would consider it. The boat itself is very nice. I am more interested in the experience and knowledge available in the room.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

To be perfectly clear. I have no intention now nor did I have of buying this thing. If it were powered with something other than the ford I would have considered it. Or if i had a pair of 5.7L's and bravos i would consider it. The boat itself is very nice. I am more interested in the experience and knowledge available in the room.

Understood. I totally get what you're saying. Most of what I said is for any other people searching for info on this very thing.


Good luck!


Rick

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Looking at twin OMC king cobra 460's any input?

Passsss!!!