Lost Thrust Plate

[529andweekends]

Good evening all. I lost one of the thrust plates on the side of my 1989 2.3 OMC cobra out drive. I had no problems getting the part but I have to split the leg to fix it.

Can someone tell me what exactly does the thrust plate do and can it wait for a winter project kind of thing.

I just rebuit the motor and I would like to enjoy it for a while before I take it apart again and find more things wrong

Thanks for your help

 

[Lou C]

Re: Lost Thrust Plate

The drive has to be off the boat but you don't have to split the upper and lower to do that job, I just did it over the winter, it's a little tricky to get the retainers in there but if you use a socket to push them on, it's not too hard. They keep the drive in proper alignment with the sides of the transom assembly. I don't know if there would be a problem running without it. I happened to notice one missing when I winterized it last fall, no idea how long it was like that because it was in the water for two months. Pretty easy job.

 

[529andweekends]

Re: Lost Thrust Plate

Thanks Lou that would explain the other side rubbing a bit. I painted the leg over the winter and now I can see the rubbing. I probably never noticed it before. Unless somebody tells me otherwise it sounds like a winter project