outdrive makes wining noise

[wdaws01]

I have an 1988 omc w/4.3L V6 & omc cobra sterndrive model#985269. At one point the upper gear housing was ran w/o oil and seized but oil was added and it seems to work fine with the exception that it makes a wineing noise that gets higher in pitch with increased rpms and seems to be getting louder with time. I just drained the gear oil and it did have a bit of fine metal peices/ shavings in it. In looking at the gears they show signs of minimal wear but otherwise look fine. any hints?

 

[llerrad]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

With out oil, bearings will be noisy and all should be replaced. Why was there no oil, if oil leaked then reseal needed so might as well do the bearings, eh.

 

[FatBack]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

You need to get those bearing out of there before you lose your gears.

 

[wdaws01]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

^ Shall a semi mechanically inclined person be able to do this?, I have removed the outdrive to replace gaskets but was concerned that the book states that the gear "backlash" has to be set just right or else. I am comfortable with the rest of the process but know nothing about backlash. Also are the bearings sold as a unit or as peices to be assembled? Thanks for the advice.Bill-FisherKing

 

[capri]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

i find that a bit hard to belive it was totally empty but you are the only one that knows that <br />if that was the case and if it was ran dry ???<br /><br />you may have to tear in to it and check<br /><br />but with that old of a boat<br />have you ever greased the ujoints and and the gimble bearing that hooks up to the motor <br /><br />ive done my twice in its life so far <br />even though i am told to do it once a year<br />and the only way you will do that is to pull the stern unit off to get to the shaft<br /><br />it's not to bad of a job get a buddy and a few beers if needed lol<br /><br />and you may need to spend about 180.00 dollars for parts on that<br /><br />me and the wife torn in to it the frist time <br />well and the second time too peice of cake

 

[FatBack]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

Is this a stringer unit 400 or 800?

 

[FatBack]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

I forget which year the Cobras came out. But do believe this is a stringer. If so,there is no Ujoints or gimbles as you know. To set the mess on these pinion gears, and press on and off the bearings, requires special tools and guages. If you're still interested we'll talk more.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

cobras came out in '86 or '87.

 

[FatBack]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

You're right. Came out in 85 and dealers made them back off off till 86. I had gotten so fed up with my stringer I swore I'd never own anything OMC after that and I haven't. Worked on them though.

 

[wdaws01]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

Yes Jaybird, I'm in a position that I have more boat than money so I do most of it myself. It is a cobra drive though, which apparently has issues. I did take the out drive off once and did grease everything I saw at that point, i specifically remember the ujoints but dont recall a gimble bearing, but that dont mean I didn't grease it, maybe, maybe not. It did seem easy with the exception of re-mating it to the boat, which took twice as long as anything due to the shaft, it was hard getting it into the correct position but I had no help either. any advice would help. These bearings appear to just be held in place by a retainer???

 

[FatBack]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

The best advice I can give you is to get a shop manual for the model and study it. Then get back on the Forum with specific questions about what you don't understand. They're some pretty smart people on this site that can help you through it.You will need to buy special gizmos to do it with. Then once you think you have a pretty good understanding of it---go for it. The labor around here for IO work is $60.00 an hr. I live in outboard country but prefer IOs. I pick them up cheap-fix them and send them back up north were they are the boat of choice on the inland lakes.

 

[wdaws01]

Re: outdrive makes wining noise

^ I wanted to follow up. Prior to it being ran w/o lube I had taken the out drive off, (not the part that bolts to the hull of the boat), would this / should this had been somehow aligned when bolted back on? could this be the cause of my problem, would a worn gimble bearing cause more than usual wear to show on the upper gear?