OMC Stringer hydro mechanical shift

[HorizonblueDK]

I have acquired a 1982 18 footer with an OMC stringer, full mechanical shift, and was wondering what was the exact problem with the "hydro shift assist", on the earlier mechanical stringers, since OMC went away from that system ?

 

[racerone]

Cost of production might be the reason.------There was nothing wrong with " hydro shift " system.

 

[Scott Danforth]

The mechanical shift was cheaper.

 

[HorizonblueDK]

Interesting, I was suspecting a long string of "this breaks, that breaks, this leaks, that leaks, etc etc etc".....

I guess that the major downside to the hydro shift assist system is that parts are hard to find.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the vertical 3-piece drive shaft is the weakest link in the stringer drives. pull the water pump housing, look at the splines in all the shafts.

i had to replace the 3-piece drive shaft, the prop shaft (sister picked up a rock) and rebuild the upper

inspect the ball gears, replace as needed.

parts are getting hard to find for all the OMC stuff.