Engine valve cover tag long gone on 81 stringer

Hello folks. I want to give a hello to Bob,Hystat and even Bondo tho he don't like OMC. you guys helped me a lot when I had my 400 stringer.Anyway I just bought a 81 Tahiti 18' with a 350(which really could be anywhere from a 265 up to a 400 sb,I haven't looked at the numbers yet but it is a v8 lol) and from what I could tell is a 800 stringer model#982566 is the number on the outdrive but I have looked everywhere on the internet to no avail. I read that omc had a recall in the 81 because of the electric shift,This outdrive on mine does have the anode above the cavitation plate,has the cables running up behind the engine into that box.The guy told me it was getting water in the lower gearcase,his mechanic took it apart from the prop to the clutch dog. That is when his wife said no more money into it.(I know bondo you want to shake her hand!).He gave me all the parts that was in it except the 4 bolts that hold the bearing housing into the retainer.And what I mean by retainer is it looks like a big washer with 4 threaded 1/4"holes.So first of all I need to find out if this drive was hydro sift converted over to Mechanical shift during the recall or could it be a 82 to 85 drive?.And need to get the right service manual,i don't know if this will help but here is some part numbers off the inside.Bearing carrier# 328322,reverse gear#910994,prop#391202. It has the 15 spline prop shaft and it has the 22 screw rubber boot.Sorry for the long post, And what drive I have to order the right parts I need. Thanks ahead of time. Don't worry I will have more questions but not till it quits snowing lol Jim

jim81961 said:

So first of all I need to find out if this drive was hydro sift converted over to Mechanical shift during the recall or could it be a 82 to 85 drive?.

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look at the shift converter box behind the engine.
does it look like this (no switches)

or does it have these switches?


If it has those switches, follow the wires and see if they plug into a box that looks something like this:

Hello Hystat and thanks for getting back to me. Yes it does have the switches and yes the wires run to that little black box.

then your system is effectively an 82-85 drive system now whether it was converted or replaced from another boat - doesn't matter. This manual available at outboardbooks.com will cover your setup:

Thankyou so very much Hystat. I made the mistake of reading to much on the internet lol.

Thankyou Kimcrwbr1. I looked at that before, I wanted to know what outdrive I had,so I would get the right manual and to be able to order the right parts for it.Like I told Hystat I read to much and was getting more confused the more I read lol. I was running into 1978 to 1981 years 1980 to 1985 lol

jim81961 said:

Hello folks. I want to give a hello to Bob,Hystat and even Bondo tho he don't like OMC. you guys helped me a lot when I had my 400 stringer.Anyway I just bought a 81 Tahiti 18' with a 350(which really could be anywhere from a 265 up to a 400 sb,I haven't looked at the numbers yet but it is a v8 lol) and from what I could tell is a 800 stringer model#982566 is the number on the outdrive but I have looked everywhere on the internet to no avail. I read that omc had a recall in the 81 because of the electric shift,This outdrive on mine does have the anode above the cavitation plate,has the cables running up behind the engine into that box.The guy told me it was getting water in the lower gearcase,his mechanic took it apart from the prop to the clutch dog. That is when his wife said no more money into it.(I know bondo you want to shake her hand!).He gave me all the parts that was in it except the 4 bolts that hold the bearing housing into the retainer.And what I mean by retainer is it looks like a big washer with 4 threaded 1/4"holes.So first of all I need to find out if this drive was hydro sift converted over to Mechanical shift during the recall or could it be a 82 to 85 drive?.And need to get the right service manual,i don't know if this will help but here is some part numbers off the inside.Bearing carrier# 328322,reverse gear#910994,prop#391202. It has the 15 spline prop shaft and it has the 22 screw rubber boot.Sorry for the long post, And what drive I have to order the right parts I need. Thanks ahead of time. Don't worry I will have more questions but not till it quits snowing lol Jim

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Ayuh,...... Howdy Jim,.... Though I have no love for OMC drives, I still love All boaters,....

Yer motor, if a 2bbl. carb is probably 225hp,....
If it's got a 4bbl. carb, it'll be 260hp,....
If it's a 400cid SBC, it ain't native to yer boat, nor any other boat, originally,...

Hiya Bondo!. How you been?. Anyway its a 4bbl carb.I think its the original motor anyway,iam gonna assume it is till I can get the number off of it. I just got the manual today so I will read that.I see lots of special tools in it to put seals and bearings in. Now if I put new needle bearings in the lower gearcase bondo, do I have to reshim anything in there?.And because of the fact iam very afraid of that shift cable....(the outdrive is still on the boat,they took the prop off and the bearing housing out down to the clutchdog so the prop shaft is just sticking out of the lower gearcase) can I just drop that lower gearcase down to get the propshaft out to replace the forward needle bearing?The gears look like new in it so I think I can replace the seals and bearings and waterpump and yes I will lay on my back to not have to deal with that shift cable lol. but can it be done that way?. thanks Bondo,Hystat..... Jim

PS:Hystat thanks for the info on the manual. I got it.