93 5.8l OMC with Cobra drive

Hi All

I am considering looking at a 93 Seaswirl BR that has the above engine/sterndrive combo. It has 353 hrs on it. From the photos it looks incredibly clean and well cared for. I will get a survey done on whichever boat I go to purchase.

This will be my first power boat but I'm pretty handy and I restore muscle cars for fun(Fords).

Most forums and google searches tell people to run from this combo, and this is the first place I have seen that gives it some love.

Are all parts available for this? I'm not bothered by buying off ebay or the internet and also realize that I won't be buying parts at a marina or having a shop work on it. I'm more than capable of the work although there will be a learning curve for the marine related parts and also the drive.

Is working on/rebuilding one of these drives difficult? Easy to find a "how to" on the net?

Are replacements that much more expensive than the more common drives/engines?

I've read some of these engines of the era came with closed water cooling? Would this have it or was it an option?

Thanks for your help.

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BigBJersey said:

Hi All

I am considering looking at a 93 Seaswirl BR that has the above engine/sterndrive combo. It has 353 hrs on it. From the photos it looks incredibly clean and well cared for. I will get a survey done on whichever boat I go to purchase.

This will be my first power boat but I'm pretty handy and I restore muscle cars for fun(Fords).

Most forums and google searches tell people to run from this combo, and this is the first place I have seen that gives it some love.
Only some of our MarineEngine dot com members give this drive "some love".
OMC has not produced a stern drive since the end of 1993..... about the time when Volvo Penta had purchased the chapter 11 company and began production of the 1994 Volvo Penta SX and DP-S style Cone Clutch stern drives.

Run???? yes..... I would suggest the same..... unless you can buy it for a real song and dance, and yet have a budget left for an OMC Cobra-to-Volvo Penta- SX or DP-S- conversion..... of which is possible with the OMC Cobra.

Are all parts available for this?
Yes, through an after-market company.

I'm not bothered by buying off ebay or the internet and also realize that I won't be buying parts at a marina or having a shop work on it. I'm more than capable of the work although there will be a learning curve for the marine related parts and also the drive.

Is working on/rebuilding one of these drives difficult? Easy to find a "how to" on the net?
The 1993 OMC Cobra is a Dog Clutch drive. It has not be produced since the last of 1993.
You may want to learn more about the Dog Clutch and the necessary and problematic ESA that must be used along with it.

Are replacements that much more expensive than the more common drives/engines?
I think that parts are reasonably priced.

I've read some of these engines of the era came with closed water cooling? Would this have it or was it an option?
That would be a Closed Cooling System.
Whether fitted with a CCS or not will vary from boat to boat and from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

If hell bent on buying this boat....... you may want to be preemptive by selling the "now working" Cobra drive, and go for the SX or DP-S conversion from the get-go.
This conversion also allows us to remove the ESA system.



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RicardoMarine said:

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If hell bent on buying this boat....... you may want to be preemptive by selling the "now working" Cobra drive, and go for the SX or DP-S conversion from the get-go.
This conversion also allows us to remove the ESA system.



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Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

If the drive is not well supported etc how would I sell it and what type of price do you guess I may get?

Is the drive that bad that maintenance etc will not keep it running or are they all time bombs? I will try searching for some threads relating to it's problems that you mention.

When you replied about parts being available was it for the Cobra drive or were you meaning the conversion drive etc?

Do you know a price for the conversion and is it something DIY if mechanically inclined?

I'm not hell bent on the boat it is just one that is on the radar. Seeing it looks well cared for I figured it would be a cheap way to get into boating to see just how well my family takes to it. Though I don't want a major project straight off the bat. It comes with a near new dual axle trailer and also a wake tower which are both favorable to me.

So did some googling and came across SEI who do a conversion kit.

$2K for Mercruiser gen 2 with recommended 1.47 gear ratio for the 5.7lt. Carries a 3yr no fault warranty. Also requires $40 installation kit. Needs a new prop and they recommend going local incase a swap is needed regarding pitch etc.

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BigBJersey said:

Thanks for the reply.

If the drive is not well supported etc .............
There is no factory support because the company does not exist any longer.
However, you will see on-line forum support by the die-hards who love these drives.

.......... how would I sell it and what type of price do you guess I may get?
I can't suggest a price, but you will see a market among the die-hards. Look on e-Bay.

Is the drive that bad that maintenance etc will not keep it running or are they all time bombs?
Honestly, they are not necessarily bombs..... but they are Dog Clutch drives that require the ESA and a rather finicky shift cable adjustment.

I will try searching for some threads relating to it's problems that you mention.
You will find many!

When you replied about parts being available was it for the Cobra drive or were you meaning the conversion drive etc?
The OMC Cobra!
The King Cobra parts are perhaps more difficult to source.

Do you know a price for the conversion and is it something DIY if mechanically inclined?
Do a Google search "OMC Cobra to Volvo Penta SX or DP-S" ...... you will find a conversion kit.

I'm not hell bent on the boat it is just one that is on the radar. Seeing it looks well cared for I figured it would be a cheap way to get into boating to see just how well my family takes to it. Though I don't want a major project straight off the bat. It comes with a near new dual axle trailer and also a wake tower which are both favorable to me.
Understood!

Click to expand...

BigBJersey said:

So did some googling and came across SEI who do a conversion kit.

$2K for Mercruiser gen 2 with recommended 1.47 gear ratio for the 5.7lt. Carries a 3yr no fault warranty. Also requires $40 installation kit. Needs a new prop and they recommend going local incase a swap is needed regarding pitch etc.
Going from an OMC Cobra to the Merc A drive, or to the Merc-wanna-be-drive (SEI), is trading one Dog Clutch drive for another Dog Clutch drive.
With the Volvo Penta drive, you'll have nice smooth Cone Clutch gear engagement..... and NO ESA or SI!
A good used SX will outperform and outlast an OMC or a Merc A drive.

Click to expand...

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Thanks for the info.

Did find a bunch of threads on here through google. Also came across a link to the webpage created by Stuart...... that gives a very thorough explanation of the system and also it's adjustment.

If I go this route I will need to keep my eye out for an SX drive then I guess as people seem to prefer that than doing the conversion.

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BigBJersey said:

Thanks for the info.

Did find a bunch of threads on here through google. Also came across a link to the webpage created by Stuart...... that gives a very thorough explanation of the system and also it's adjustment.
Yes, Stuart's article is a good one. It became necessary due to the troubles that OMC owners were having.

If I go this route I will need to keep my eye out for an SX drive
Only if you want to. You may have great luck with the OMC Cobra.

then I guess as people seem to prefer that than doing the conversion.
Just to be clear........ you can do one of two things:

..... you can replace the entire OMC Cobra components with an entire Volvo Penta SX or DP-S drive..... the flywheel cover, drive coupler, inner and outer transom unit, gimbal bell, hydraulic cylinders and stern drive.

..... you can purchase the conversion kit and install just the Volvo Penta SX or DP-S drive.

FYI: in most cases, the Duo Prop (DP-S drive) offers an approximate 25% to 35% performance increase.

Click to expand...

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Great, thanks for clearing that up Rick and for all your help.

BigBJersey said:

Great, thanks for clearing that up Rick and for all your help.

Click to expand...

You are welcome.

If you love the boat, and if you understand the potential OMC issues, and if the price is good, and if you have a decent repair budget set aside, then go for it.
There are few problems that money will not be able to correct!


And always keep in mind that boats are NEVER investments...... they are always expenses. I know this well from years and years of boat ownership!




Fact:

If you were to look at three identical boats......same make, same year, same accessories........ one with an OMC Cobra drive, one with a Merc A drive and one with a Volvo Penta drive, here is how they would stack up regarding resale value:

The OMC boat would have the lessor value of the three.
The Merc A drive boat would have a slightly higher value than the OMC boat.
The Volvo Penta boat would have the greatest re-sale value.

RicardoMarine said:

You are welcome.

If you love the boat, and if you understand the potential OMC issues, and if the price is good, and if you have a decent repair budget set aside, then go for it.
There are few problems that money will not be able to correct!


And always keep in mind that boats are NEVER investments...... they are always expenses. I know this well from years and years of boat ownership!




Fact:

If you were to look at three identical boats......same make, same year, same accessories........ one with an OMC Cobra drive, one with a Merc A drive and one with a Volvo Penta drive, here is how they would stack up regarding resale value:

The OMC boat would have the lessor value of the three.
The Merc A drive boat would have a slightly higher value than the OMC boat.
The Volvo Penta boat would have the greatest re-sale value.

Click to expand...

Great advice!

The only investment I'm looking at is in my families enjoyment, but also part of my thinking of not over spending on a boat to begin with. All things being equal yearly and preventative maintenance costs should hopefully be a wash for whichever boat I chose. Unexpected problems not included.

My real concern with the boat is that it has glued down carpet so will be checking the deck real good.

I'm just back from checking out the boat. Interesting seller who wants to just sell it "as is" without even running it up on muffs and definitely not interested in a sea trial or in having a survey done at my expense. He states he knows the boat runs fine and I should take him at his word.

Then I got the classic "that was just a guy who had previously given me an offer and he called just as you were looking at the boat" line.

The engine looks incredibly well kept. A few minor trim/vinyl issues and the very back of the sun pad the wood is all wet and rotten along the edge. But otherwise it looks to be really well cared for.

Besides him not wanting to start it the full length glued carpet is a concern although the deck felt strong under foot and I did some bouncing.

Has a 08 dual axle roller trailer in like new condition and in my area they advertise for around 3k.

Really like the boat but not enough to buy it without at least seeing it run and I also want to make sure the drive works correctly which from reading I think can only be gauged in the water?

Ayuh,..... Yer standin' at the edge of a Huge Black Hole,...... Don't step ahead,.......