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2.3 Problems!

M

mac'n89blckstng

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I put my 88 Bayliner in the water a couple weeks ago and docked it and some dock mates said my bilge pump was going on constantly. So I'm getting water in from somewhere. I replaced the u-joint bellow before I dropped her in and thats good to go. I was feeling around the hose that the shift cable goes in and there seems to be a soft spot in it. I think thats where I'm taking on water from. What kind of job is it to replace this hose. I can do anything mechanically, I'd just like to know what Im getting into before hand.

I'm also getting water reversion and am hopefully gonna be able to repair my now obsolete/insanely expensive riser and manifolds soon.

Also, what are your guys thoughts on a Pertronix ignition? I could barely get the thing to run well and when I did the damn thing died on me and now won't start. This was a VERY neglected boat and I'm trying to sort everything out so I can have a fun reliable summer on the lake and sell for a profit at the end of the season!

Any help is appreciated!
 
The 2.3 engine is barely capable of moving the boat thru the water under the best of circumstances. Even if you get all the mechanical issues sorted out it would be a wise move to unload this boat and move on to something with at least a v6 and maybe even a V8. There, I feel better now that I said that.

As for the water intrusion...a constantly running bilge pump can be looked upon in two ways. One, that it is doing its job happily pumping its little brains out just as it should; leave it alone and enjoy yourself. Two, that it represents a problem elsewhere in the boat that is allowing water to get in in an unwelcome and nerve rattling way; tear the boat apart until you find and fix the problem.
Depending upon where you fall in the Meyers-Briggs Test the answer lies clearly in front of you.

I can tell you that for what it's worth the shift hose is supposed to keep water OUT of the shift cable that runs inside it, so if there is water coming out of that hose you have a major foul up. A new one is about a hundred bucks and requires removal of the engine.

Water reversion is more a problem with straight inboards, not your venerable Cobra drive. What you may be experiencing is the loss of function of the flapper inside the exhaust tube. If you go to the trouble and expense of removing the engine for the water leak thing, then you'll want to be sure that the flapper is working when you put it all back together.

Pertronix is great but requires the addition of a homemade diode assembly so that it works with the Cobra Shift Assist Module. It's there on the Pertronix website. Personally I wouldn't throw $150 at a boat I was going to get rid of. It won't solve your ignition issues.

Dying/won't start is probably fuel related.

Sometimes, and I'm just saying this to be helpful, it's best to consult a professional and spend the few hundred bucks it would take to get this thing going. Tell them you want an estimate before they do any work and have it looked over. They will honestly tell you if you are stuck with a turd or if it's worth fixing.
 
I know I am getting water reversion cause last year the gasket surface on the riser and manifold was rotted and since these manifolds are very expensive I decided to try and repair it. I was getting water in my oil and after I welded it and ground it flat and put it back together the thing ran great and didn't get any water in my oil. This time around I am going to have a friend mill the surfaces for a nice flat surface. I think over the winter, moisture got in there and rotted away the gasket surfaces causing water to get back down the exhaust.

Last year the thing ran really well and had no problem getting to 35-38 with me and a few friends in it. I want to get this thing running well so it is sellable and upgrade to a larger boat with a cuddy, but for now this will have to suffice.

Also, my bilge pump is running every four hours and if I dont get to the boat every other day it kills my battery. And I think you are mistaken about the hose that the shift cable goes in. The cable is submerged in water when it comes out of the transom. I've looked at many exploded views and found another person that may be having the same problem as me. As long as the hose is above the water level, no water will get in the boat, unless there is a hole in that hose somewhere.

And I cannot afford having some mechanic look at it, I just don't have that kinda money. I restore cars for a living so this type of thing aint much for me, just a big learning experience at this point.
 
No, I'm not mistaken about the hose. It is supposed to protect the shift cable. Replace it if you think you should, your money. If there is water in it then you may have a failed gasket in the drive.

Call it whatever you want, but the rotting of your manifold is part of the aging process. These things are supposed to last a few years, not decades. Use whatever means of resuscitation you think necessary to buy more time.

OK you'll spend $200 to install a Pertronix but not to have a professional give it a look over? I'm not saying to actually have them do the work, but to look it over. They can give you a list to work from.
 
I can pretty much tell what it needs, I'm a professional in the automotive field so boats are similar so I think I can figure it out.

And that hose isn't in the drive at all, it goes from the transom to the shift assembly that bolts to the manifold.

And yea I know the manifolds rot, it sucks. I would replace it but the damn things are so expenzive for this little OMC! I couldn't believe it, I found out that OMC was out of business and are fussy after i bought the boat. The pertronix is 112 bucks and it will give me a good starting point on knowing that I have good spark and a reliable ignition. I have just enough money for me to buy parts and install them myself. To be honest with you, a mechanic will probably look at my boat and tell me to call up the local boat donation and get a tax break! lol It aint a pretty sight but like they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
 
And that hose isn't in the drive at all, it goes from the transom to the shift assembly that bolts to the manifold.

I know exactly which hose you are referring to and where it is located. You will have to remove the engine to replace it, or hire a midget monkey with biceps like King Kong.

It has a crimp collar holding it to what is nothing more than a common threaded hose fitting that has an o-ring seal. This threads into the outer transom thru the hole in the boat. When mine went bad I simply removed the old hose and kept the fitting. I used a piece of regular old heater hose and fastened it with double hose clamps. You'll see what I mean when you get into it. I suppose that you could find another one with crimp fittings if you went to a place that makes hydraulic hose or a plumbing supply. Just as long as you use a aluminum or stainless crimp it should be good. The factory original was zinc plated steel (!).
 
Thats probably my leak, its slow but the damn bilge pump keeps killin my battery! Thanks for the info, I figured I'd have to pull the engine to get to it cause I can't see it. That really sucks but whatever, I got time but I ain't got money for a new boat so I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pull the engine. I want it to be able to safely stay in the water and not take on water!
 
Fortunate that the engine comes out pretty easy if you have a friend with a loader on their tractor. Free up the cables, undo the electric connections, remove the riser and exhaust hose, undo the two nuts on the bellhousing, undo the motor mounts and away you go. Shouldn't be more than a couple hours to get it out. If you can figure out how to remove it, you can get it back in OK. Grease your splines on the shaft of the drive before refit.
 
yea, it doesn't seem too bad. My only problem is my water pump is about 4 inches from the engine cover "stand" and I heard you need six inches to come forward for the drive shaft to come out of the bell housing.
 
I would recommend removing the drive first as it's simple enough and then after you reinstall the engine get an alignment tool and check the alignment before putting the drive back on, could save you a coupler (engine removal again) down the road.
 
Well I just had the drive off haha, I'd rather not re spend the money on the gasket and stuff like that, may just make an access panel so the engine can come forward enough to pull the engine with the drive still in. Damn these OMC's!
 
Well that's your choice but once you disturb those mounts I would be checking the alignment, it could even be off some now due to the age and settling. Gasket set should be under $10.
 
Well I guess you can pull the water pump out before you take the engine out. Only thing is it would mess up the gaskets, so you'd either have to buy, make or borrow some new ones when it goes back in.

I don't see how the mounts would go out of adjustment that bad. He's not changing anything; they should go back right where they were when they came out. Cobras aren't as particular as Mercruiser regarding alignment. In fact, there isn't even any direction in the official shop manual telling you to perform a shaft alignment of any kind, least not that I can find.
 
yea I'll figure it out, I guess I'll just take it one step at a time. I'm gonna get the thing ready to come out at my shop then tow the boat to a buddys shop and have him pull it with his fork lift. Bbbut before I pull it, Im gonna get it running again and replace the timing belt, do a compression check and all that fun stuff so i know I'm not wasting my time.
 
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