86 OMC 3.0 first boat

Author Message   ernie minns New member Username: watertite Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Friday, September 18, 2009 - 12:41 pm:    This is my 1st post and new to this site. I bought my first IB/OB the other day from the origional owner. It's an old boat but seems to be in good shape. Took it to the lake twice this week and it runs very well with no problems. Is anyone know if this set up is any good or did I make a big mistake buying such an old boa? Boat is a 86 Glastron Conroy 16 ft. What should I buy for a manual, and where? Thanks for any input!   Hy Stat Senior Member Username: hystat Post Number: 1489 Registered: 05-2007 Posted on Friday, September 18, 2009 - 12:55 pm:    86 is a transition year for omc drives - so first thing to do is figure out if you have a Cobra or Stringer-mount drive. Google image search will show you pics of each style if you are unsure. Then, look on eBay for an OMC factory manual for your drive/your year Yes, you mad a big mistake, but if it runs good, and you already had fun boating in it, you are further ahead than a lot of people wandering into these forums.   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1426 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Friday, September 18, 2009 - 03:15 pm:    did I make a big mistake buying such an old boa? You should have asked this question before buying Is this what yours looks like ??? Nice boat!!! http://www.classicglastron.com/1986_Glastron_X-16.html   chiefalen Advanced Member Username: chiefalen Post Number: 257 Registered: 03-2008 Posted on Friday, September 18, 2009 - 05:58 pm:    look at the drive is there 2 trim rams, or a big half moon gear that moves the drive up or down. Half moon gear it's a stringer.   ernie minns New member Username: watertite Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Friday, September 18, 2009 - 06:18 pm:    There is a plastic medallion on the side of the outdrive that says "Cobra" and the boat that Bob Hill posted is much fancier than mine. After reading some of the posts I've read,I'm about to sell out!   ernie minns New member Username: watertite Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 07:56 am:    Is one drive better that the other?   chiefalen Advanced Member Username: chiefalen Post Number: 258 Registered: 03-2008 Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 08:10 am:    yes there is a big difference. In my own inexpert opinion, the first cobra was a good drive. However it uses a cone clutch. Does it run? Does it float? Does it go? Oh yea it woud have been nice if you posted that it said cobra on the side.   Hy Stat Senior Member Username: hystat Post Number: 1492 Registered: 05-2007 Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 04:52 pm:    Actually, the first ones were dog clutch, not cone until 1993 or so. All i/o boats of that era are prone to the issues that 20 years of neglect can bring. If yours has been well maintained, there is no reason to panic. The only reason the Mercruisers are considered better is parts availability and technician familiarity. The Cobras are a poor design, but so are Mercruisers. They all use the same engines.   chiefalen Advanced Member Username: chiefalen Post Number: 259 Registered: 03-2008 Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 06:03 pm:    Hy is right i don't think i had my coffee when i posted that. At least it has a 3.0 and not the dreaded 2.3. http://hhscott.com/evinrude/omc_stringer.htm Some light reading give it a peek.   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1427 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 08:40 pm:    That Cobra Medallion being on the side of the drive is pretty amazing, I would bet that 90% of those have fallen off by now and underneath is a screw. ****DO NOT EVER**** remove that screw no matter how badly you want to or you will discover the 2nd worst mistake Cobra owners make!!!! Just pulling your leg a bit but seriously don't remove that screw as it only causes grief. Would like to see a few pics of boat when you get a chance...pretty hard to beat those older Glastrons.   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Monday, September 21, 2009 - 01:21 pm:    I had read there was a screw that should not be removed, so I'm glad to know which one it is. You say this the second worst mistake an owner of a Cobra can make,whats the first? I will post a pix of the boat,but it's not the one you had posted. Mine is a plain jane but in nice shape. I did make kind of a decision to not exceed 35 hundred RPM's just because it's 23 years old and even at that it still says 33 mph on the speedo, and would it to last a couple years. I'm waiting for a new service manual to arrive so I can become a little more knowledgeable about this thing.Thanks for all the input.   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1431 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Monday, September 21, 2009 - 01:51 pm:    Ernie...I was wondering if you were going to ask that. You say this the second worst mistake an owner of a Cobra can make,whats the first? The first worst mistake is to buy an OMC of course !!! ps...just having some fun with you, don't take me seriously. Hope you have many years of enjoyment with it! And if you do have problems there's a great bunch of guys on this forum ready to help you.   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 6 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - 02:31 pm:    Thank you for all your help Bob, We took the old boat again last nite and it continues to go great. Not many days left to run it. They will be taking out the dock for the season,so already looking forward to spring. Seems like we get 10 months of winter and 2 of summer. The manual I ordered should be here tomorrow so I can figure out how to winterize it. Up here in Maine it's never too early to think about the cold weather. Again,Thanks, Ernie   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 7 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 02:23 pm:    I recieved my manual from seloc and must say I'm just a bit disapointed. Looking to change outdrive oil and the directions leave a little to be desired. I have read on this site a more complex way to drain and refil. The book says to remove top dipstick and open drain at the bottom of the lower unit, then refill by pumping in gear lube until at the dipstick mark. I seem to rembering reading that you fill to the next plug of the lower unit,when full then insert bottom drain plug, then fill from the upper plug in the lower unit to bring the oil level up to the mark on the dipstick on the upper unit. Am I making sence? HELP!   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1434 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 05:11 pm:    This may cause some discussion.... Once drained, I've always put the drain screw back in and filled it completely from the middle screw and never had a problem. I have heard of guys doing it the way you describe but seems like a lot more work to me? This is a piece from Stuart Hastings website which you should visit and read...(look in the Hints section) When filling the Cobra with gear lube, use the middle fill plug, as shown in the Owners' Manual. Do not fill through the (bottom) drain plug! If you fill from the wrong port, you will probably trap a big bubble of air inside the vertical drive, and that bubble will eventually rise to the top. When it does, the upper gearcase gears will run dry, and self-destruct. As they say in the computer biz, "RTFM." http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 8 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 08:03 pm:    I had a feeling this wouldn't be easy. I also noticed there is not a clear explaination on how to winterize. I did find the hastings site very informative. Lots more to read.   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1435 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 06:59 am:    Ernie...try this page for starters along with your manual and then come back with any questions. http://www.brownsmarina.com/tech-winter-inboard.html   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 9 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 12:34 pm:    WOW I'm impressed Great info. No questions at the moment , This is a great help. I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with my first stern drive. I'm still a little hesitant about pulling the thing off the back of the boat to grease and service the U-joints. Still doing baby steps. I did work in a garage years ago and have serviced cars and motorcycles and do have a pretty fair supply of tools. But will continue reading for now. Thanks again for your help.I'll try not to become a pain.   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 17 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Sunday, September 27, 2009 - 03:27 pm:    Do most people pull their drives to grease u-joints every year?   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1439 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Sunday, September 27, 2009 - 04:40 pm:    That depends...if you know your boat, the last time you did it, the condition of the drive shaft bellows and the gimbal bearing and your usage is low, etc then maybe you could go 2 years. For anyone with a boat that's new to them I would highly recommend it the first year so you know what you're dealing with.   Dan Fulwyler New member Username: letsrope Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2009 Posted on Thursday, October 08, 2009 - 10:17 pm:    I made the first mistake boat owner can make. Buy an OMC. Mine is the older 70's model. It slips on the forward spring. Will a newer 90's model outdrive interchange. I hangs behind a 327.   chiefalen Advanced Member Username: chiefalen Post Number: 285 Registered: 03-2008 Posted on Friday, October 09, 2009 - 06:47 am:    no the hole in the transom won't allow anything other then a stringer to hang behind the 327. and by the way the 327 is a great motor. Dan you have a a pic cause i think you have the long drive. depends on your intermediate drive, if you can go with a full mechanical unit. Such as the one i have. Only real way for you to move to a modern unit merc or otherwise would be for you to fill in the transom and go with new stuff from the motor back. Really not worth it, unless you have a donor boat with a good drive and bad motor and you tear everything thing off your boat and install everything from the donor boat. Dan also not chiding you, but please start your own thread next time just easier for a old geezer like me, to try and help alot of people won't see your thread.   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 22 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 12:33 pm:    Hello again. I've been reading 100s of pages of threads on 2 different web sites about all the problems with srerndrives of all types and have decieded I'm going back to an old outboard before my 86 omc cobra starts costing me a ton of money. My boat runs great but after reading all this stuff I've been scared off. Anyone want to buy a ton of potencial problems cheep? Thanks for all the help I've recieved but These things seem like nothing but trouble. Good luck everyone!   Bob Hill Senior Member Username: boatin_bob Post Number: 1460 Registered: 07-2006 Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 07:21 pm:    Sorry to hear that Ernie...I know OMC has been given a bad rep over the years, started back with the Stringer Drives and carried on through the Cobra's before they handed the whole thing over to Volvo. Before you throw the towel in though, ask yourself why Volvo was interested in going into a joint venture with OMC and then finally buying them out of the stern drive business? Then do some reading about Mercruisers and you'll see they are not as bullet proof as some would have you believe, then ask some idiots like me why they've had Cobra's (5 of them) since 1988 and still have them. After all that then go buy your outboard and have fun with it, no sense spending your time worrying about what might happen...good luck!   ernie minns Member Username: watertite Post Number: 23 Registered: 09-2009 Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 08:14 pm:    Bob,I didn't realize you were into OMC's I was very excited with this boat until it seemed like no one had anything good to say about them. I quess I'm easily swayed. Just wanted something to pull my kids around our small local lake. Not one to hot rod at my 60 age. Even limited rpm's to 3k. No buyers anyway this time of year,so I'll sleep on it. Thanks Ernie   chiefalen Advanced Member Username: chiefalen Post Number: 295 Registered: 03-2008 Posted on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 06:28 am:    jeez i was a hair breath away from taking another free boat, a cobra. I still prefer the stringer. Finding more and more parts laying around for free, HAH.

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