Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

I can't find the upper unit drain plug -- is it a suck out the stop deal?
Also; I found the reference for the lower unit oil; but not the upper unit.
What oil goes in there? approximate capacity?

Thanks
-josh


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Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
...
I can't find the upper unit drain plug -- is it a suck out the stop deal?
Also; I found the reference for the lower unit oil; but not the upper
unit.
What oil goes in there? approximate capacity?

Thanks
-josh

The drain is on the bottom and the upper vent is on top of the drive (if you
look at the top you will see the cover being held on with 4 bolts and a
screw dead center. This is the upper vent). You need to run the engine
until the drive is warm (in neutral). Open the bottom drain plug right side
bottom and then open the top. It will drain out 2qts of gear oil. I filled
mine with 2qts of Mercruiser synthetic gear oil. Be sure to get the pump.
Screw the pump into the bottle and the hose end into the bottom drain. Pump
in the 2qts then with the pump still connected screw in the top plug. This
will allow you to quickly remove the pump tube from the bottom and screw in
the plug. Remove the upper plug and check the level with the attached (to
plug) dipstick. Should be filled. The king cobra may use more oil but the
standard size uses two qts. As long as nothing milky or water comes out of
the drive you are done. Make sure the plugs are tight. It is a easy
process. Use the largest bladed screwdriver you have, if you strip the plug
you are in for a world of hurt. The drive is all one cavity so you are
changing all of the oil at one time. It seams like 2 qts will not be enough
to fill it but it is.....

Good luck,
mark

Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

Wow -- so the Upper & lower units are "together" -- OK -- Cool; two quarts it
is.

I don't have the king-cobra.

Seems like they are two seperate units (upper/lower) the way the lower has two
screws/plugs in it (at the base, and towards the top) -- I only found the
vent/dipstick for the upper; no corrisponding drain -- thanks for hte info!

-josh



On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 01:09:25 -0400, "r_d"
wrote:


"Josh Assing" wrote in message
.. .
I can't find the upper unit drain plug -- is it a suck out the stop deal?
Also; I found the reference for the lower unit oil; but not the upper
unit.
What oil goes in there? approximate capacity?

Thanks
-josh

The drain is on the bottom and the upper vent is on top of the drive (if you
look at the top you will see the cover being held on with 4 bolts and a
screw dead center. This is the upper vent). You need to run the engine
until the drive is warm (in neutral). Open the bottom drain plug right side
bottom and then open the top. It will drain out 2qts of gear oil. I filled
mine with 2qts of Mercruiser synthetic gear oil. Be sure to get the pump.
Screw the pump into the bottle and the hose end into the bottom drain. Pump
in the 2qts then with the pump still connected screw in the top plug. This
will allow you to quickly remove the pump tube from the bottom and screw in
the plug. Remove the upper plug and check the level with the attached (to
plug) dipstick. Should be filled. The king cobra may use more oil but the
standard size uses two qts. As long as nothing milky or water comes out of
the drive you are done. Make sure the plugs are tight. It is a easy
process. Use the largest bladed screwdriver you have, if you strip the plug
you are in for a world of hurt. The drive is all one cavity so you are
changing all of the oil at one time. It seams like 2 qts will not be enough
to fill it but it is.....

Good luck,
mark



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Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
...
Wow -- so the Upper & lower units are "together" -- OK -- Cool; two quarts
it
is.

I don't have the king-cobra.

Seems like they are two seperate units (upper/lower) the way the lower has
two
screws/plugs in it (at the base, and towards the top) -- I only found the
vent/dipstick for the upper; no corrisponding drain -- thanks for hte
info!

Actually I had a brain fart.... It is one cavity so the 2 qts will fill
the whole thing. I did find official directions and have posted them below.
They insist that it must be filled from the plug around the anti-cavitation
skeg. I don't personally see the difference then filling it from the bottom
aside this way (filling if from the second plug) would possibly leave an air
pocket in the lower gear set but I would take their warning. Just make sure
you do put the entire 2qts in it. If you don't then you do have an air
pocket. Apparently the Merc units are two separate cavities with an upper
and lower. I assume this is so you can change the water pumps with less
trouble but since the OMC has the water pump under the plastic cover you do
not need to take the drive apart to replace it. I guess this allowed them
to make it a single unit. You will like changing the water pump in the
drive. You will need a deep socket and about 10 min....

Good luck.
mark


3. OMC Cobra 1986-1993: There is only one reservoir (the upper and lower
gearcase share oil). There are, however, three screws. The drain screw is
located in the *bullet* at the bottom, and the vent screws are located
midway above the anti-ventilation plate and at the top center in the form of
a dipstick. Pull the top and bottom screw to drain, but refilling requires
that you install the bottom screw first, then fill the entire drive from the
middle screw only until you get the proper reading on the top dipstick.


** FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS FILL PROCEDURE WILL MOST CERTAINLY RESULT IN UPPER
GEAR FAILURE. **

If the unit is filled incorrectly, an air pocket will form inside the drive
such that when it *burps* up at a later date, will result in the upper oil
level dropping thus destroying the top gears. Trust me on this as I have
made quite a bit of money on people who were unaware of this procedure (they
now leave their boat in my care ). Again, new gaskets are advisable on the
screws.
http://www.brownsmarina.com/tech-winter-inboard.html

Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

the whole thing. I did find official directions and have posted them below.
They insist that it must be filled from the plug around the anti-cavitation
skeg. I don't personally see the difference then filling it from the bottom
aside this way (filling if from the second plug) would possibly leave an air


I filled it from the top -- and rotated the prop slowly & often. At about 1.5
quarts, I got LOTS of air bubbles out the top - but I took about 4 hours to fill
it -- and it took just over 2 quarts; ran the prop by the engine & rechecked;
level didn't change.

pocket. Apparently the Merc units are two separate cavities with an upper

That's what I'm used to -- so I was looking for a drain for the upper... "new"
is new to me..

Thanks for all the help!

-j


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Remove X's to send email to me.

Cobra Outdrive, Upper unit -- Drain? oil?
 

"Josh Assing" wrote in message
...
the whole thing. I did find official directions and have posted them
below.
They insist that it must be filled from the plug around the
anti-cavitation
skeg. I don't personally see the difference then filling it from the
bottom
aside this way (filling if from the second plug) would possibly leave an
air


I filled it from the top -- and rotated the prop slowly & often. At about
1.5
quarts, I got LOTS of air bubbles out the top - but I took about 4 hours
to fill
it -- and it took just over 2 quarts; ran the prop by the engine &
rechecked;
level didn't change.

pocket. Apparently the Merc units are two separate cavities with an upper

That's what I'm used to -- so I was looking for a drain for the upper...
"new"
is new to me..

Thanks for all the help!

-j

Excellent, if you got the 2qts in it then you are golden and saved yourself
a few bucks in the process... Have a great boating season!

mark