I recently purchased a 1987 268 Sundancer with a 7.4 liter OMC King Cobra. Is anyone aware of any weaknesses with combination. I was talking to a boat mechanic today and he mentioned that the King Cobra would probably give me future problems because it is undersized for a 7.4.
King Cobra outdrive
- Thread starter rhanna29
- Start date
brian kowalski
New Member
Hey,
I just bought the same style boat.
I've got the 7.5L with Cobra O.D. How is your shifter??? I get full throttle in forward, but reverse is just a little bit (No real power)....
Have U experienced that???
Thanks,
Brian
I just bought the same style boat.
I've got the 7.5L with Cobra O.D. How is your shifter??? I get full throttle in forward, but reverse is just a little bit (No real power)....
Have U experienced that???
Thanks,
Brian
- Oct 6, 2006
- 12,153
- Boat Info
- 1996 450DA
- Engines
- 3116 Caterpillars
Good luck guys.........the Cobra drive has been out of production since before OMC went bankrupt and liquidated their assets. Parts are next to impossible to locate since the drives and replacement parts haven't been produced in years.
Try a Google search....there are usually one or 2 specialists that hang on for dear life when products like this one die.
Try a Google search....there are usually one or 2 specialists that hang on for dear life when products like this one die.
- Nov 12, 2006
- 5,334
- Boat Info
- 1999 Sea Ray 330DA
Twin 7.4 MPI (310 propshaft HP) V-drives
- Engines
- Twin Mercury Marine marinized 7.4L L-29 V8s
Cast iron block w 4-bolt mains
What Frank said plus, it is a robust drive. As long as you don't break anything it should be ok. If it breaks, the transom cut-out is the same as a Merc, but putting in a Bravo will probably be over $15k.
Best regards,
Frank
Best regards,
Frank
I had a 91 4Winns 265 Vista with the big block and Cobra package but the prior owner had swapped the drive with the Volvo unit from whatever year volvo took them over. Apparently Volvo made it a bit more reliable before they discontiued it but I think the drive bolts up.
Hello from Croatia!!
Volvo sx drive bolts right up and is more reliable than omc and also you can use volvo douprop.
Even conversion kits are made that you can purchase from volvo, you also have to change the raw water pump.
However, King Cobra is very reliable and robust outdrive and it is not easy to tear her up, so my advice is stay with what you have and see what happens and maybe some day you will decide to change whole engine packet.
Maybe even another boat...
Oh yes, king cobra is in no case undersized for big block!
Goran
Volvo sx drive bolts right up and is more reliable than omc and also you can use volvo douprop.
Even conversion kits are made that you can purchase from volvo, you also have to change the raw water pump.
However, King Cobra is very reliable and robust outdrive and it is not easy to tear her up, so my advice is stay with what you have and see what happens and maybe some day you will decide to change whole engine packet.
Maybe even another boat...
Oh yes, king cobra is in no case undersized for big block!
Goran
Pirate
New Member
I had a Donzi 22 with the Ford 460 and Cobra drive(s). I went through 4-5 drives before I replaced the engine / drive with a Merc. 500 Bulldog and Bravo. The X- factor on the drives was different and we had to replace the transom in order to re-power. It was a big job. The Cobra's were weak and the shift linkage caused lots of problems ranging from no shift, to full throttle forward when I selected reverse..... which happened twice with interesting results.
I cannot say this for sure, but as I recall big block Ford and big block Chevy did not have the same outdrive...
As I remember and this was a long time ago I had problems finding a prop for ford and wanted to borrow one but couldn't install it, the splines were not the same...
Goran
As I remember and this was a long time ago I had problems finding a prop for ford and wanted to borrow one but couldn't install it, the splines were not the same...
Goran
