Author Topic: OMC 'Stringer' tilt problems (Read 42966 times)

scott r bishop · « **on:** July 26, 2012, 12:56:48 PM »

I hate having this outdrive because so few others do.. but in hopes that someone here has experience with the 1979 OMC 'Stringer' outdrive, ours is stuck in the down position. Unlike Mercruisers, OMC did not use hydraulic tilt controls, but rather an electric motor that moves a large gear on the outside next to the outdrive. Last night we went out for a spin, brought the outdrive up to go up to the beach, put it back down, got back to the dock and the outdrive wouldn't budge. I can hear the electric motor inside the engine compartment spinning, it's just not engaging the outdrive. To make matters worse, the boat is in the water so I can't even get it on land to troubleshoot. I have checked the fuses, changed the battery to a freshly charged one, and have tried to physically move the outdrive and still nothing. Any ideas? If only I could pull a hydraulic hose and let it drain out, I could get it up to inspect/repair on land, but as it is I'm stuck in the water. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and I can take any pictures that might help shed some light on the configuration. Thanks!

David CVX-16 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:12:31 PM »

Any release valve for the hydraulic lines?

The Mercury power tilt units have a knob that turns to release the oil in just this kind of situation - to allow the unit to raise if the electric motor fails.

WetRaider · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:31:59 PM »

Is there a solenoid or actuator that allows the spinning gear to engage with the fixed gear? Sounds like you've essentially got a clutch engaged. Perhaps the spinning motor has power but a relay or some other switch to activate that solenoid is not closing the circuit when you need it to.

Can you raise the bunks on your trailer, back it deeper in the water, and get the boat up on it so the drive clears the ground when you drive out?

Jason · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:48:40 PM »

It sounds like the gears are either not engaging or are stripped. If that's the case, it seems like you should be able to go back there, lift it up by hand and maybe use a strap to hold it up till you can get it out of the water to work on it.

I had an old Century boat with the OMC drive and I trying to remember what it all looked like...........I'll have to look back at my pictures.

Jason · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2012, 02:50:24 PM »

Found this on google. Helps show the gear.

Or, maybe you can unbolt the motor to get it to manually move........

scott r bishop · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2012, 03:00:35 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

David - I cannot find any hydraulic lines whatsoever down there, and nothing that looks like a hydraulic pump similar to what Mercruisers have. The gear that tilts the motor is circled in image 1, and the motor I can hear spinning is circled in image 2, it bolts up to the outdrive housing exactly where the gear is outside of the motor housing.

Dan - I cannot find an accessable solenoid in the motor housing, could it be that little box below the circled gear in image 1? Any way to test its functionality without pulling the boat out of water? I looked at the bunks on the trailer, it looks like it I busted out the ol' liquid wrench I could probably raise them another 5-6", which would leave the bottom of the skeg ~ 2-3" off the ground - scary business to me but there may be no other options at this point.

Jason - I can't move it by hand at all, feels solidly 'locked' in place. The image you linked shows a better view of the little housing next to the gear that I suspect is what's not being engaged - thanks for posting that. Thanks again for the suggestions guys!

MikeB · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2012, 03:10:39 PM »

Scott - check the OMC manual that's on the HD share. I'm pretty sure there is a manual release for the outdrive. If you can email me the manual I can spend some time looking for the section I'm referring to.

Jason · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:22:41 PM »

I think it's only 4 bolts that hold the entire outdrive onto the midsection. you can see 2 of them right below the letter "U" in the picture I posted. You could just remove the entire outdrive. Might be easier then lifting bunks if you need to get the boat out of the water. Shouldn't hurt anything even with the boat in the water.

There must be something broken between your electric motor and gear assembly.

Jason · « **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:27:07 PM »

scott r bishop · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:34:19 PM »

That's good to know Jason, will try that if all else fails; and thanks for finding the diagram! Anyone have a ballpark as to how much the outdrive weighs? Would we need to somehow get the engine hoist out there to do it, or would two guys be enough to lift it out?

fireman24mn · « **Reply #10 on:** July 26, 2012, 04:38:18 PM »

I found this if it helps and the link to the thread

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=41481

Re: omc tilt trim won't work
DanthernOk if it is a 1977 it is not a cobra but still not sure if it is a stringer. If it is the stringer engine then has a system for select trim that raises the front of the engine for trim or can have manual trim where adjust a bolt at front of engine to trim. It would have a big rubber boot from the outdrive to the transom. Select Trim switch normaly up down button on throttle lever and runs a motor to turn a jack screw at front of engine.Tilt is a seperate switch normaly on the dash. This runs a motor inside the boat on the port side of the intermediate houseing. This motor turn a worm shaft out side the boat in the tilt clutch. The tilt clutch should be filled with motor oil not lower unit oil. This clutch turns a small gear that turn a large 1/4 circle gear mounted to the outdrive. To start with make sure the battery is charged. Take the three bolts off that holed the big 1/4 circle gear out and remove the gear. Now try your tilt up and down and see if motor runs. If it does then try lifting your outdrive by hand and see if it is froze up. If it is then pull the rubber cap off support the lower unit and remove the caps on each side. Pull away from the boat enough so can get bushing off and clean all the way around and put back together. Now see if can lift the outdrive. Put gear back on and you are all set. Zert fitting should be lubbed durning normal maintenance but I have found do not get much grese to back side of bushings.Fuses for tilt on my 1980 3.0 OMC stringer. Two 50 amp fuses on starbord side near the starter of motor. One supplies the volts for the solenoid contacts but if you have 12 volts on motor should be ok. Second fuse on dash next to tilt switch that supplies the volts to the solenoid pick circuit.If your motor is a stringer this should give you a place to start.Good luck and let us know what you find.

Rich_V174SS · « **Reply #11 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:24:01 PM »

The OMC stringer drive has an electric motor that drives a "worm" gear to raise and lower the drive, it doesn't operate like a tilt system so the drive is either up or it's down. If you can remove the half-moon toothed gear on the port side of the drive you should be able to raise or lower the drive by hand and then reinstall the gear to hold it in place. It sounds to me like the drive shaft or worm gear that operates the tilt may be stripped or disengaged from the motor. You would have to unbolt the drive motor from the mid section inside the boat to know for sure.

aquamaniac · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:38:12 PM »

This picture might help It's hard to see with the tilt down

bellj · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:46:52 PM »

Scott, by any chance did you get this boat from a gentlemen from Neillsville, WI? I ask for two reasons - one is just pure personal curiosity because yours looks exactly like that boat and the time-frame from when he sold it would match about the time that you got yours (he even drove it down to the annual event for a day that year - and we happened to drive through that day also while the event was going on - recognized it right away because I had looked at it a few weeks before and he told me later that summer that it had gone up north a ways).

Anyway, the second reason - and I apologize ahead of time if this isn't relevant to the actual problem you're experiencing because I admittedly know very little about that Stringer design - but just on the weird chance it could have something to do with it, I noticed when I had looked at that boat back then that those kind of "star gears" (don't know the actual technical term, but they are number 54 in that one diagram above) that couple the two halves together looked like they were half worn, especially by those little "ball ends", so by some weird chance could those two gears have locked together and is preventing that electric motor from being able to lift that unit apart?

I know that's a long shot, but thought I'd mention it just in case it might help.

Retro Performance · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2012, 06:51:46 PM »

I think the OMC Stringer has a shear pin on the input shaft for the tilt......these units come down quickly and it is not uncommon to break this pin when it hits bottom, usually best to lower the stringers in several hits of the button to help control speed. If you look at a parts breakdown with descriptions I think you will be able to locate the pin quickly. My memory is it takes about 1/2 hour to replace..........one clue might be if the drive was lowered quickly just before this happened.I am not sure if the pin is used through all years but if applicable to your drive it would explain why the motor still runs and the drive does not move. If you don't find further info let me know what year and model drive you have, I likley have parts and service manuels for it.

Retro

Jason · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2012, 07:50:37 PM »

Quote from: Rich_V174SS on July 26, 2012, 06:24:01 PM

If you can remove the half-moon toothed gear on the port side of the drive you should be able to raise or lower the drive by hand and then reinstall the gear to hold it in place.

I like this idea better!

I was able to remove and install the outdrive with my skinny lone self but I would recommend two guys......but try just unbolting the half moon gear first!

Maybe you can get to the shear pin without taking the boat out of the water.

scott r bishop · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2012, 08:20:28 PM »

Quote from: bellj on July 26, 2012, 06:46:52 PM

did you get this boat from a gentlemen from Neillsville, WI?

We bought it in Welcome, WI (I thought, can't Google it so maybe I'm wrong), about 1 1/2 hours on 94 past WI Dells, maybe that's closeby? The gimbal gear (I think that's what they're called) on ours looked pretty good, I had heard those would wear out and did some research ahead of time to make sure I checked that (it's also why you can't run these outdrives tilted up AT ALL, making shallow water a real treat). It could well be the problem and I will be checking that over the weekend.

"usually best to lower the stringers in several hits of the button to help control speed" - I was told that as well so I always drop it down in 5-6 spurts; but if breaking that component might cause the problem we're having, I think that's a likely explaination. I will look at that as well.

As always, I am amazed at the generous outpouring of knowledge and willingness to help in this community, thank you all very much; you've given me lots of things to try over the weekend to get this problem solved!

scott r bishop · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2012, 09:05:30 PM »

Quote from: Retro Performance on July 26, 2012, 06:51:46 PM

I likley have parts and service manuels for it.

Retro

It is (I think) a 1979 GMC I-4, 140hp engine mounted to a factory installed 1979 OMC Stringer outdrive. It does not look like the photo Jason posted (though it was still a big help); they changed outdrive models between 1976 and 1980 if I recall correctly, and we have the unique outdrive from those years. If you have parts, PM me because I want to buy a lot of parts for spares, as these outdrives are so rare to come by and I know of things that are bound to wear out eventually. How I wish I had a Mercruiser...

Thanks again everyone!

MikeB · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2012, 11:04:00 AM »

I think we bought the boat in Friendship, Wisconsin. Same concept; different pleasantry.

Retro Performance · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2012, 11:37:41 AM »

I think for a 1979 140 the part number for the pins is 0309525.............I have some parts for stringers and a couple friends who have quite a bit....as I go through my inventory (I am getting rid of everything at this point) now that Mrs. Retro and I are slowing down I will contact you about items for your application. I am pretty sure in your tilt the worm shaft uses 2 pins.

Retro