www.iFourWinns.com

Hello Everyone,
1992 Horizon 200 5.7 OMC Cobra Drive.
I have a slight whine coming from the outdrive when I first engage forward and am just idling through the water. If I kick the RPM's up just a few 100 it goes away. It does not make this whine in netural at any RPM and I did not check reverse. I was told that is most likely the gimbal bearing starting to go bad. I have not idea if it was ever changed before. If it is the bearing, that might be more then I can handle since this is my first boat. Does it sound like it could be the bearing and does anyone know of any good trustworthy mechanic in Tucson,AZ?

Thank you.

It may not be the gimbal. The gimbal bearing is under load (turning) regardless of the drive being in ot out of gear.

Have you:

1. Had the outdrive removed and the gimbal and universals serviced lately? The Universals might have fittings so they can be greased. The gmbal bearing is greased via the fitting on the right side of the transom shield. The gimbal should be lubed with a good waterproof grease twice yearly. Just put about 5- 10 pumps from a grease gun int the fitting while the boat is idling.

2. Have you had the engine alignment checked recently?

3. Does the pitch of the sound change if the drive is turned left or right?

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

My neighbor's '96 180 was very recently showing exactly the same symptoms. In his case it did end up being the gimbal bearing, which failed secondarily to a punctured bellows.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

speaking of engine alignment - don't want to kidnap post, but is the dealer the only one's who can perform this task??

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2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

It's not complicated, but it does require removal of the drive and to do it right, you need a factory tool - which is nothing more than a precision machined bar, but it's expensive enough that few owners would ever buy it.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Hello,
Thank you for the replies. I have greased the gimbal bearing a few weeks ago but it was without the engine running. I do not know if the bearing has been replaced. I did change the raw water impeller earlier this year and I was for sure the first to do that. There was still paint on the bolts that held on the housing. I have not had the alignment checked since I have owned the boat (<1year). I will look into doing that since it will require taking the outdrive off and then I can verify the u-joints and gimbal are in ok shape. The exhaust bellow is pretty cracked up but the u-joint one appears fine. I did not notice if the sound changed when turning the wheel. I just ordered a service manual for it so I will wait to see if this is something that I want to tackle myself. A friend of mine has done it on his older Mercuriser and has the puller and alignment tool that he said should work on my OMC. I will wait for the service manual in the mail and see.

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Thank you.

Pete
1992 Horizon 200 5.7 OMC
Tucson, AZ.

I think it's a different alignment tool for Merc and OMC.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

how much are dealers charging for this service?

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2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

Hourly rate, for a couple of hours. Say, $175 (hopefully that's a little high).

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic