www.iFourWinns.com

The way the bellows install, is like the this:
Upper driveshaft bellows, on pivot housing end it just snaps into the housing, on the transom end big screw clamp.
Lower ex bellows, on transom end big screw clamp, pivot end a big snap ring need a snap ring pliers to get it off. If your upper bellows is good, like I said, if someone helps you by holding the pivot housing while you finagle that hose out, you might not have to remove it all the way and get into the shift cable stuff. Now if your Cobra doesn't shift properly (jumps out of gear, or will not come out of gear) you should be replacing that cable.....but that's a story for another day, LOL....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I guess Im going to do the job myself... I called a local marina (Rockingham Marine in Windham NH) and thy wanted $800.00 to $1200.00 to change the hose... I called (Green Marine in Hooksett NH) and they wanted around $600.00 to change the hose... HOW can they justify those prices???

How far can the outdrive come out before I have to deal with the shift cable or bellows? Can I get my small hands in there and change the hose?
I would assume after the both bellows are installed there has to be room there for tightening up the clamps. no?

I have not had to do it that way but I know that it is possible to change both bellows on a Cobra or a Volvo SX by removing the lower bellows first (remove snap ring, then transom clamp, remove whole bellows). Then pull the end of the upper bellows out of the pivot housing, remove the clamp on the transom end and pull out the bellows. Try this first: tilt it up all the way after removing the drives d then see if you can get a screwdriver on the hose clamps for that hose ....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Once you have the drive off, it only takes a couple more bolts to get the pivot housing off. Once that is off the bellows, raw water pickup hose and shift cable are easy to get at.

The bellows on an OMC are MUCH easier than a Merc Alpha 1. And since getting the pivot housing/gimbal ring off does not require a special tool, why not make it even easier.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

I've always taken the pivot housing off to do anything with the bellows or water hose. it allows excellent access. On the SX shield it's :

2 bolts to remove the trim sender ( if a later one, that might break at the hexagon that sits in the pivot bolt head, be very careful prising it out; I've filed the hexagon down to a slight taper, so it comes out easier. I have also separated the hexagon part from the part that is attached to the trim sender shaft by cutting off the heads on the plastic locating pins; the combination of the two modifications ensures it comes out unbroken every time ).

Disconnect the shifter cable ( I bolt, 1 split pin+ washer to remove and one cube nut to undo).

Disconnect the ground cable ( 1 bolt) on the top left hand side

Remove the large internal circlip from the exhaust bellows, if it's the type that has one; long nosed pliers work very well for that. Push the end of the bellows through.

Push the end of the drive bellows through, over the retaining "lip".

Undo the plastic nut on the water pipe.

Remove the 2 pivot bolts (1/2" hex driver needed). You can wedge a piece of wood in to stop the unit pivoting when you are doing that.

As you remove the housing, it'll probably drag off the rubber covers that are on the shift cable, be prepared to look for them; they can go a long way !

Are you saying I can remove the pivot housing with the outdrive attached????

I'm trying to get in just deep enough on my '90 OMC Cobra to replace the water hose. After reading various posts about adjusting the shift cable, I'm a bit spooked.
Is there a way to pull the pivot housing far enough away without disassembling the shift cable system?
The cable looks and feels pretty good, so I'd like to avoid too much mucking about with it.

Pics would be very helpful, I do not have a manual, however, I do not know how much help a manual would be because I am trying an unconventional method which would not be in a manual...

No, the outdrive has to come off no matter what.

There isn't much unconventional about what you are trying to do. Just plan on replacing the bellows, and water hose all at the same time.

Yes, you can take the pivot housing off with out removing the shift cable. You have to be careful and make sure you are supporting the housing so it doesn't hang from the cable. Also make sure you don't kink the cable in any way.

Once you take the drive off you really should check the shift cable adjustment anyways.

At a minimum you should pick up a SELOC or Clymer manual. The diagrams and the pictures of components help in many ways, even if you don't follow each step in the exact order they show.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Yep the post above has it right. Now if you're gonna get that deep into it, google up 'Midnight Wolf OMC Tools' . He (poster on iboats) sells the transom cable tool and the bell crank holder tool, the 2 main tools you need to adjust the transom shift cable. He also has the re-print of the OMC shop manuals for the early 86/87 models (engine bell crank has the slot for the remote csble facing down) and the later 88 and up models (bell crank slot faces up). He also has a simple easy to follow OMC service bulletin that I advised him to include after finding that it made the somewhat complex and confusing manual instructions easy to follow. The manual pics show how the pivot comes off (shift cable replacement).

After I did mine (did the whole adjustment including the shift rod height, transom cable and remote cable) it shifts even better that when one of the better OMC shops here did it. I got the 3 OMC genuine tools to do the whole thing well worth it this way when I have to do the cable I can do it myself. Cable is more than 10 years old and still works perfect (drag must be 2lbs or less).

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks for all the advice... I went out there this morning lifted my trim up and to the starboard I was then able to get a flex extention with a swivel in there to unscrew the clamp by the transom. I pulled the hose off bent it downward so I could cut the torn piece off and add a 1" PVC connector to three inches of 1" hose to equal the length that I cut off. I then greased the piece of hose and clamped it to place, where I had disconnected it from, (hanging down 3 inches) I was able to get my hand in there and slide the connector on with the help of some grease, it slid right in. I connected it, started the boat and after 160 degrees warm water started to come out from the exhaust bellows. I guess I have success.... It took about an hour and a half, including back flushing to get the broken pieces of impeller out of the system and a trip to Autozone...

The outdrive turns fine and the hose does not seem to be kinked or jammed into anything...

Nice quick fix just make sure the clamps are tight and the hose is not flexed or linked. When you run it go slow at first and test it turning and tilting it up at idle watch your water temp.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II