www.iFourWinns.com

Hi
1995 200 Horizon SX M drive. Trim cylinders leak down. I have a new kit with the one piece seals for piston. I have a adjustable 2 leg pin spanner for cap bolts.
1. Can this be done on the boat? Or would the be issue trying to undo the cap bolts?
2. I saw Chris Bruno fix on youtube, but his rams have the eyelets on the back end of out drive welded on, mine appear to be threaded on.
3. If the eyelet stays on just unscrew piston nut of, catching all the balls & springs, pull cap off to replace seal, wiper seal and o ring be okay?
4. How do you hold the rods so they do not get marred to tight/loose parts?
5. Do cap threads need a sealant?

I am in an area where no reputable service annam really stuck and need some help please.

ron3033

Do your trim rams have the plastic covers with the metal trim line underneath? If so I think those early SX rams are similar to the OMC Cobra ones that I have. I just rebuilt mine on the boat this spring. If that’s what you have I can tell you how I did mine…

_________________
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

PS
I looked up what I think yours has & they are the same as mine; so I’d use the BRP/OMC trim cyl kit. It’s about $55 per side & you need to replace 6 seals; there are 3 on the piston and 3 for the end cap. You have to remove the eyelet to replace the inner seal & the wiper seal for the end cap. I left the cyls on the boat because I think it’s easier to get the end caps off than to deal with 4 hydraulic hose fittings which can seize in place.
BTW, before removing the fill plug for the trim pump inside the boat you must tilt the drive all the way up. Or else hydraulic fluid can spurt out forcefully. Tilting it up relieves pressure in the reservoir. You match up the seals you took off with full size pix in the kit instructions. I was able to remove the eyelets without much difficulty. The end caps took some muscle though! Salt water boat.
Keep in mind that from 1994-1998 the OMC Cobras & Volvo SXs are an identical product so just use the BRP/OMC kit like I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNA_Amx0MKU&t=1372s
take a look at this, if yours looks like this, then this will work for you...
the only thing I did different was I didn't remove the cyls from the boat, due to the fact that with salt water use, the hydraulic fittings might have been real tough to reomve, I was able to get the end caps loose, but not easily!

_________________
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

[/img]
Hi Lou
Thank you so much.
My trim cylinders have a 3 sided plastic cover over the metal line and fitting. The part on the end of the rod at the outdrive end looks to be threaded on, not like some that appear to be welded on the rod. But my understanding is you unscrew the piston end to get the rod out to change the 3 cap seals. Hoping can be done on the boat without remove hydraulic lines?
I will try to post a picture. Thank you for providing me the guidance steps
Thanks
Ron

https://postimg.cc/Jy3PJF7K

I hope this goes ok

Yep those are the same as mine, the early Volvo SX rams are basically the same as the OMC Cobra rams. So the BRP trim cylinder rebuilt kits will work for them.

https://www.marineengine.com/newparts/p ... OMC0985060
this....you need one kit for each side

_________________
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

[b]Hi Lou[b]
Weather just plunged here, 53 degrees today.
You mentioned the eyelet had to come off to get the cap off. How do you hold that shiny rod so as not to scratch it(a scratch would ruin it, causing leaks.) Could it be done by taking off the piston end, the end with springs and balls?(but how do you hold the rod safely?) Also I believe there is an O ring inside the piston on the bolt that holds it to the rod?
When you rebuild, did you push pistons all way in, fill with dexron 2 fluid, install caps......to get as much fluid in place and as much air out. Am stumped here. That is why any additional info, I welcome. No matter how simple or obvious. I am grateful for your help, being I am not the most mechanical. Any other tips most helpful
Many Thanks Lou
Ron

What I did was hold the eyelet with the Ram rod and turned the big nut at the end of the piston. Might have to heat the eyelet to get it to loosen.

_________________
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

Also forgot to mention, when re-assembling, I tilted both cyls up, filled the cyls about half full with T&T fluid, put the pistons in (carefully, read the BRP kit instructions, it explains how to make a tool out of an alu can to do this without tearing the seal) then filled it the rest of the way as much as I could and installed the end cap.
Next I (CAREFULLY) opened the fill port on the T&T pump in the boat and made sure it was full. NOTE: do not remove that plug, unless the drive is trimmed up, that lowers pressure in the reservoir.
When I did my cyls I had removed the outdrive first, so this was much easier than if it was installed. Otherwise, you may have to lift the outdrive to get everything lined up with a floor jack. Or a couple of strong helpers.
Then after everything is hooked up, cycle the drive up and down 5 times to bleed out any air that got in the system and end with the drive all the way up, again remove the fill plug and make sure the T&T pump is full.

_________________
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

Hi Lou
Thanks for additional info on how you filled the trim cylinders. I assume your boat is similar to mine, you have to be a contortionist to get at the trim pump. Being 70 now it is getting harder to do that. Haha!
I have the new improved seal kit coming. A one piece bi directional seal for pistons, improved seal and wiper seal for the cap, cap seal and O rings for piston bolt, O rings for hydraulic lines if you remove them. Will send photo .
Did you use any sealer on the threads on the cap seal after filling the trim cylinders?

Your help is really appreciated
Thanks
Ron

Photo of new style seal kit
https://postimg.cc/hhSydC30

no sealer necessary the oring makes the seal...
in order to get at the trim pump on my boat I remove half of the rear seat and the battery on that side. I re-designed the rear seats and engine compartment supports about 17 years ago to make the maintenance easier...

_________________
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

Hi Lou.
Unfortunately the way my boat is maybe only thing would be longer lines from T/T pump and move it. Adds more issues maybe?
Here is the new style kit....not sure if I will get it done this season. Will see. Also I think maybe my belt driven sea water pump is leaking on the shaft seal. I heard you can remove the impeller and pick out the seal and press a new seal on the shaft without the need of disassembly and a press to push the two bearings out. Never ends. I will send pics of seals..
Ron

https://postimg.cc/4KCw6ndW
https://postimg.cc/4KCw6ndW

If you were going to extend the trim lines, there might be a way to do that, are you sure you can't remove the rear seat? Also don't forget, the pump is electric/hydraulic, so you'd have to deal with the wiring harness as well.
What I did with my boat was to get rid of the full width seat, and instead replaced it with 2 separate seats that are the same width. There is a wood bulkhead behind them, that I cut in half and put a hinge in the middle, so what I do is lift out the upper part of the seat (pretty light) then the bottom half of the seat, (not as light but I can do it still) and open the "door" to the engine compartment, then I can get at the oil filter and trim pump. Usually when I winterize it I do the same thing, I only have to remove the seat on the port side. and slide the battery out of the way. The only time I have to remove both seats is to change the starter (did that a few times over the 22 years I have had this boat), when I changed the steering actuator (hope you never have to do that one) and when I did a top end overhaul (installed remanufactured cyl heads, new exhaust, etc). Most modern sterndrives I would not buy, they are impossible to work on. I like the older ones much better.
PS age wise I'm only about a year and a few months behind you!
the raw water pump, sorry I can't comment, I have never had one of those. Only the dog clutch Cobra pump that is in the upper gear housing, very easy to change.

_________________
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

Hi Lou
My boat does not have a bench seat across the back. The engine dog house sticks out and there is two small jump seats on either side of it. The bottoms of seats lift out to expose two tiny doors. Passenger side has battery storage. There is a molded back that stores canvas then a built in swim platform. The swim platform is sort of like two big trim tabs on each side of the hull at the stern with outdrive in the middle. Sort of "U" shaped. If this description makes sense.
I have a belt driven sea water pump, as my boat is a 1995, I guess they changed design?
Ron

Yes when the Joint Venture happened in 1994 the OMC Cobra design was changed to something more similar to what Volvo had on their AQ drives with cone clutch shifting & an engine mounted impeller. The original OMC Cobra has the impeller mounted at the tail end of the upper gear housing.
I can see what you’re saying about the bad access to the rear of the boat. I would probably take it to a fiberglass shop & ask them to make those sections removable. Because, sooner or later you will have to change the starter or steering actuator. In effect that’s what I did with my boat but it was just wood work not ‘glass work. It makes the maintenance 100% easier.

_________________
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