Hi: I recently purchased an O'Day 28 that has a OMC Saildrive engine. I have read pros and cons about this engine and would be interested in other folks experiences and what has been learned about how to live with it.
- Status
OMC Saildrive
Gary, there is a forum on Yahoo devoted to the saildrive, but in the short run, find and read the manual, do what it says as far as maintenance, including the zinc at the base of the engine, don't paint the lower drive with bottom paint, and realize that it is a two-cycle engine, nothing more than an old outboard. Parts are hard to get, but not impossible, except for the iso ring. Advantages are that the thrust is in a straight line, it backs up well, it is protected by the keel. Disadvantages are, besides the above, it is fuel thirsty and something of a polluter like any old ob, but provides a good deal of power. Good luck. I also think you will find advice and encouragement in the archives in the Oday pages here. Bill Coxe, O40 Kukulcán, New London. CT
Gary, there is a forum on Yahoo devoted to the saildrive, but in the short run, find and read the manual, do what it says as far as maintenance, including the zinc at the base of the engine, don't paint the lower drive with bottom paint, and realize that it is a two-cycle engine, nothing more than an old outboard. Parts are hard to get, but not impossible, except for the iso ring. Advantages are that the thrust is in a straight line, it backs up well, it is protected by the keel. Disadvantages are, besides the above, it is fuel thirsty and something of a polluter like any old ob, but provides a good deal of power. Good luck. I also think you will find advice and encouragement in the archives in the Oday pages here. Bill Coxe, O40 Kukulcán, New London. CT
Saildrive manual
Gary, I just bought a 1979 O'Day 25 with an OMC Zephyr Saildrive. She hasn't been in the water yet, so I haven't run the engine, though it looks well maintained. The seller was nice enough to give me a complete copy of the manual for the engine, so if you need one, let me know.
Gary, I just bought a 1979 O'Day 25 with an OMC Zephyr Saildrive. She hasn't been in the water yet, so I haven't run the engine, though it looks well maintained. The seller was nice enough to give me a complete copy of the manual for the engine, so if you need one, let me know.
Thanks
Thanks for the offer. I do have the manual (and the parts manual) and it would appear that we are in the same "boat". My boat is going in the water this Thursday (4/26/07) and the only thing I have going for me is that one of the contingencies on the sale is that the engine is to run well on testing. Gary (St. Joseph, MI)
Thanks for the offer. I do have the manual (and the parts manual) and it would appear that we are in the same "boat". My boat is going in the water this Thursday (4/26/07) and the only thing I have going for me is that one of the contingencies on the sale is that the engine is to run well on testing. Gary (St. Joseph, MI)
My OMC
I too have an OD 28 with the OMC Zephyr saildrive. I can't say that I despise the engine but it has had some drawbacks over a diesel or even a 4 stroke gas engine. As one of the other owners said it is basically an outboard rigged to run inside the boat rather than hanging on the transom. It tends to be smoky, noisy and gas hungry. It pollutes (oil slick) and you have to mix oil with the fuel at fill up. However it is plenty powerful and does, indeed back up nicely. There is nothing you can do about the racket from the exhaust sound at the transom and only the person sitting at the wheel can hear it clearly. The smoke can be minimized by using a good synthetic oil. I am using Amsoil Saber for water cooled two cycle engines. The company recommends that you can mix this oil at 100:1, instead of the manufacturers recommended 50:1 but I am not that brave so I mix it at 80:1 and it cuts down on smoke greatly. Amsoil is not cheap by any means but it does solve the smoke problem and cuts down on "coking" which clogs the crank case of 2 stroke engines over a long period of time. When enough carbon (coke) builds up in the crank case it creates back pressure internal to the engine and pushes the crank seal out. Then you have problems with oil and gas fumes in the boat and a rebuild is in order. I had mine totally rebuilt 3 years ago to the tune of $2,000. Not cheap! But I have a very good mechanic who I trust. He said that besides the coke problem the engine is basically a weak design in that the engine is designed for cooling water to leave the engine via gravity. This engine is adapted to be a "water lift" system and it simply works too hard to get the exhaust gases out as well as the cooling water out of the engine. So, get a good synthetic to help with this problem and also fouling out plugs. Lastly my mechanic said to, whenever possible, to run the thing WFO. The high RPM's won't hurt the two cycle engine but it does suck up the fuel. In the end You ought to sail the boat whenever possible and then all of the engine problems are minimized. Enjoy the boat. You will LOVE the OD 28. Regards, Mike Pitterpat
I too have an OD 28 with the OMC Zephyr saildrive. I can't say that I despise the engine but it has had some drawbacks over a diesel or even a 4 stroke gas engine. As one of the other owners said it is basically an outboard rigged to run inside the boat rather than hanging on the transom. It tends to be smoky, noisy and gas hungry. It pollutes (oil slick) and you have to mix oil with the fuel at fill up. However it is plenty powerful and does, indeed back up nicely. There is nothing you can do about the racket from the exhaust sound at the transom and only the person sitting at the wheel can hear it clearly. The smoke can be minimized by using a good synthetic oil. I am using Amsoil Saber for water cooled two cycle engines. The company recommends that you can mix this oil at 100:1, instead of the manufacturers recommended 50:1 but I am not that brave so I mix it at 80:1 and it cuts down on smoke greatly. Amsoil is not cheap by any means but it does solve the smoke problem and cuts down on "coking" which clogs the crank case of 2 stroke engines over a long period of time. When enough carbon (coke) builds up in the crank case it creates back pressure internal to the engine and pushes the crank seal out. Then you have problems with oil and gas fumes in the boat and a rebuild is in order. I had mine totally rebuilt 3 years ago to the tune of $2,000. Not cheap! But I have a very good mechanic who I trust. He said that besides the coke problem the engine is basically a weak design in that the engine is designed for cooling water to leave the engine via gravity. This engine is adapted to be a "water lift" system and it simply works too hard to get the exhaust gases out as well as the cooling water out of the engine. So, get a good synthetic to help with this problem and also fouling out plugs. Lastly my mechanic said to, whenever possible, to run the thing WFO. The high RPM's won't hurt the two cycle engine but it does suck up the fuel. In the end You ought to sail the boat whenever possible and then all of the engine problems are minimized. Enjoy the boat. You will LOVE the OD 28. Regards, Mike Pitterpat
- Status