Alpha 1 Gen 2 Gear ratio?

[JimmyCrox]

I have a 2006 Rinker Captiva 226 with a 5.0 Mercruiser that bought from a family member whos husband recently passed away. When he bought the boat it had a burned up outdrive which he replaced with a remanufactured unit. The second outdrive went bad and had to be replaced. He only took the boat out twice after replacing it with the third one. Since he passed away and I got the boat, I've been in the water for several months now with zero problems until this weekend and now the third outdrive has gone out in it. After removing the drain plug from the lower unit, I found about 3/4" of metal shavings on the magnet. I can't help to wonder if maybe somebody installed an outdrive with the wrong gear ratio in it, but not only do I not know what the gear ratio should be for this boat, I also can't help but wonder if maybe there's something else causing one outdrive after the other to destroy gears. Any insight would welcomed!!
Jimmy

 

[achris]

Hello Jimmy, and :welcome: to iboats.

Wrong ratio will not cause the drive to self destruct. Incorrect propping may. Lack of oil will.

You need to work out exactly how the drives are being damaged, then you should be able to work out what's causing it.

Chris....

 

[Bt Doctur]

Usually the 5.0 runs a 1.84

 

[achris]

Usually the 5.0 runs a 1.84

Oh. Um. I think you'll find 5.0L usually run 1.62 if it has a 2bbl carb, or 1.47 if it's an MPI engine...

Chris....

 

[alldodge]

SOunds to me that the person installing the drives does not know how to fill one "correctly" with lube

 

[Fun Times]

Are there any serial number stickers on top of the engine somewhere such as an flame arrester cover for example?...Hopefully there will be 3 legible numbers you could post.

​

​

 

[Bt Doctur]

188 thru 260	V-8	1971 thru 79	1.47 / 20-22
120 thru 140	4 cyl. One drive	1980 thru 84	1.94 / 20-24
170 thru 190	4 cyl. One drive	1980 thru 84	1.81 / 17-19
165	6 cylinder	1980 thru 84	1.62 / 24-24
188 thru 260	V-8	1980 thru 84	1.47 / 20-22
120 & 140	4 cylinder	1985 thru 89	1.94 / 20-24
120 & 140	4 cylinder	1985 thru 89	1.94 / 20-24
170 thru 190	4 cylinder	1985 thru 89	1.81 / 17-19
170 thru 190	4 cylinder	1985 thru 89	1.81 / 17-19
198	V-8	1985 thru 89	1.62 / 24-24
198	V-8	1985 thru 89	1.62 / 24-24
198 thru 260	V-8	1985 thru 89	1.47 / 20-22
198 thru 260	V-8	1985 thru 89	1.47 / 20-22

 

[Bt Doctur]

Only posted the 1.84 because thats what we had to use when we installed a 305 in place of a 350 temporarily because of the 200 hp 2bbl

 

[JimmyCrox]

Achris, The prop is a 14.25x21 which according to my service manual is pretty much up to my discretion as to what pitch it is as long as the diam is right and the engine turns the right rpm at full throttle recommended for my engine. I've replaced five different outdrives on boats in my past and am fully aware of type and how much fluid should be in it, so those two areas have been taken out of the equation on this problem. So, prop or fluid was not the problem in this case.
Thanks for your feedback,
Jimmy

 

[JimmyCrox]

Chris, it IS an MPI Engine.
Jimmy

 

[JimmyCrox]

[No message]

 

[JimmyCrox]

The sticker on the actual outdrive upper unit is not on there because the outdrive is remanufactured and apparently wasn't replaced.

 

[JimmyCrox]

Alldodge,

 

[Fun Times]

While the last 3 numbers are missing in your stern drive serial number there looks to be enough there to randomly add some numbers at the end to where it don't have much affect of what the drive from new was including the gear ratio....It's showing it was most likely an MERCRUISER ALPHA 1, Gen 2 drive with a 1.62:1 ratio.

It's your preference but there's not much need to block out the engine serial number online....That mentioned I can just see in your photo that you have "350" MAG MPI because the RPM range also says the throttle range is 4,800 to 5,200 RPM which this engine puts out 300 horsepower rated by Mercruiser.... You mentioned having a 5.0 Mercruiser.... A 5.0 carbureted engine would have put you at 220-HP and a 5.0-MPI would have you at 260-HP.

The following link is your boat model? http://www.boattest.com/review/rinker/1029_226-captiva-r1

While the 350-MPI may have been fitted to the Alpha drive, Just knowing you have the upper end of the higher horsepower range that this drive is known to be maxed out at (300-HP) puts the drive and some of the symptoms you describe into the higher danger zone that it would be recommended to be as easy as possible to the drive components...Things like not to hard on the throttle during boat take offs, not running/staying near the 5200 RPM range, not loading the boat super heavy, performing more drive oil changes and possibly consider installing a drive shower to help keep the upper drive shaft housing a bit cooler while up on plane.

Are you using/installing the aftermarket drive made by "Sterndrive Engineering" with their 3 year warranty program ?. If so they may be able to tell you what gear ratio you're getting, etc. etc. vs counting the gears or prop rotation.

 

[JimmyCrox]

Funtimes,
Great information there! I have never heard of a drive shower. Yes it is an SE outdrive and yes it is still under warranty. I'm actually waiting to get the receipt from where it was bought about a year ago. It's a SE116
I may have made some starts at full throttle here and there while pulling skiers and also had one day a couple months back where the wife had invited a family to go with us that pushed the weight limit to the max because of some overgrown passengers, so I may have not knowingly caused damage I thought the boat could handle.
Thank you very much for your input! Greatly appreciated! If you have any link or direction on the drive shower, please feel free to send it to me and I'll make sure to take it easy on the take offs from now on and from picking up passengers that may do damage to outdrive, believe me! LoL
Jimmy

 

[JimmyCrox]

Funtimes,
also meant to say that it normally never gets over 4800 rpm and i've never seen it get as high as 5200 . It typically stays at 4800 at full throttle and that's running at 52mph with just the wife and I aboard.

 

[Fun Times]

Looks like SEI now sells a Alpha drive shower on "their" website part number SKU: 106-DS
OE#: N/A So check their site too.... Some other ones on the market are where you have to drill into the lower gear housing. Being under warranty with them I wouldn't drill but just buy theirs that bolts on so they can't come back at you with something small under warranty...

Summit Drive Shower for SE106 and SE116 drives.
Manufactured by Simrek Corporation.
Easy installation with no drilling required.
Can reduce the upper unit temperature by 50 degees F.
Go to www.driveshowers.com for more product info and reviews.

 

[achris]

:facepalm: Why is the engine serial number blanked out? There are no security implications for leaving it there.

Chris......