Ayuh,....... Buy the helm, 'n cable as a "Kit",......
It's not much more that just the cable, 'n helms wear too,......
'n if the cables have changed over the years, you'll know it'll fit properly,.....
Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... I suggest you stick with an aluminum prop til you get used to bein' a "Boater",......
A prop strike with a stainless prop is more likely to destroy the drive, 'n the prop,....
Ayuh,....... The Gen.II Alphas came out in '91, so previous to that,......
In 1990, the rear main oil seal changed, so there a possible issue there, unless you get the entire package,( flywheel, coupler, etc),....
Ayuh,.... It'll be way cheaper, 'n waay easier to just buy a rotten boat with a 3.0l in it, 'n swap it out,.....
Then, you'll have a spare drive, 'n all the other parts,.....
Ayuh,.... Find a '91 or newer boat with a rotten hull, but solid motor, 'n outdrive, preferably a Mercriser Alpha 1, gen.II, then swap the entire driveline into yer boat,....
If you had a stringer drive, there is no conversions,....
If you had a cobra dive, the Sei is possible,.....
But, you haven't said what you have to work with,....
Ayuh,.... Sorry to hear that Ken,.... Movin' back to Maine, from NY in '20 I did that,....
Donno where to send boaters with those drives to anymore for help,.....
Ayuh,....... I would guess the bellows was breached, somehow,.....
Properly installed, it should be just fine for several years,.....
Most new gimbel bearings are sealed units now a days, 'n are good for 'bout as many years as a bellows,....
Ayuh,...... Don't do that,...... Anything less that an in-ground pool is to small to get the water over the hump, 'n down to the raw water pump,......
Especially with the Bravo drive,......
Use yer muffs,....... ;)
Ayuh,...... For that reason, right there, is why there's a 4" ssteel deck screw that lives on my intake manifold,.....
Pull a drain plug, poke it with the screw, 'n the water, 'n crud gushes into the bilge,......
