888 parts interchangeability

[TBarCYa]

I searched and found an old thread with a similar theme but this particular question wasn't clearly answered...

I have a Mercruiser 888 drive that stripped the gears in the upper gear housing. In an effort to get the boat back on the water quick and cheap, I am looking for an upper gear housing. If I can find one with the same ratio as current, can I swap an Alpha or AlphaOne upper unit to my 888 lower unit?

I know that I can swap the whole drive and I'm ordering a replacement drive to do this but it's going to take a couple weeks to get the whole drive and I can find an Alpha upper in a matter of hours.

Thanks.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 888 parts interchangeability

I don't think you can if your lower has the pre-load pin on top of the drive shaft.......
​

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: 888 parts interchangeability

Is this pin going to be obvious? I have yet to separate the two units.

I have another question as well. Do the upper and lower gear housings share oil? I don't believe that they do but I want to know for sure before trying to run the lower in case there are metal particles in the oil in the lower unit.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 888 parts interchangeability

Yes & yes.......
The top of the shaft will be flat on the newer models......
The pre load pin will be obvious.....
They share oil through a small passage.....
That metal you are seeing is most likely from your bad upper gears.....
I think if you reuse the lower, it will fail in short order.....
At the very least it should be diiassembled, inspected & resealed.....
Not worth it on a 30+ year old unit, IMHO.....
Save the money for your new drive, or gas......​

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: 888 parts interchangeability

It's not worth getting towed home with a bad drive just to get in the water two weekends early.

Thanks.