Alpha 1 upper and lower shift shaft coupling problem

[jimmoe]

Hey guys, I screwed up my first attempt at a repair of my '89 Alpha 1.....put a water pump kit in and having trouble with re-attaching the unit due to the shift coupling on the drive unit not lining up with the shaft on the lower unit. I think it's my fault cuz I had it in reverse when I disassembled it. The coupling dropped down about 3/8th inch when I touched it before trying to re-attach the unit, I was able to wiggle and push it back up to where i believe it was but when trying to bolt the unit back up, the coupling aligns about 1/8th too far to port side. Several attempts to reach in with a needle nose and move it didn't work. At one point the coupling did drop down over the shaft but then would not push back up into the drive. When I pulled the unit back off again, I could reach up into the drive housing and feel loose "floppy" parts at the bottom of the upper shift shaft where I'm thinking the coupling should be.
I have not been able to find a diagram that shows what that looks like or how it goes together inside the drive unit...nor a posting, nor a video dealing with fixing this specific problem, I did find out I should have had it in forward gear before dis-assembly. After having these problems, I probably shouldn't have, but I tried to put it in forward gear but the control lever only returned to straight up position and wouldn't go further into forward. I'm thinking I have things really screwed up and wondering what the next step is???
I would have gotten a manual, but thought I had it covered by watching videos before starting this project.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks !

 

[Bt Doctur]

Please confirm remove the complete drive or only the lower unit.
Start by removing the lower unit and checking for the SS large washer on the lower splined shaft, sounds like it gone missing in action.It locks the height for the lower brass shoe.

 

[jimmoe]

Thanks, Doc. I've removed only the lower unit so far and the larger washer is and has been in place. I have not been able to insert the lower unit far enough for the washer to be a factor. The "coupler" hits the shift shaft spline at about 1" from complete bolt up.

 

[Bt Doctur]

pm me a cell number or a regular number

 

[stonyloam]

OK try this: place your control all the way to WOT forward. Turn the splined lower shift shaft all the way clockwise and turn the prop counterclockwise till it Locks. Use a bungee to hold the prop locked in place. Check that the bottom of the upper shift shaft points straight ahead. If you want, at this point you can slide the intermediate shift shaft up into the upper coupling and hold it in place with a piece of duct tape. Now push the gear housing (lower) up into the driveshaft housing. If it does not slide up rotate the prop COUNTERCLOCKWISE Until the vertical driveshaft splines align, and it should slide together. Remove the duct tape, and you should be good to go.

 

[jimmoe]

Doc ! Thanks but I couldn't get back till this evening..... Stony, it went together just like u said ! It shifts, locks the prop in forward and reverse and spins free in neutral. When in either gear, it does turn opposite but "racthets" it's way around. I don't know if that's normal? AND, HOWEVER, when I put the prop on, it would not go on the shaft all the way. I checked all the parts with the diagram and they are all correct. the splined spacer out side the prop does not have a sleeve but it is splined about a half inch up. it will not go on far enough to engage the prop and the narrowed part of the housing does not fit inside the lower unit housing. It's about a half inch shy. It's not the prop that came with it, but I compared it with the one that did and they looked the same. What's up with that ???

 

[Bt Doctur]

post some pics of what you got