Alpha one help

[bigdog8114]

I just replaced the impeller in my outdrive. I didn't take the drive off, just the lower unit. I was kind of nervous about doing this job for the first time. Now when I tried to get the drive back on I had to put it on in neutral instead of forward. I didn't have to put it in forward to get the unit off. I read a few posts that said you could do this without taking the entire drive off. When I try to shift it, the shifter will not go into forward or reverse. My question is can I turn the engine over without starting it and get it into gear or do I have to take the entire drive off and start over. I am in New York and the season hasn't started yet so I haven't had the boat out yet.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Alpha one help

I did both of mine last year by just dropping the lowers.
Here's some info:

25)carefully lift drive back up, line up coper tube into plastic tube
26)line up studs and lift gently, this is where the shifting must be alligned.
27)as soon as the brass connector for the shift shaft reaches the shaft use it as a tool.
28)turn the shift shaft with brass piece cw and prop ccw, when it stops it must be facing forward.
29)if point of brass is not forward when turned lift it and change splines.repeat #28.
30)force the prop ccw to turn drive shaft as drive lifts till splines on drive fall in.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Alpha one help

There is no need to take the entire drive off, you just need to drop the lower gear case like you did.

The service manual says to put it in forward (you are using a genuine Mercruiser service manual, right?). I am not sure why it says to have it in FWD, but I just did what it said and it worked right for me.

If it were me, I would drop the gear case again, put the shift lever in fwd, turn the shift shaft in the gear case as the manual states, put pressure on the prop to hold it in fwd and put it back together.

I just wouldn't risk it. Those parts just cost too much money for me.

 

[bigdog8114]

Re: Alpha one help

Thanks for the help. When I have the lower off, the piece that the shift shaft goes in to in the upper hangs down and spins free. It has a cotter pin thru it. Does that have to be up on the splines of the cable? I tried to see if anything moved when shifting into forward by making a mark on the tube inside the upper but when I checked it hadn't moved. I guess the cable is on the inside of that tube?

 

[bigdog8114]

Re: Alpha one help

I am not trying to make this into a bigger job than it is, I just don't want to break anything. I am new to boating.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Alpha one help

The reason to put in forward is when you have the drive tilted up to drop the lower the weight of the dogs in the lower will slide in to forward. So if you are in forward they will line up with out any problem. Just makes it so much easier.

Oops just let out a secret. Darn there goes the next job to a DIY.

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: Alpha one help

Being in forward also allows you to rotate the propshaft to align the splines on the intermidiate shaft.
The reason we take the whole drive off when doing the water pump is so that we can inspect the gimble bearing, bellows, and U-joints.
For newbies, it's also a lot easier to re assemble the drive right (the first time) when you are lowering the upper unit onto the lower unit, instead of trying to line everything up while holding the lower unit in place.
And the drive MUST be in forward when removing the whole drive or damage will happen to the shift linkage.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Alpha one help

Also just wanted to note*

Since you will be removing the drive again anyway, make sure the tube from the water pump is lining up perfect! Or you will be taking it off again...or dismantleing a burnt engine.

I just did my first DIY water pump replacment and had to take the drive off a second time because I didnt properly line up the tube. Good thing I checked very carefully before I ran it too long...granted I spent a small fortune on gear oil.

 

[bigdog8114]

Re: Alpha one help

Thanks for all your help. Not sure when I will get back to it.