blew my alpha one, what did i break?

oldjeep

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May 17, 2010
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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Hopefully that works out. $850 for an unknown sounds like a big gamble, especially since it is obvious from the pictures that they didn't replace the visible seals and the ujoints are full of gunk. I'd want some explaination of what the "redo" was and what exactly that "bullet" lower unit and the hose on the side are for/from.
 

haulnazz15

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Mar 9, 2009
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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Edit: found info on drive.

The hose is for the bullet nose raw water intake. I believe someone makes a conversion called Big Foot which adds the pointed nose cone which has the water intake on the lower side. The hose routes the raw water intake into the main body where the water pump is.
 

oldjeep

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Anyone else notice the lower unit doesn't have any raw water intake? Possibly what that hose is for . . .

Hmm - hadn't noticed that. I wonder if the intake is on the front?
$(KGrHqZ,!rIE-pYlnQB6BPysMmk!5w~~60_12.jpg
 

spdracr39

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Thats too bad cause the SEI drive has a three year warranty and a great reputation. I hope your money saving doesn't cost more in the end like it always does for me.
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

^^^it might, but it's a risk i am taking.

Hopefully that works out. $850 for an unknown sounds like a big gamble, especially since it is obvious from the pictures that they didn't replace the visible seals and the ujoints are full of gunk. I'd want some explaination of what the "redo" was and what exactly that "bullet" lower unit and the hose on the side are for/from.

the u-joints look brand new to me.

Appears to be an alpha SS - so that would be a good thing.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320923182713

it's not an alpha SS, you got me all excited then i looked at the pics and i can see it's just a regular alpha with a bullet lower unit that has a low water pickup.

the low water pickup is at the back of the lower unit below the point. it's so that when you are really gettin' it and the whole boat is pretty much out of the water, the engine can still get water flow.
 

oldjeep

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

the u-joints look brand new to me.

They definitly don't look new - you can see the old grease that they pumped past the cap seals, not to mention all the rust on the caps. Good luck
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

i think that's just surface rust from sitting, the same you would find on the brake rotors of a brand new car.

i just can't afford the SEI drive, as good as it sounds.
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

+1 on good luck with the ebay unit. let us know how that works out for you. Looks like its seen a bit of saltwater service (located in FL). Didn't see the ratio in the listing, but based on what it came out of, it sounds right. Did you check? What ratio are you replacing?

i am replacing a 1.5 ratio. it does appear to have had some salt water use. i actually expected a slew of used 1.5 ratio drives but there were not. i am SOOOOO glad i went with a boat that's got a mercruiser, i can't imagine trying to find parts for an OMC or something like that.

it came down to this one or an early 80's 1.5 ratio drive that was $500 and the seller stated condition unknown.

it's all Bob Cratchit can afford...
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

further investigation (pressure test) indicates the seal where the drive shaft goes into the upper housing is what's leaking. i also firmly believe my shift shaft seal is leaking.

i researched to find that alpha 1's have a crappy shift shaft seal, i ordered the OEM upgrade bushing kit for the seals. this happened when i put my boat in the water for 3 days, the first i've had it in that long. i theorize that the water was trickling in through the shift shaft seal and getting into the upper unit through the input shaft. my bellows are all new and i found water in the shifter cavity when taking it apart.

that would also explain the goop (greasy watery slurry) that i'm finding in the bottom of my driveshaft bellows. the shifter cavity is definitely filling with water. i replaced the welch plug under the sticker but i didn't know there was a shift shaft seal in there i needed to replace as well.

i have it all apart now, when my replacement drive arrives, i'm going change the water pump impeller and then pressure test it. while i've got it apart i'm going to replace my lower shift cable with new shift cable bellows, replace the shift shaft seal and then fill the drive up with OEM gear oil.

i want to do this right the first time so i don't have to do it again. does it sound like i'm on the right track?
 

ktbarrentine

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Dec 12, 2011
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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

further investigation (pressure test) indicates the seal where the drive shaft goes into the upper housing is what's leaking. i also firmly believe my shift shaft seal is leaking.

i researched to find that alpha 1's have a crappy shift shaft seal, i ordered the OEM upgrade bushing kit for the seals. this happened when i put my boat in the water for 3 days, the first i've had it in that long. i theorize that the water was trickling in through the shift shaft seal and getting into the upper unit through the input shaft. my bellows are all new and i found water in the shifter cavity when taking it apart.

that would also explain the goop (greasy watery slurry) that i'm finding in the bottom of my driveshaft bellows. the shifter cavity is definitely filling with water. i replaced the welch plug under the sticker but i didn't know there was a shift shaft seal in there i needed to replace as well.

i have it all apart now, when my replacement drive arrives, i'm going change the water pump impeller and then pressure test it. while i've got it apart i'm going to replace my lower shift cable with new shift cable bellows, replace the shift shaft seal and then fill the drive up with OEM gear oil.

i want to do this right the first time so i don't have to do it again. does it sound like i'm on the right track?

If the "shifter cavity" is what I believe you are referring to (i.e, in the bell housing, below the drive bellows) then you have to have a corresponding leak into your drive bellows (e.g., through the O/D mounting "nose" gasket-o-ring). How did that look when you took the drive off?

@haulnazz15: NM? Not familiar wit dat one.
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

^^^ it was okay, but water is a tricky substance, it will go places other stuff won't. i may also have had a leak at the prop shaft seal but when pressurizing the outdrive, i could hear air pouring out of the input shaft seal at the upper drive, woudn't hold enough pressure to spray for bubbles at the prop.

there was A LOT of water in the outdrive gear case, not much in the drive bellows. it's also perfectly possible that there's a huge leak at the input shaft seal and a small leak at the prop shaft seal. water gets in through the prop shaft seal but gear oil doesn't get out. both gear oil and water can get out of the upper driveshaft seal, leaving the goop in my bellows and killing the outdrive.

on top of that, the shift shaft seal may also coincidentally be letting water in, but not any further than the bellhousing shift cavity. it is starting to take its toll on my shift cable so i'm going to service all of that while i'm in there.

i'm slowly working through the kinks of this boat ownership thing. fortunately i do all the work myself and i'm having a wonderful time working on it and learning from it.
 

Panu

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Oct 12, 2011
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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Maybe ur lower unit is Alpha one (R) and not (MR) as it shoud. (R) was early model that coud not take torque from V8 without breaking down and MR replased it and will work with V8 without probs.
 

RogersJetboat454

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

someone told me the '99 GM starter is already sealed from sparking, both auto and marine but i can't be sure.

Don't trust your life, and the lives of family and friends to here-say. You could get your MARINE starter rebuilt for around the cost of buying an automotive equivalent, and have piece of mind that it's correct in all aspects.
 

haulnazz15

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Maybe ur lower unit is Alpha one (R) and not (MR) as it shoud. (R) was early model that coud not take torque from V8 without breaking down and MR replased it and will work with V8 without probs.

Absolutely false.
 

Bondo

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Originally Posted by Panu
Maybe ur lower unit is Alpha one (R) and not (MR) as it shoud. (R) was early model that coud not take torque from V8 without breaking down and MR replased it and will work with V8 without probs.

Absolutely false.

Ayuh,... Agreed,.... Even the ole MC-1 was bein' spun by SBCs, 260hp 350s, 'n the 351 Fords...
 

500dollar744ti

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Jul 23, 2012
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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

Maybe ur lower unit is Alpha one (R) and not (MR) as it shoud. (R) was early model that coud not take torque from V8 without breaking down and MR replased it and will work with V8 without probs.

no, it was probably the half gallon of water in my lower unit that broke it.

Don't trust your life, and the lives of family and friends to here-say. You could get your MARINE starter rebuilt for around the cost of buying an automotive equivalent, and have piece of mind that it's correct in all aspects.

i bought a new marine starter, came in the mail today actually.
 

500dollar744ti

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Re: blew my alpha one, what did i break?

UPDATE!

UPS delivered the drive i purchased on ebay, i pressure tested the gear case and it held fine for 24 hours. yesterday i installed a new lower shift cable and bellows, replaced shifter shaft seal, replaced the starter with a proper marine unit and then installed the new drive. the only thing i found at issue with the drive was the impeller. idling in the driveway on muffs the temp started to creep up to 160. i figured it would need an impeller so i had already bought a replacement.

i split the drive, replaced the impeller, then pressure tested it again, this time for an hour and it held fine. i put in fresh quicksilver gear oil and ran it again. temp never went over 130, good.

today i took it out on the water for testing, everything worked great! whatever that bullet speed lower unit thingy is netted me 2-3 mph faster WOT speeds via GPS.
 
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