Easy sterndrive pressure tester...

[Oshkosh1]

I was needing to pressure test my Alpha I Gen II and so cobbled together a tester from a Harbor Freight radiator tester kit. I used the tester itself but cut the rubber hose which leads to the quick connector meant for the various radiator adapters. I simply clamped an oil fitting on and it worked great.

In order to return it to it's original purpose, I'll simply splice it using a straight nylon barb or small piece of rigid tubing.

FWIW...I tried to connect the oil fitting to the quick connector but it wouldn't "bite" on it hard enough to not leak. I think that if someone had the metal version...it would simply "click" in and there would be no need to even cut and splice. I think the plastic barbs deform enough to allow air to pass but the metal would find enough purchase to work.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I use a MityVac 8500 for both pressure and vacuum. for my drive, I have the old lube pump adapters (steel) with an o-ring.

how is the harbor freight tester holding up?

 

[nola mike]

Nice. I have one already, but was running into problems with the bike pump itself leaking internally. Took me a while last time out to figure out where the leak was and find a non leaking pump...

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... I've had a Stant tester for years, easy enough to adapt,.....

I've pulled a few of the steel tube to 3/8"- 16 adapters, outa dumpsters at marinas, 'n trashcans at boat launches,.....
More so, in the pre-plastic days, when every pump had 1,....

 

[Oshkosh1]

The tester works great. The testING...not so much. Pulled my drive apart, checked everything and found out the upper driveshaft oil seals are leaking. My older Alpha I Gen I was pretty easy to pull and replace, this one looks like it's gotta be done by going through the top.

 

[achris]

Yes, those seals are a little bit harder to replace. But for the rest of the drive, the design improvements make it far superior to the previous drive. No more water pocket cover, way better water pump, integrated oil monitor, no more intermediate shift shaft, 'sealed for life' Uni joints, and ever those seals are better, allowing the drive shaft spline to be 'oil submerged'.... Plenty to love about the new drives.

Chris......