Grinding noise first thought was Gimbal Bearing

Pitckfork

Recruit
Joined
May 27, 2019
Messages
1
Purchased SE106 in 2009 after top end gears went out on Alpha One Gen 1 attached to 1979 GM350 no serial number on motor. Outdrive / Power plant is in a savaged 1994 Chaparral 1930SS. Yes i know its supposed to have Gen2 it is Gen1.

Last October I had a noise developed in the outdrive area. I thought gimbal bearing. I pulled the drive and the bearing was smooth when turning it with fingers or alignment tool. I decided to change it and same noise. I pulled drive again and moved the ujoints around. One of them had a slight tight spot so I changed it. Drive still had same noise. The noise is the same and does not change on turning or if in gear or not.

I pulled the drain plug on the lower unit and it was full of fur. It only had 40 hours on the fluid. I ran an earth magnet thru the fluid and got more metal fur no chucks. When listening to the drive run it sounds like the noise is coming from around the spanner nut area.

I am guessing upper bearings on the yoke in the bearing carrier are shot. If this is so, how to confirm it and am I better off just buying a new upper from SEI for $695 + shipping?
 

Rick Stephens

Admiral
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,118
Pop the top cap off and inspect what you can see. You can also purchase the spanner wrench and pull the bearing out from behind the u-joints to inspect it. Well worth the effort to know what you have happening. Problem with having metal in the drain is the entire drive and all its bearings are now plated over with that metal. Without a full disassembly you will never know what bearing will fail next if you only replace half the outdrive.
 
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