Mercruiser Alpha 1 Gen 2

[ddrieck]

Hey All,
I pulled the foot off my Alpha 1 Gen 2 outdrive to install a new impeller. While if was off and sitting in my yard my son and his friend got to monkeying around with it and turned the shift shaft while spinning the prop. My question is do I just make sure it would be in the neutral position on the shaft and on the shift lever in the boat before I reinstall the foot.

 

[Scott06]

I believe that's a gen one drive as the shift hook stays in the gen two lower when you separate the halves

If I recall correctly Turn the shift shaft in the lower clockwise this should lock in fwd when you rotate the prop counter clock wise to verify .

Once the lower is locked in fwd. The shift flag bar in the upper (bronze or brass piece) should be facing straight forward, put the two halves together they should line up

 

[ddrieck]

I believe that's a gen one drive as the shift hook stays in the gen two lower when you separate the halves

If I recall correctly Turn the shift shaft in the lower clockwise this should lock in fwd when you rotate the prop counter clock wise to verify .

Once the lower is locked in fwd. The shift flag bar in the upper (bronze or brass piece) should be facing straight forward, put the two halves together they should line up

Yes, you are correct it is a Gen 1 Alpha was thinking incorrectly...LOL

 

[ddrieck]

Thank you the needed information

 

[Rick Stephens]

Note that there are tons of maintenance items that require the upper to be removed from the boat, that have maintenance intervals of 1 year. Removing just the lower leaves those unattended to. IE: inspect & grease the u-joints, inspect bellows for water or oil, inspect gimbal bearing, grease splines on input shaft.

Removing the upper and assembling upper and lower off the boat is gobs easier than trying to lift a lower up, keep the shift in forward and not damage the output seal on the upper when you poke it with the shaft from the lower. Just loads easier. Build a slot in a piece of plywood to slide the lower into and drop the upper down onto the lower when reassembling.

Rick

 

[ddrieck]

Note that there are tons of maintenance items that require the upper to be removed from the boat, that have maintenance intervals of 1 year. Removing just the lower leaves those unattended to. IE: inspect & grease the u-joints, inspect bellows for water or oil, inspect gimbal bearing, grease splines on input shaft.

Removing the upper and assembling upper and lower off the boat is gobs easier than trying to lift a lower up, keep the shift in forward and not damage the output seal on the upper when you poke it with the shaft from the lower. Just loads easier. Build a slot in a piece of plywood to slide the lower into and drop the upper down onto the lower when reassembling.

Rick

I had already done all the other maintenance you just listed at the beginning of my boating season. Mainly had to replace the gimbal bearing, seals, bellows and such. Hit a sandy bottom on the Illinois River a few weeks ago and was worried the impeller might be damaged from sucking up sand. When I got it apart it sure was, missing 2 fins..
Anyhoo, I am going to do as you suggested and drop the upper off the boat tomorrow and put them together and install the complete set as It's a butt load easier to do for sure.

 

[achris]

Put the shifter in forward gear. Make sure the intermediate shift shaft is still located in the shoe of the upper shaft shaft. Turn the lower shaft shaft (in the gear housing) clockwise while turning the propeller shaft counter clockwise (this puts the gear housing into forward gear). Use a bungy cord to hold the prop shaft in the counter clockwise direction. Fit gear housing to drive shaft housing ensuring that the water tube enters the tube guide on the top of the impeller housing...

That's the easiest way to do it if you don't pull the drive shaft housing off the bell housing.

Chris....