Mercruser Alpha 1 gen 1/2

[FRB85]

I have a 1989 Sea Ray 230 Cuddy with a Alpha one gen 1, I replaced the transom mount with a gen 2 for the extra bolts on the advise of an "expert" that said my out drive was "compatible". Is it true? I am getting water (from the hose on test run) in my lower unit. Did I screw up the install or are they incompatible? Thanks, I'm new to the group!

 

[Bt Doctur]

you installed a GEN II transom and used a Alpha1 drive? Water enterring the drive comes from the water pump in the drive

 

[FRB85]

Yes sir but is the tube installed wrong or will it simply not work?

 

[achris]

Not compatible, at all! If you have a gen II transom assembly, you need a Gen II drive...

Chris....

 

[Rick Stephens]

I would consider the two extra bolts themselves fairly meaningless. I’m trying to figure out what would happen with a gen 2 gimbal housing connected to a Alpha 1 bell housing. ... Really don’t know answer.

 

[Bt Doctur]

well the gaskets are the same but it might have to do with the input shaft length making the gimbal housing different .
Never tried but I know the shift system would need to be changed. input shaft is the same up to 1995 then a change . That may be the extra O ring on the shaft.

 

[Bondo]

Never tried but I know the shift system would need to be changed.

Ayuh,..... I had this conversation years ago with a local sharp Alpha tech, at his shop, with drives, 'n gimbel housin's right in front of us,.....

The differences are the shift linkages/ system,......

You'd have to swap out All of the shiftin' mechanisms to the drive series you wanta run,.....
Now, we didn't try fittin' all the Alpha 1 shiftin' mechanisms into the Alpha Gen.II gimbel housin' to run an Alpha 1 drive,.....
It would become an Alpha 1 gimbel housin', 'n the Gen.II drives would Not bolt on anymore,.....
There may be different diameters, or lengths of the parts that might require custom machining, but again, we didn't go that far,......