Quick Question about pre-alpha

[Stamey]

Will a Pre-Alpha upper unit work with an Alpha One lower unit, as in bolt together and work as a stern drive should? And will the Pre-Alpha upper bolt to the Alpha One bell housing, with the correct gasket for the pre-alpha?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Don S]

Re: Quick Question about pre-alpha

What are you calling a pre-Alpha? Pre means before, and there were a lot of drives that came out before the Alpha I drive in 1986.
Many of them aren't even interchangeable with the Alpha drive.
Drives like the O drive, the I, II, and III, the 1A, 1B, 1C series, the TR. an TRS and 215 drives are all "Pre" Alpha, but not even close to interchangeable.
If you are talking about the MC-1 (known by many names), the R, and the MR, these are the drives that actually interchange with the Alpha I drive. When I say interchange, that means you can put a complete MC-1 drive in place of an Alpha, and vise versa, but you can not interchange parts between them, too many little differences.
Download this ID and History document I put together some time back, I think it will help you understand all the differences.
http://www.4shared.com/file/213854305/deac4209/Mercruiser_Alpha_ID_and_Histor.html

 

[Stamey]

Re: Quick Question about pre-alpha

This is kind of a situation where I don't know what I don't know. The upper I saw as a bit corroded, so no SN available, but it looks like an 82 and older models, per the picture in your document on page 17. I was told it came off an 84 boat, but that means almost nothing here.
Hopefully the picture attachment works.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Bondo]

Re: Quick Question about pre-alpha

Will a Pre-Alpha upper unit work with an Alpha One lower unit, as in bolt together and work as a stern drive should?

Ayuh,.... IF it'll bolt together,... Ya, it'll work,....
Vertical shaft spline count is what to look for...

And will the Pre-Alpha upper bolt to the Alpha One bell housing, with the correct gasket for the pre-alpha?

Yes, with any of the gasket sets....

I use Gen.II sets...

 

[Stamey]

Re: Quick Question about pre-alpha

Thanks for the info!

Chris