Stern Drives on ebay

[BobFifty]

After checking on the repair costs for my Alpha 1 stern drive I have been checking ebay for used units and have a few questions.<br />1. Are all Alpha 1 drives innerchangable (mine is a 1979 model 228HP).<br />2. In your opinion is ebay reliable for this type of purchase?<br />3. My drive is in need of a complete resealing but performs fine now. Would I be misleading to sell it as such on ebay? I noticed some for sale that were complete junk.<br />Thanks for your help,<br />Bob Fifty<br />when its done its done

 

[gspig]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Can't speak for Alpha 1 drives, but I have a pre-Alpha drive and it is rated by engine hp. I did buy a replacement drive on e-bay and it turned out to be a good drive. I would shop around on getting the seals redone on the unit you have; you may not be able to get an outdrive for the cost of getting seals done. Most used drives go for over $300 and you are buying a used drive at that cost.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Hi Bob,.....<br /><br />#1, Some What..... The Differences are in Gearing,etc.... Go back to that link I left on your other thread,+ Study what you find there..........<br />You Should need a Mod.1, or "R" drive, or Pre-Alpha...These are All the Same Unit, just 3 names commonly used......<br />In a 1.5/1 Gear Ratio....<br /><br />#2, It's Some What of a Crap Shoot.....<br />You're dealing with Many People... Most are Totally Honest... Some Just Don't Know What they are selling.... Some are Big Businesses... Some are 1st time sellers....Some are just people trying to make a couple extra bucks getting rid of the Junk out in the barn.....<br />And, Of Course, Some are Just Plain Thieves................ <br /><br />The Trick is to do Your Homework, Before you bid... Know Exactly what you want...<br />I've been buying on ebay for over 5 years... I have outfitted 1 boat,+ am working on another, along with Many Other Things........<br />I've only run into the Last people mentioned above but Once....It was Not fun,+ Cost me some Cash.....<br />But, ebay is Still My Homepage,+ I'm Still Shopping there........<br /><br />#3, See #2....... Honesty is the Bedrock of ebay........<br />If Everybody is Totally Honest, It Works Perfectly............

 

[KaGee]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Just to add to Bondo's comments, I would personally shy away from buying a drive from anyone around salt water. <br /><br />But I find Ebay to be a great source.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Salt water and Floriduh in particular. Yours is a generation 1 Alpha.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Yours is a generation 1 Alpha.

1979,....... You Should have a Mod.1, "R" drive, Pre-Alpha................<br /><br />Alpha 1s came out in 1983 or 84.............<br /><br />But, An Alpha1 Will bolt up to Your Transom Assembley........

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

1979 was the first year for the 228's, and they used only the MC-1 drive, the R, MR, or Alpha 1 drives will not fit on the bellhousing. The hole pattern for the top 2 bolts is 4-15/16" on your MC-1 drive and 5-15/16" on the "R" and newer drives. You also need a 1:50-1 gear ratio.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Don,<br />Not to start an arguement........<br />But,<br />I Think you're Wrong on the Interchangeability..........<br /><br />I've been using Mod.1s on Alpha bellhousings,+ Alphas on Earlier bellhousings with No Problems.......<br />Same Gaskets as a matter of fact...........<br />This includes 888s,+ several Unidentifiable drives(as far as What Model they Originally came off of).......<br /><br />There Are Differences in Input Shaft lengths in Some applications.....<br /><br />Ayuh,...... I Know I've been Wrong Before,+ Maybe Wrong Now....................

 

[Don S]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Not to start an arguement........

No problem, hopefully what I can show here might help ID some of the older stuff.<br />Mercruiser had a real numbering problem on the older drives. There was MC-I drives and there were also I-R and I-MR drives.<br />Here is the section showing the drives made for the 228 model. At the top of the page, (Not Shown) is the years.<br />The 228 used the MC-I from 79 thru 82, then from 83 thru 84 it used the I-R drive (also know commonly as a One drive.)<br /><br />

<br /><br />In the next picture it shows the reference for the drive gaskets where it mounts on the bellhousing.<br /><br />

<br /><br />This next picture shows the gaskets. Note: Figures 1,2,and 3 are not shown, but have the same 4-15/16 top bolt dimensions.<br /><br />

<br /><br />

<br /><br />There was a lot more (Full Pages) to the information, but there's a limit to the size of my web space for pictures, and I'm running out of room.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Well,............ I Just Learned Something.............. <br /><br /><br />Boy, Have I been Lucky............<br />All these years I've been messing with these I-R, Pre-Alphas.......I've got a Barn full of Spares,+ they All Interchange with each other......<br />I was aware that there's the 1-As, 1-Bs,1-Cs,+ the eletric 1........ I Thought they were All Pre-1970.......<br />I didn't realize they continued to use the Narrow bellhousing on the 228(Chevy??) up into the 70s........<br /><br />I'll have to go look over the pile now........I'm pretty sure they're all wide units........

 

[BobFifty]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Thanks for the replies,<br /><br />So if I purchase a pre 1980 merc drive I need to make sure it is the narrow or 4 15/16 variety and it should fit?<br /><br />Thanks Again<br />Bob Fifty

 

[BobFifty]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

I forgot to mention the serial number on my drive plate is 5449078 and that did not seem to cross reference with the narrow drive?<br /><br />Bob Fifty

 

[BobFifty]

Re: Stern Drives on ebay

Oops, There is also a number on the actual drive and it is "5324919 1 SOR" the last 4 characters were hard to read so they may not be correct.<br /><br />Bob Fifty