Mercruiser 3.7 470 165hp pre alpha lower

[Stanh413]

Hi new to the boating forums. I have had my boat about a year finally have it running perfect. I'm a auto mechanic but don't know much about how the boat drives work.

I have a pre alpha lower and all I have done to that was recently change the gear oil. Took it out for a ride when I had it running right brought it back parked it in the garage. It's been about a week and I have about a 3-4oz puddle of gear oil under the lower coming from the little weep hole. I have no clue what it could be coming from or where to look.

I have searched forum but not sure what to search and can't find much on it. Hi new to the boating forums. I'm a auto mechanic but don't know much about how the boat drives work.

My other question is I have put so much work into this boat I just want to enjoy it a little bit. Would I be okay to run it for a weekend or two and just keep the gear oil topped off?

 

[Bt Doctur]

When you pull the pin on a grenade do you wait till it goes boom to throw it?
You have a leak that is most likely the seals in the water pump base. or the shift shaft seal

 

[Stanh413]

I will change the water pump impeller and what not and see if that fixes it. They need to be changed anyways I'm not sure how old it is. It's gonna be nice this weekend so worse comes to worse I'll top it off, keep an eye on it and take it out. The leak is very slow It's never in the water longer than 8 hrs or running consecutively more than an hour.

As for the water pump? Any tips on what to look out for. Things people usually break or mess up when trying to perform the repair? And I read you should have it in gear before separating upper from lower half??

 

[Bt Doctur]

Not the impeller, the base is what has the seals.Can post a link to it, repair is not hard to do. Unit should be in fwd gear to reassemble but nor for just dropping the lower unit ON A ALPHA 1 TYPE

 

[Bt Doctur]

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6C3R3.PDF

 

[Stanh413]

So it has to be in neutral to drop it and fwd to mate lower back to upper. And that's what I meant I'm gonna change the pump and base seals tonight if I can find a kit in the area.

 

[2fishy4u]

There is a very tiny seal that goes between the 2 halves. Are you sure you got it back on there?

 

[achris]

If you're just dropping the lower and not pulling the whole drive, put it in forward to remove and leave it in forward to refit. Do a search in the 'Adults only' section, I did a complete write up of Alpha drive oil leaks, their source and how to fix them.

Chris. ...

 

[Stanh413]

If you're just dropping the lower and not pulling the whole drive, put it in forward to remove and leave it in forward to refit. Do a search in the 'Adults only' section, I did a complete write up of Alpha drive oil leaks, their source and how to fix them.

Chris. ...

Thank you for the help I will see if I can find the right up and go from there. I will hopefully be changing the water pump Monday as no one around here had one in stock

 

[Bt Doctur]

To remove the complete drive it must be in fwd, to remove just the lower on a Alpha1,neutral will work but on a Alpha GEN II it must also be in fwd.
Make sure the SS washer on the splined shift shaft dosent disappear too

 

[Stanh413]

Mines a pre alpha outdrive. Boats an 87 regal with the 165hp 3.7 I4

 

[achris]

1987 makes it an Alpha One drive. You can drop just the lower in neutral. But putting it back on is a lot easier in forward, because the drive will be tilted up and gravity will tend to push the dog clutch to forward. It'll also be easier to turn the prop reverse to get the splines to line up.

Chris.