How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

[frankttaylor]

All,

Well today I finally attepted to finish winterizing my boat. I followed the owners manual that came with the boat and it states to:

3. Make sure drive shaft housing water drain holes and gear housing water drain holes are open.

The lower hole on outdrive appears to be open but the upper one seems to be closed. How do I open? I cannot locate in operation and maintenance manual.

Here are my specs.

1990 Bluewater
3.7 Liter
Engine# OC768011

Thank you!

 

[Don S]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Stick a nail in it

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

.....and a basketball needle adapted to LOW pressure air will help disturb debris.

 

[Bondo]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Ayuh,... Or probe it with a length of mechanic's wire...

Works best with some water flowin'....

 

[frankttaylor]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

I guess I am a little confused. When I look at drain hole it appears that it doesn't have a way for water to drain. There is a hold but inside that hole is like black metal covering it. It appears to be part of the assembly so I assumed there was a way to close the drain since it states to make sure the drains are open. It doesn't look like debris. Maybe I am looking at wrong hole. According to the book it is the right one though. I would take a picture but I do not think it will be able to capture what I am talking about.

 

[Don S]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Post a picture of the drain hole you are looking at, it's worth a try.

 

[frankttaylor]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Post a picture of the drain hole you are looking at, it's worth a try.

Will do

 

[frankttaylor]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

 

[Bondo]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

View attachment 174573View attachment 174574

Nope,... That ain't a drain hole.... The drain holes are in the Lower unit, not the upper...

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Ziggy has a nice pic of his outdrive connected to muffs, engine running and it shows the drain hole pouring water. It is in the front starboard side of the lower. If I can find his picture I will add a link to it here... (just sent him a PM, hopefully he'll stop by here and comment).

It drains the hollow cavity around the shift shaft of the lower half, which easily gets filled with crud. It took me some time to get mine cleared out. If you never separated the halves of the outdrive it would be difficult to visualize the cavity it drains.


edit
I found a pic I had below:

 

[Don S]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

For sure it's not a drain hole. Looks more like a defect in the finish than anything else.

 

[frankttaylor]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

I figured it out. There is a small drain hole that I didn't see on the upper unit. I made the assumption that the drain holes was the same size as the one on the lower unit. all is good. Thanks for the help again. hopefully some day I will know enough to help someone else. Thanks All!

 

[ziggy]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

sounds like ya got it figured out.
here's where the pee hole is at.

i think i've seen that little dimple in my upper too. it's nothing. just a dimple... ya can even see it in my pic i think. that white spot on the upper.

if your's don't pee like the pic. then there could me muck and sand blocking the hole. both my mc-1 dirve i've had have had the cavity that leads to that hole filled up to the top with muck. the time to clean it out is when your R&Ring your impeller. a long screwdriver and a vacuum and clean it out. when ya finally get to the bottom of the cavity, you'll then be able to put probe thru that hole and finish cleaning the cavity out.
glad ya got it figured out...

 

[frankttaylor]

Re: How Do I Open Alpha One Drive Shaft Housing and Gear Housing Drain Holes

Thye drain hole is located almost directly above the M on the mercruiser label. It is very small hole. Thanks for the help