Alpha 1 gear lube leak

SDSeville

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
1,481
After some more reading, I now know that the bottom seal is to keep water out and the upper seal is to keep gear oil in. I am hoping someone can help with 2 questions.

1. Do I need to remove the water pocket cover? The manual says to remove it, but I have read that those bolts break very easy and can cause real nightmares.

2. Are there any videos of the seal replacement out there? I have read the manual and several threads, but a video would be very helpful.
 

Alumarine

Captain
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
3,684
The lower seal can be replaced without removing the water pocket cover.
Just pop it out and put a new one in.
Did you pressure test the upper before you split them?
Is the top of the drive shaft scored where seal runs on it?
 

SDSeville

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
1,481
Thanks for the help Marc. That is good news.

Yes, I pressure tested the drive before I split it and it lost all pressure in about an hour. I then tested just the upper and lower units separately and no loss of pressure in either one. I just assumed it was the upper drive shaft seals because of the greasy mess up there.

The drive shaft is scored where the seal runs on it. Here are some pics. Will I need to use speedi-sleeves?
IMG_1716.JPGIMG_1717.JPG
 

Alumarine

Captain
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
3,684
If you can feel the score with your fingernail you either need a speedi-sleeve or as achris has mentioned you can relocate the oil seal a few thou from it's old position so it rides on a good part of the shaft.
 

SDSeville

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
1,481
Luckily, I cannot feel the scoring with my fingernail, so I should be good to go without the speedi-sleeve. I pressure tested both halves again today and both held pressure. I tried at 10, 5, and 4 PSI. Correct me if I am wrong, but if it leaked when it was together, but neither half leaked when the oil passage was plugged, it must have been the oil passage seal that was leaking? I could have messed it up during my last impeller change.

Also, I checked again and the lower drive shaft housing seal was a greasy mess, but there was no oil in the area.
 

Alumarine

Captain
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
3,684
Yes, sounds like it might have been the quad ring that was leaking.
I like to put some Permatex aviation seal on it so it stays in place for assembly.
 

SDSeville

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
1,481
Yes, sounds like it might have been the quad ring that was leaking.
I like to put some Permatex aviation seal on it so it stays in place for assembly.

I will be using aviation seal on that ring from now on. I guess it was a good thing it leaked though. I am not sure how torn up the drive shaft would have eventually gotten with that lower drive shaft housing seal gone. Thanks for the help.
 
Top