What's the purpose of this hole? (Alpha 1 Gen2)

[asm_]

On a boat I have been working on to get it ready for the lake, I noticed the outdrive appear to have one additional "pee stream" shooting forward from near the gear shift disconnect. I manage to took a picture of it the under side today and noticed a hole that aren't on my other newer Alpha 1 Gen 2. Does any one know the purpose of this hole?

Thanks

 

[achris]

Looks like a drain hole in the back of the bell-housing. I'd has at a guess that it's original purpose was to drain the exhaust cavity once the engine was shut down and out of the water... I'm guessing on the newer ones (without the hole) that the cavity is quite capable of draining without it...

Chris.....

 

[Fun Times]

It's used as an additional exhaust cavity drain. There normally a small relief hole found in the exhaust bellows too.

If you look real close at the photo below just past the shift shaft, you can just barely see some red background in the exhaust relief hole location. That's the other side of where your hole should be located in your photo. PS, what year is your transom assembly?

 

[asm_]

Thanks!! By the way, my transom assembly is from boat built in 1994.