Alpha One - Adding Oil

[jollymon]

I have Alpha One - Gen I outdrives. The boat is in the water and I do not own a trailer for it, I do have one I can borrow.

This weekend, I pulled the boat at the local ramp, to change a weak impellor. Changing the impellor and reinstalling the lower unit went with out a hitch.

When I tried to remove the vent and fill plugs to add oil to the lower unit, I could not get either plug to move.

I had to put the boat back in the water as it was.

Someone suggested that I remove the cap on the upper unit to add the oil. It sounds reasonable to me, but I am not sure what type or size the bolts are on the top of the cap. I was told that they are 12 point bolts, and I have to get a 12 point socket, but the person that told me this, did not what size socket that is needed.

Has anyone done this, or does anyone know what size socket?

Thanks
Scott

 

[tommays]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

that would be a bad way to go It has to filled from the bottom up


An inpact screw driver should take the screws out (the kind you hit with a hammer )

I hope you did not run the boat like this ?


Tommays

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

Ayuh,..... I Agree with Tommays,......

Filling it from the Top Cap, is like filling it from the Vent Screw,.....

You'll only be able to get about Half of the oil In,... Because it'll be Air-bound.....

Outdrives can NOT be filled, except from the Bottom......

 

[stevieray]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

My big question is...how did you get the lower gearcase off to get to the pump impeller without draining the oil first? I guess all the oil in the upper case just spilled out on you?

 

[jollymon]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

No I did not run it like this, I have twins and it is only a short run to my dock from the public ramp.

Yes I just dropped the lower unit, and I had a Oil pan to catch the oil dripping out of the upper unit. There might have been 2 or 3 ounces that dripped out and still dripping when I put the unit back together.

I know normally you would not fill the unit from the top, but I know the lower unit is filled with oil still, other wise the upper unit would not have been draining oil.

 

[BRG25]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

So your other drive had all it's gear lube?


From another post...

Here is a typical impact screwdriver set.
See your local NAPA.

 

[jollymon]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

BRG25,

Yes the other drive (starboard) is fine. It was put on new on it before I launched it.

The boat was just launched 3 weeks ago, but I found the port motor running a little hot when it idled. I pulled it to replace the impellor. which went very well.

I tried an impact driver, but it did not move at all. I am trying to avoid, being down for several weeks. As I said I do not won a trailer for this boat, and would end up having to take it to a marina, and having pulled and serviced. I am very confident that the lower unit is full and pretty sure the upper unit has some if not most of the oil. I just need to top it off.

Scott

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

Personally, I would not run it with a low level....
Either you are not hitting the driver hard enough or you are doing it wrong.....
A little heat might help.....
I stress little.....
They are pretty fat threads, it will come loose if the right force is applied.....​

 

[stevieray]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

You really have to get the plugs loose & fill it properly from the bottom with the gear lube pump - any other way is asking for problems. Threads shouldn't be corroded since they are inboard of the little fiber gaskets & exposed to the gear lube. Must just be over torqued.

 

[sarantis]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

How do you find the idea of filling with oil the lower unit by bending it to the side and then connect it to the upper unit? I think this way one would avoid the problem of blocked air.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

Nope......​

 

[jollymon]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

sarantis,

The lower unit is already filled with oil. If it was not this case I would looking at other options, IE pulling the boat and the drive and having fixed.

Scott

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

There should be no reason for you not to be able to diy with a mallet & an impact driver.........​

 

[sabastianunf]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

Mine was frozen when I bought my boat. I bought the biggest screw driver I could find it is about 2 feet long. Then I put a pair of vice grips on the handle for a better grip. By pushing on the end of the screw driver while turning the vice grips I managed to break it loose. Good luck and be sure to replace the o-ring/seal on both screws after refilling.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

This is sounding like 1 of those threads,........
Where No matter how many people say, "Don't Do It",.................

You're gonna Do It Anyways.........

It's Your Boat,+ Your Drive,...........And You've already Got it figured Out,....

Roll the Dice,................

Come on back later in the season,+ Let Us know if it's Still running or Not......

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

Like Bond-o said- Its your boat. If you're super confident the lower unit is full and you just need to top off the upper set- then by all means take the cap off and top 'er up. My only problem is for you to make sure you don't over-fill it. The top vent screw is not even with the top cap, so if you fill it to the brim you are gonna have problems when the oil heats up and tries to expand. And come back later in the season and let us know how you made out, by all means.

--
Stan

 

[jollymon]

Re: Alpha One - Adding Oil

While I appreciate all the warnings.... I did pull the boat again today and filled the oil from the top cap.

Let me recap the events. The boat is new to me, it has twin I/O with Alpha ones. I bought the boat from a friend. A Regal 277Xl (1987)

The boat was serviced and winterized before I bought the boat. The port outdrive was drained and refilled. The starboard drive was not, because the stardbooard lower unit was being replaced.

I replaced the starboard lower unit and filled the unit with oil, from bottom to top.

I did not check the port outdrive. The friend I bought the boat from helped me get the boat ready and assured me it was fine.

After running the boat three times I noticed that the port motor was running warm on idle, and would go back to normal temp with anything over an idle. I decided to replace the impellor, I did this by borrowing a trailer and pulling the boat at the local ramp, and doing the work in the parking lot.

I did NOT drain the oil from the outdrive before dropping the lower unit. I placed an oil pan under the upper unit to catch the drip from that. The lower unit was off for about 20 minutes, and about 2-3 ounces of oil came out. None of the oil from the lower unit came out.

I was unable to remove the vent plug, to replace the oil. I did not attempt to remove the drain/fill plug, I felt with out getting the vent plug out getting the drian/fill plug would be counter productive. I used a large enough screw driver, and also an impact gun. No Luck.

Today, I pulled the boat again, same ramp same trailer, same parking lot.

I had a tourch, more screw drivers and a heavier impact gun. I also had a new vent plug, and an O-ring for the cap. I started by removing the cap. The oil level was about 1.5" below the vent plug. I choose to top off the unit ti the middle of the vent plug, replace the cap o-ring and and seal the unit back up.

This winter, I will pull the drive off of the boat and remove and replace bith the vent and fill plugs. This way if there are more complications, I will have time to deal with it.

Thanks for all the warnings, It made sure that I went prepared for the worse, and the I was da** sure that I checked that there was enough oil in the upper unit, that there was no way the lower unit was air bound.

Scott