Outdrive Problems I Think

This is a '92 Sea Ray with the 4.3 V6, and Alpha One Gen II out drive.
I just got the boat last month, after it had been sitting for a few years. Changed fluids, and filters, and on the first run, I had carb problems. Thanks God for my new Sea Tow membership! Totally drained tank, and rebuilt carb, so that's not a problem anymore. Runs great.
So I take it out for Memorial Day, and I'm idling through the no wake zone. The boat was feeling weird, not wanting to track straight. I had to keep correcting. This did not happen on first trip. I get past the NW zone, and open it up. I get up on plane, and a few seconds later, the RPMs spike, and the boat stops. I throttle back, and try my forward and reverse, but it just raises the RPMs. I raised the drive, thinking that the prop has come off, but it's still there. So Sea Tow saves me again.
My neighbor comes over, and takes my out drive off, and thinks that it is my lower unit that has died. So I've been looking for an inexpensive one. (There isn't one) I was just playing with my lower unit, and I am wondering if it really is that or not. I shift the shifter one direction, and turn the prop one way. Locks in one direction, and ratchets in the other. Shift the other direction, and the prop locks going the opposite direction. Seems fine to me! How can I test this, to make sure that it is bad. Can someone tell me which direction that the input shaft turns, and which direction the shift lever goes for forward and reverse? That might help.
Or can someone help me troubleshoot what might have gone wrong that morning? I am good with cars and trucks, but this is my first boat. I'm not afraid to dive into anything mechanical.
What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Michael
Call me if you want to- (910)470-9657

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Couple possible things. One is your prop hub is slipping. The other is your coupler failed. If your coupler fails, your water pump in your drive will also stop working and you will start to overheat.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Thanks for the reply. I was looking over the upper unit for a coupler. Not sure where that is. I saw where the lower unit's shaft "couples" with the upper unit. And the tube beside that for the water pump, has gotten hot because it looks like there was a plastic sleeve of some type that has melted/warped around the metal cooling tube. I tried to move the input shaft for the upper unit, where the u-joints are, and could not move it at all! I'm not sure if it was moving before we dissembled them or not. I can't even move it with a screwdriver through a u-joint! Now I wondering if my upper unit's gears are the problem?
After playing with the lower unit, I have discovered that the shaft(looking from above) turns counter clockwise. The shift lever(GenII), (again looking down, and toward the bow); Facing forward, is reverse, and to the left(port) is forward. And in between is neutral. It seems to check out OK.
Now what???!!!

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

The coupler is mounted to the flywheel and the shaft from the u-joints engages in it.

So..you have already started taking things apart? Probably not a bad idea to pull the drive but not necssary yet to troubleshoot your problem.

Do you have another prop you can try? You can also make a mark on the prop and the hub and see if the alignment of those marks changes when you take your boat out again.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

My neighbor has had many boats, and he did some quick troubleshooting, and pulled off the out drive. He has a lot more experience with boats, so I trust him. When I got back from the boat ramp on Memorial Day, we looked over things. When I moved the throttle forward, the shift linkage was moving, but not going in gear. I hope that it wasn't just out of adjustment. It was shifting fine before I took it out. That's not something that "just happens", right?
My upper drive has been sitting in my garage since Memorial Day, upside down. Is there something that might have caused it to lock up being stored that way? Maybe the lack of gear oil in the case, since it's been separated from the lower unit?
What else? I'll check for that coupling tomorrow on the fly wheel.
I don't have another prop, and won't have it in the water until we do some more troubleshooting, and I but a re-seal kit for the out drive.
Thanks,
Michael

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Take the top cover plate off the upper unit and inspect the gears. That will tell you volumes.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

I was thinking about doing that today. Thanks for the suggestion, and I'll let you all know what I find.

Michael

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

when you split the case what was the condition and amount of gear oil removed.?
What was the oil level when this first happened?
did you ever check the drive oil before using the boat?

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Like I said, this is my first boat, and I'm learning the hard way about owning a boat. I never knew or thought about checking gear oil in the out drive. I assumed that the boat was good to go, because we got it from family. I'll never do that again!
I really don't remember too much oil coming out, so that might have been a big part of the problem. The gear oil in the lower unit has water in it. Not sure when or where or how it got in there.
But, I have acquired a whole upper and lower unit, and I'm in the process of cleaning it up. The gear oil in it looks good.
I never got a chance to open up the old top end today, but I will.
If anybody has any pointers, or tips on reconnecting the out drive, feel free to tell me about it. I have downloaded the manual, and will be looking over that before hand.
Thanks for the help guys,
Michael

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

I opened the top end the other night, and I found my problem. One of the gears does not have any more teeth. I'll try to post a photo later.
But I am cleaning up my replacement outdrive, and Have learned a very important lesson.

CHECK THE OIL IN YOUR OUTDRIVE!!!!!

Thanks,
Michael

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Bet it looks similiar to this one.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Mine doesn't even have those ridges left! But yes, similar.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

wow....is this the gear thats on top of the drive when you pull the cover?

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Here's the picture!



I'll be cleaning up the lower unit, and selling it to help pay for the whole outdrive that I found to replace this one. There is nothing wrong with it.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Yep, definitely a low oil trouble and yours will have the ridges too if you can remove it. Actually , the gears got so hot they melted ,not molten but soft as butter.

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

That is the same exact issue I am having. Without hijacking this thread, would you mind telling me what that gear is that is indicated in the pics?

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

The one you see turns the driveshaft , the one on the top is connected to the input shaft

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

might help

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

There is a plate on the top of the out drive, mine has a dipstick in it. Take it off, and you'll see those gears. If you are having the same problems as me, you'll need to either rebuild the upper unit, or just find a used one like I did.
Good Luck!

Re: Outdrive Problems I Think

Thank you, but what are those gears called? Most likely I will have to replace them, just have not had a chance to remove the cover due to storms and long work hours.