88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

Beauchamp

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Jul 22, 2011
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im new to boating and kinda young so i need some help i bought this boat last fall 21' sea ray sorrento 350 mercruiser and i think a alpha one outdrive (its painted white so not sure any way i can tell for sure?) and have had it out 5 or so times now but the last trip ended bad. i was pulling my mom and girlfriend on a tube and the boat seemed to loose movement almost like it hit neutral.. earlier in the day it had seemed to slip but quickly got out of throttle and it seemed ok. ive hit a few shallow spots prior to this.. got it home and now hooked to garden hose it over heats and when placed into fwd or rev it instantly dies.... im thinking i got a bad impeller\drive shaft but would that cause my motor to die when placed in gear? when put in fwd or rev prop will only spin one way locks in other direction... dont see rubber dust on motor and have never smelt burnt rubber coming from motor... ive done alot of research and i keep coming back to the shaft been stripped.. looking for guidance befor i tear the lower unit apart and or shell out 500-1500$ on a new outdrive thanks in advance!!
 

Bt Doctur

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Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,093
Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

shift it so the prop is locked in one direction, stand on the blade turning it, see if the shaft inside the boat turns.
If the shaft does not turn that means drive is damaged. Have you checked the oil level in the drive?
 

Beauchamp

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Jul 22, 2011
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Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

with my motor overheating hooked to hose that shows that the outdrive shaft isnt spinning my water pump right?.. i found another alpha one off a 120 mercruiser, would this work for parts? or is their differance beyond the gear ratios?.. and any idea on why my motor shuts itself off when put into gear? no ressistance to much ressistance? low oil level? right after it happened it would go into gear kinda clunky noises but no movement... i just think its odd how it happened not like i hit a rock and it happened i was cruiseing at like 20ish and boom... and how would i go about checking the fluid level... i changed it befor winter storage maybe i didnt add enough... thanks
 

Bt Doctur

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Aug 29, 2004
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Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

that drive would have a ratio of 1.98 ,your is 1.50, explain how you refilled the drive?when you overheated you melted the lower shift cable, thats what activating the switch.
 

Beauchamp

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Jul 22, 2011
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Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

pulled both plugs drained oil then filled through bottom hole put 2 squeeze tubes in might have not been enough but thats what came in the kit i had bought... so what would happen if i took just the lower part of the donor drive and put it on mine what ratio would i be running at? and i did ur test and spun the prop and inside shaft never moved.. and you said i might have melted my lower shift cable is that an easy fix? so i could just continue to use the drive that came on the boat.. i havnt torn the drive on the boat apart yet but the donor drive i took apart just so i knew what i was looking at labor wise... thanks again
 

Beauchamp

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Jul 22, 2011
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Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

i finally got to tear into the out drive and the top 2 gears are ground smooth.. would this cause my boat to die when placed into gear? or is my lower shift cable likely bad? i ask cause if i can just buy the top part of the out drive id save money... thanks for any and all help!
 

Bt Doctur

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Aug 29, 2004
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19,093
Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

the upper was destroyed from lack of oil, you fill from the bottom untill you see it come out the top.
The stalling is caused by the melted shift cable where is passes close to the exaust Y pipe
 

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Beauchamp

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Jul 22, 2011
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Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

wow looks exactly like mine!! lesson learned the expensive way i guess... so a new and or reman merc out drive is out of the question i dont have that type of money is this sei company worth the money? looking at 1300$ for new out drive.. do they make a good out drive?
 

79Merc80

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 22, 2007
Messages
673
Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

I just filled an old MerCruiser outdrive (288) with lower unit lube. I used the pump with the bottles and it took one whole bottle and about 1/2 of another, or about 5-6 tubes.

Hope this helps.
 

Bt Doctur

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Aug 29, 2004
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19,093
Re: 88' sea ray sorrento HELP bad drive\water pump shaft ?

SEI has the best deal going, plus the 3 year warranty,
 
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