Alpha 1 Gen 2 Bell housing installation

Dave Sage

Recruit
Joined
Jul 3, 2018
Messages
1
1997 Crownline BR202, with Alpha 1 Gen 2 stern drive. I am replacing the gimbal bearing and shift cable. I have the bell housing out and I would like to know the proper sequence for reinstalling the water line, oil monitor line, u-joint bellows, exhaust bellows and shift cable bellows. I have all new bellows and lines. Which lines go on the transom assembly first and which, if any should be installed on the bell housing first. I am looking for an answer like this: 1) Install the oil monitor line on the transom fitting and secure it with a hose clamp. 2) Install the water line to the transom fitting and secure it with a hose clamp. 3) Install the shift cable bellows on the transom fitting and secure it with a hose clamp. Now bring the bell housing in close enough to install the aft ends of the water line and the oil line. How do you secure the aft end of the oil line and the aft end of the water line. If this is correct so far, I think I can figure out the rest.
 

harringtondav

Commander
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
2,438
From memory, I'm at our Miss river place, and my manual is at home: Connect the water hose to both transom plate and bell hsg. Then the new shift cable bellows hose clamp and crimp clamps. The best position for the shift cable hose clamp is with the scroll screw down to the right(or left? do a dry run). A 5/16" socket on a 1/4 " swivel and looong 1/4" extension will access it from the bottom. Don't forget the bellows adhesive. Get the shift cable crimp clamp snug, but not too tight. Pull enough shift cable out so you can reconnect the lube monitor line reusable clamp on the bell hsg. barb. This is a 'ship in a bottle' maneuver, bent jaw needle nose pliers will help you crimp that reusable clamp tight enough. Pre size the drive shaft bellows hose clamp so it's slightly loose on the transom end. Push it on dry, w/o any bellows adhesive, and dry run the clamp up. I recall the best clamp screw orientation is on top, pointing right or down. Wherever you can access it w/that 5/16 socket set up. The drive shaft bellows is marked with an 'up' orientation, so mind this. Once you're ready, goop up the transom plate bellows hub and the ID of the bellows w/adhesive, and quickly push it on 'till it bottoms on the transom plate and tighten the clamp. Now do the same with the exhaust bellows. The hose clamp screw MUST be on top, facing left. There is a screw driver access hole thru the left side of the gimbal plate. This one can be challenging because you've lost a lot of room to work, so dry run it. The clamp needs to be tight enough so it doesn't walk away from the screw driver, but loose enough to allow the bellows to stretch over the exhaust hub. You may need the bellows expanding tool to work it over the hub. Once the exhaust bellows is gooped w/adhesive and clamped, push the shift cable into it's bellows enough to allow you to start the bell hsg. pivot bolts about 1/2 way thru the gimbal ring. Be sure to have the fiber washers between the bell hsg. and gimbal ring. Now things get really tight. Tonight I'm saying pull the exhaust bellows onto the bell hsg. hub f w/the expander tool first. Again, pre fit the hose clamp left, and down. Goop it up, and clamp it tight. Then pull the drive shaft bellows into the bell hsg. groove. Fingers will do this, but the expander tool and a screw driver guide will help. Grease up the retaining ring and ID of the bellows, and tap the retaining ring home with the driver. You'll learn a few new cuss words. I still am. The bell hsg. pivot pins torque up at 90 ft/lbs, so I wait until the outdrive is on, and the trim cyls. are attached before I lean/lift on the torque wrench.
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
I'm going to throw in my own "water hose" experience- did both my drives 2 years ago. Repalcing that hose has been described as "the job that can make a grown man cry"

Install the transom end of the u-joint bellow before you install the water hose. In my case, having the water hose in place first interfered with getting the bellow to seat properly in the groove. Had to take it all apart and re-do it.

Buy a can of Mercruiser "Power Tune" spray. It may be the slipperiest stuff on earth. It evaporates quickly and doesn't harm the rubber parts. It's a tip I learned here, and it works.

You'll notice the hose has a natural curve to it. Position it so that the curve in the hose conforms to the curve in the bellhousing. Do it any other way and the hose will probably kink.

Use a Merc OEM hose (I used all Merc OEM parts for the job) and don't cut it. It's exactly the right length.

If possible, boil some water and put it in an insulated travel mug.

Dip one end of the hose in the hot water for a couple of minutes, then spray the inside of the hose and the nipple it goes onto, with Power Tune. Put the hose on and orient the curve as described above. Repeat for the end that goes on the bellhousing. The hose will slip right onto the nipple. No pushing, pulling, twisting or crying.

(Ever since I did this job I've been using Power Tune as my "go to" for parts that won 't slide together easily. The stuff's amazing)

My .02
 
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