alpha one out drive missing seal

[roffey]

Last year I took my alpha one out drive off to check the water impeller and fix a broken sag. I put the drive back on but noticed gear lube leaking from the prop. I must have missed a seal or crushed one so I took the drive off to inspect it and think I found my problem. I believe there is a seal missing where the drive connects to the upper case. Question is there a seal that goes between the two halves, if not them my search continues…

 

[Bt Doctur]

If the drive is a Alpha1 type just the upper seal controls oil, the lower seal was to keep water out of the spline area
If it is a Alpha GEN II there are 2 identical seals to keep the oil in and the water out, they are back-to- back in the upper housing. Any leaking from the upper requires the upper to be disassembled.
There is a small O ring looking seal between the units , often called the "Quad seal" It seals the oil passage between the units

 

[Rick Stephens]

Not quite sure what you are describing, but there is a 'quad' o-ring between the case halves. If it is missing you will lose oil and introduce water rapidly.



(I see I duplicated Bt Doc)

 

[roffey]

Not quite sure what you are describing, but there is a 'quad' o-ring between the case halves. If it is missing you will lose oil and introduce water rapidly.



(I see I duplicated Bt Doc)

That is exactly where I thought there was a O ring kind of seal. Mine looks much the same as yours... Going to see if I can post a picture....

 

[roffey]

There is a small O ring looking seal between the units , often called the "Quad seal" It seals the oil passage between the units

I have a Alpha one gen one. The boat is a 4.3 merc on a 2014 Stingray 198lx. I only mention the boat and year as I am not positive if its a gen 1 or 2. Im at work right now and will investigate it in the morning. Thanks for the quick replies.

 

[achris]

Same seal (called a 'quad ring') in the same place for both Alpha One and Alpha One Gen II....

Chris........

 

[harringtondav]

I think Rick Stephens and BT Doktur nailed it. That little quad ring seal on the lube passage between the two housings is easy to dislodge and miss if you don't know it should be in place. It is critical. Replace it, and change your out drive lube. I clean up the quad ring's counter bore seat in the lower hsg. with a little acetone, and tack it in place with a dab of contact cement or bellows adhesive just to be sure.

 

[roffey]

ill do that, the out drive if off and I have drained the gear oil and there was little discoloration so little water mixed. I will replace the seal and gear oil and be ready for next years boating season. Thanks for the assistance I just wanted to make sure I had found the problem as it is a PIA to remove the outdrive by my self.

 

[achris]

Before you fill with oil, perform a pressure test... That'll tell you if you have a potential leak...

Chris....

 

[roffey]

absolutely I will but to do so I have to plug the oil hole in the lower casing? I have a gear lube reservoir and if I connect the lower to the upper it would not hold pressure as air will leak out the cap on the reservoir. So to pressure test I just test the lower casing on the stand?

for some reason I can upload pictures. No worries I will figure it out. I have tried JPG and GIF the picture is 95kb. Should upload..

 

[roffey]

I found this....
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...one-gen-1997-mercruiser-4-3-please-help/page2

I think I am going to order the water impeller kit. The boat is 4 years old and does not need a new impeller but its cheep insurance...

 

[achris]

Pressure test is done with the drive off.....

 

[roffey]

Perfect, drive is off now and on my work bench. I have the next 6 months to fix... Thanks so much for your input

 

[roffey]

Not quite sure what you are describing, but there is a 'quad' o-ring between the case halves. If it is missing you will lose oil and introduce water rapidly.



(I see I duplicated Bt Doc)

nailed it.. new seal purchased and installed. $4.25 tax in, lol. Cheapest repair yet. Once again thanks guys.

 

[Rick Stephens]

I love a happy ending. Thanks for reporting back.

Rick