Alpha 1 Gen 1 Assembly Priblem

sr79

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
49
1979 Mercruiser Alpha 1 Gen 1 - Installed new water pump and everything looks good but, cannot get bottom half to slide back into place. It stops about 3/4" of an inch from going back together. Spline shaft is well greased, just acts like it comes up against a hard stop and I don't want to force it. I've tried the usual things like rotating the shaft, checking the 'O" ring in the upper splined receiver and checking water pump connection. I have not had this problem when working on other similar outdrives. One more thing, it came apart fairly hard. Any ideas???
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
I like to install the Alpha's back together up side down. Turn the top up side down, then lower the bottom half onto the top
 

sr79

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
49
Thanks, all good suggestions. I did file a slight chamfer on the leading edge of each spline. I also tried assembling it up side down and that worked pretty well after I used silicone lubricant to lube the water outlet of the housing and pipe. The outlet pipe has a plastic sleeve set back about 1/2" from the end of the pipe. Both the metal pipe and the plastic sleeve have a very snug fit into the water pump housing. The metal pipe fits the smaller diameter while the plastic sleeve fits the larger or top diameter and that explains why it was so hard to separate. Looks like a very tight and leak proof system, however, I've never encountered this before but now I know what to expect the next time I change the water pump on my old boat. Thanks for your help, every thing is working good now....
 
Top