can someone identify what drive unit this is...

[crudeau]

I need to get a new transom seal kit. All the boots on mine are rotted in half.

The boat is a 1989 Glassport Bowrider. Thedrive unit has been painted black and all of the decals are either removed or covered in paint.

The sticker in the boat says it is model 165I/O and the motor says 2.5L on it. So From that I know the motor is a 165 2.5L but there are about three different seal kits from what I can see. At $150 each I don't want the wrong one.

Here are two pics I took of it. Sorry if they are blurry it's a camera phone...

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

here's another picture. I have much larger pictures, but I had to resize them to fit the 97kb limit. I can't believe the quality of this new phone. lol the samsung SCH-u740. thing is awesome.

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

does the 2.5L on the motor and model plate on the boat that says 165I/O does that mean the the mother is the Alpa One 165? They guy I got it from has no clue at all.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

Hmmmm, 165 & 2.5 are contradictory.....
165 is associated with either an inline six, or a model 488, 470......
Is it a four or six cyl?.......
Where on the engine does ot say, 2.5?..........
Where does it say 165?..............
The drive seal kit (bellows kit) you are looking for appears to be for an Alpha 1 gen1........​

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

I can read 2.5L on the back of the drive -so not sure where you are getting the "165" looks like Alpha1 drive to me. If your engine block says "Hecho en mexico" on the side in the casting, and has only a pulley on the front of the crank, no vibration damper, you have a 2.5. Which is a Chevrolet based 2.5L 153 cu. in. 4 cylinder.

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

the drive unit pictured says 2.5 on it. The Motor says 2.5 on it. And I'm work, but going from memory there are four plugs, and from memory again there was five wires on the distributor cap. That's enough for me to 100% say it's a 4 banger. As far as pully's I'm not to sure, I know there is a big pully on the crank, goes to the alternator and I think there is a little pully up top. Don't remember the pullys so much though.

There is a decal in the boat on the passanger side console. It says...

6 person or 900lbs
Model 165 I/0
Waitsboro MFG Co, Inc
Corbin KY 40701

Maybe it isn't the original motor? Either way the motor that is in it runs great, but the boat will sink if in the water because of those seals.

 

[Don S]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

The 165 is the boat model, not engine or drive model. 16' boat right?????
The 2.5L, 4 cyl. engine was used from 87 to 89, and it is an Alpha I drive.

 

[BRG25]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

This is a link copied from another post...

http://www.mercstuff.com/drive_id.htm

 

[stevieray]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

The decal in the boat (capacity plate) should show the model number of the hull, not the engine. 99.99% sure that drive is Alpha 1 Gen 1.

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

now the question is does anyone know the part number to the below kit? From what I see it looks like that kit comes with everything I would need to reseal it. Right now the only problem i have is that all the boots (belows) are dry rotted and split. But If I have to take it apart to replace those i want to replace all the seals on the transom so that I know everything is new and nicely sealed. Do I also need to get that tube of black stuff that I see for sale everywhere I see the transom kits. Looks like something you put inside the below before you put the clamps on.

Figure I will redo the pump as well. But the guy I got the boat from already bought all those pieces so i just have to install them. But one thought I had, can I replace that little impeller assembly with a pump? I see stories about them going out all the time and people replace them ever season. It would be nice to put a pump inside and just have it pull water from the hole where the old pump was, or install a new water pickup somewhere in the back of the boat.

 

[180shabah]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

The pump in the lower unit cools the drive before it gets to the engine. There is no practical way to seal everything for an engine mounted pump to be able to develop suction. So you are pretty much stuck with it. However, once you have done it a couple of times, it won't take very long.

 

[achris]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

The pump in the lower unit cools the drive before it gets to the engine. There is no practical way to seal everything for an engine mounted pump to be able to develop suction. So you are pretty much stuck with it. However, once you have done it a couple of times, it won't take very long.

????????????

Not quite right my friend... The water from the seawater pump goes straight up a copper tube, through a passage in the leg, into a hose connected to the bell-housing, through the transom assembly and finally through a hose to the thermostat housing on the engine. There is no cooling of the leg/ drive before it gets to the engine. The drive is cooled by sitting in the ocean!!

If you want to go to the expensive of getting an 'engine mounted seawater pump', you can, and Mercury sell them as a kit. It involves removing the engine from the boat, installing a 'block-off plate' on the transom assembly where the water hose currently runs and intalling a seawater pickup either through the hull or on the transom. Trust me, it's not worth the effort. Stick with the pump in the leg and check the impeller every year. Much easier, it also forces you to change the leg oil every year to, as recommended.

Chris..................

 

[paultech6]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

You have what they call a Alpha One outdrive. When looking up parts its considered MR/Alpha One

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

Alrighty so I will keep the pump that's there. What kind of oil is in the leg? I am going to out and find a manual for it sometime this weekend and rebuild the pump. I have the transom seal kit so i'm going to be doing that as well. The guy gave me an engine alignment tool as well so I will be making sure everything is square as well. I saw that the front engine mount is in excellent condition. But what hold the rear of the motor to the boat? just the bell housing? When I fire it up and then shut it off, it looks to have a lot of play in the rear (bumps around a lot) as it shuts off.

 

[achris]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

You have 2 choices of service manual... Genuine or genuine... Don't mess around with the Seloc or Clymer ones, there useless... I know a lot of people use them, but a lot of those people are on this board looking for help that IS in the factory manual...

You also have 2 choices for gear oil... The Mercury premium gear lube or the Mercury High Performance Gear lube.... Use the high performance... It's a bit more expensive (about 10% more), but it's worth it (I don't risk $1000's of gears and shafts for a couple of bucks worth of gear oil)....

Rear engine mounts are located at the outside edges of the engine bellhousing. Couple of rubber mounts with long bolts through them. Bolt heads are 3/4" and have a large washer and a spacer under the bolt head. If they are shot, then it's engine out.... As long as the engine aligns ok and the mounts don't bang with the engine running they 'should' be ok....They usually have a life of about 15-20 years (probably more with a smaller engine like yours)....

Hope this all helps,

Chris................

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

it sure does. This site is awesome. The amount of info on here already, plus the quick usefull responses to questions is awesome.

 

[stevieray]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

Here is a link to the on-line manual:

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/servmanl/6/6covr3.pdf

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

you had me all excited. But that is just the cover page and table of contents, no actual manual from what i can tell. Makes sense since that would have saved me $30, and made someone lose money.

 

[stevieray]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

You have to put the cursor over the topic (on the table of contents page) & click. It's all there - may take a few seconds to load up on your screen - depending on your bandwidth.

 

[crudeau]

Re: can someone identify what drive unit this is...

alrighty I lied. I am excited. That is a beautiful thing.

Thanks