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    4.3 crankshaft/housing oil leak - next steps?

    My motor is at my buddy's shop. he's got the tools to do this, I just don't know if others have replaced theirs with a non-mercruiser or non-marine seal. have you done this yourself for a marine engine? also, the cover is plastic. Would I be able to seat a new seal on a plastic cover, or...
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    4.3 crankshaft/housing oil leak - next steps?

    According to the Mercruiser Manual #25, there is a procedure and tool for replacing the seal without removing the cover "Oil Seal Replacement (Without Removing Front Cover)", however, the seal is not available without the cover. To replace the cover, you have to remove the pan. Has anyone...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Was suggested to protect the transom opening with fiberglass and silicone the stud holes... to minimize chance of rot with any future leak. tested with moisture meter and appears consistent near and far from opening. Picked up supplies yesterday and will hit it this weekend. All seals...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Anyone have experience removing studs from the transom bracket? These are factory installed > 25 years ago. I don't want to risk breaking the housing, if not critically necessary. to be clear, there does not appear to the a stud integrity issue (especially when the torque is only 23ft/lb), and...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    nope. Wood is fine. Had it checked out. its dry and solid. Shop agreed that a new seal is *by far* the right approach.
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Happy to report that they agreed with my assessment. Transom appears dry and solid. I will do a torque test with some plywood and bolts to make sure the torque holds, but a transom rebuild is not warranted. thanks to all who contributed! Couple questions: 1) I broke off the continuity...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Big UPDATE: It's out. It's all out. The power steering and the transom assembly have been removed. the CULPRIT: The exterior gimble housing seal was toast. that's clearly where the leak came in. The rubber was brittle, broken and flat against the transom assembly. effectively, ZERO...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    no. Not much ;) It’s out
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    I was considering that. it’s sitting in my cart among with a few other last minute parts (composit bell housing washers, water tube bushing). i pulled the connector and E-ring off the inside, but the fitting was not pushing through easily. does it need persuasion, or twist out?
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    drilled 7 holes around sides and under bracket. all within 1/4” of bracket. Up 2” above where water sat in cavity.. Shavings are clean. no sign of rot. I scraped the surface inside the cavity and the wet material is < 1mm. clean and hard underneath. my instinct is to loosen the transom...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Update: I pulled the engine, reinstalled the drive and submerged my boat at the ramp. As before, the water accumulated in the trim hose cavity at the bottom of the transom bracket. I found that the lower transom nuts were not-tight and movable. I pulled the boat out and could observe water...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    well, I guess I find that out soon enough. Not sure if you saw the part about striking the drive in the driveway when reversing. Perhaps that jarred it enough, but the salt water intrusion for the season may have caused its own damage.
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    It's an open design with no cowling around the engine itself. I can remove the rear seat for full access, and the transom wall is fully accessible. The breach area is in the center/lower section of the block, below the Y-pipe, and slightly above the bilge. I had to get an endoscope to find...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    I cannot reach a drill to that location. If it is rot, the engine has to come out anyway, right? And with the engine out, I can pinpoint where to drill. Wouldn't I want to inspect the mount with clear visibility before compromising the transom?
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    I pulled it down. the gasket is unmarred - clean solid surface around the entire perimeter. I ordered and will replace, however this does not appear to be the breach. however, the hydraulic fittings inside were covered with salt. clearly, salt water was accumulating inside of that cavity...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    Fair question. no. it appeared very well sealed. the gasket was in tact, no signs of cracks or deterioration, no signs of moisture, and the hydraulic fluid is free of water. In short, i didn’t see any way that the manifold cover could be allowing the flow that i witnessed on the interior...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    I plugged the Y pipe relief holes, removed a riser, then filled the Y-pipe with water from a hose. Water held at about 3" below the flapper, well above the leak location, for 10-15 minutes (with hose running and with water draining from the raised drive). No water accumulated inside the boat...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. They are sacrificial. I can reach under the YPipe and stick a thumb in the hole of the transom inside of the transom assembly, where the hydraulic lines go in, and I can feel the water when it accumulates in there. I tried to use a borescope to...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    i have all the cathode pieces installed on the out drive, trim cylinders, etc. I just dont see the electrical manifold or wires. Curious if there is a non-electrical installation and an electrical one. i will replace manifold gasket. I don't think I could do much more to evaluate the...
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    Alpha 1 Gen 2 - leak & transom service questions

    I’m not seeing any obvious sign of gasket leak. I also don't see a mercathode wire on the inside near the trim hoses, or a mercathode junction box anywhere in my electrical path. Do mercathode components always require electricity?
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