Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

[scipper77]

My outdrive is Alpha I gen 1 Ser. no: 6937374

I am ready to put the lower back on after replacing the water pump but I'm afraid I've messed up the whole keep it in foreword gear aspect of the job.



I think the lower needs the gear selector to be turned clockwise to be in forward (looking down on drive)

The upper is just a loose tube not sure how it connects to the shift cable in the upper.

I don't want to put it all back together only to find out I can't shift and need to take it all back apart.

How can I make sure that the lower and upper are in the correct position to go back together???

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

First, make sure you have the rubber and stainless steel washer on the lower shift shaft before putting the upper on top of the lower, and make sure the quad ring is glued in place.
Then, when you put the upper on, make sure the shift shaft a in the picture below, is facing forward as show when turned clockwise to it's max. Going to neutral and reverse, you must turn the shaft Counter Clockwise. Forward is straight forward.

.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

Is that the back (bow) side of the upper? I haven't seen anything that looks like that but...

If I understand you correctly I need to make sure the shift shaft is in that position and make sure the shift selector in the lower is in foreword (clockwise?) and then I can put the 2 halves together. Right?

 

[AviatorJim]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

I go through this every time I change an impeller ( I do lots of them, 3 of my own, and always helping friends.

Before you put the drive up, watch the little piece while your friend shifts through forward, neutral and reverse, then back to forward. Make sure the piece on the lower unit will twist in the same direction.

If the shift key (bronze part with the stainless washer underneat it) won't turn in the same direction, you need to lift it up, turn it to line up, and put it back down.

The picture that is posted is actually where you slide the complete drive back on to the bellhousing. I think you are talking about reassembling the bottom and top of the drive.

If everything is in forward, you can look down on the bottom half of your dive and turn the shift shaft clockwise, to the right. Just make sure it has gone into gear, and isn't just bumping tooth to tooth.

Good luck

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

The upper is just a loose tube not sure how it connects to the shift cable in the upper.

First of all, there is no cable in the upper, the cable is in the bellhousing, which is part of the gimbal housing assembly

The shift shaft in the lower unit is a splined shaft. Turn it CW while turning the propshaft CCW to insure it's all the way into forward gear.
The upper shift shaft (that item you called a loose tube in the upper) is also splined.
Both need to be in the forward postition when assembled.
When the upper is installed on the lower, the shift shaft turned fully CW while turning the prop shaft CCW, the shift shaft should be pointed forward as shown in my picture.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

thanks guys. I'm pretty sure I can get this done now. The lower shift shaft seems simple enough. The "tube" is just a splined connection to the upper shift shaft. and the upper was in foreword gear when i removed the lower so if it isn't right when I put it back together I
l know where to look.

I think I'm to the point where I need to just put it back and stop wasting time being worried. If I get it wrong It's not that hard to drop the lower again and get it right.

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

This is why it's best to remove the complete drive to do the water pump. I assume your coupler splines are greased regularly and the alignment is ok? No water or gear lube in the bellows.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

There are actually three shift shafts: lower, intermediate and upper. The lower is the short splined shaft in the lower unit (gearcase). the intermediate (in the drawing) is located in the upper (driveshaft housing) and slips on over the lower (resting on a washer that must be in place, and is often lost). The upper is located in the bellhousing and the top of the intermediate fits into a "C" channel on its bottom. It is designed so that when the control handle (at the helm) is all the way forward (WOT) both the "C" channel and the top of the intermediate ss are pointed straight ahead, so when you remove the outdrive the top of the intermediate slides out of the channel. When you split the outdrive it is possible for the gearcase to slip out of forward and screw things up (as you know), so here is what you need to do. Turn the lower all the way clockwise. Turn the prop CCW until it locks and hold it in place with a bungee. Make sure the washer is in place over the lower ss. Put the two halves together with the intermediate ss pointed straight ahead (don't forget the quad ring). When you put the outdrive back on, make sure the control handle is all the way forward and you should be good to go. Sorry to be so long winded.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

"have made sure the selector seats all the way into the upper"

Not quite, when you raise the lower unit up you may have to rotate the drive shaft a bit to line thing up, this is done by turning the prop backwards in fwd gear. when the shafts match the lower goes up a little more.Now line up the upper shoe onto the lower splined shaft. Raise the unit to start the front nut a few threads to hold the unit in place. Start the 2 side nuts and snug down being careful the upper shoe goes into the recess. Install the rest of the nuts.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

This is why it's best to remove the complete drive to do the water pump. I assume your coupler splines are greased regularly and the alignment is ok? No water or gear lube in the bellows.

I thought long and hard about why you felt the need to make this statement (why the sarcasm??) and I think I get it. Changing the water pump is only one part of what I should be doing each year. You are basically helping me to do a job in a way that bypasses other maintenance that I should be doing at the same time. You have a high standard and I can't imagine you want to teach me and everyone else to do something in a way that is sub standard.

My boat, in short has enough problems with it that I'm hoping to learn how to do the water pump, alignment and maybe the bellows so I can take care of the basic maintenance items on the next boat I purchase. Your help here Don is appreciated. I will continue on in my leaning here.

I have already been reading up on how to do the alignment. The thread where you helped out our friend friscoboater align the motor on his glasstron may have been enough that I will be able to do that job without the need to start a thread. Who knows??

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

and I think I get it. Changing the water pump is only one part of what I should be doing each year.

Absolutely, and taking the drive off and putting it back on only adds about 20-30 minutes to the job. You may not have to re-align your engine. You just need to check it. If the alignment goes out, that is because something failed, best to find it out early before it takes out those $300 couplers and makes you pull the engine out to replace it.
Once you get everything fixed on your boat, Keeping up with the maintenance is usually a few hours in the fall for winterizing and a few in the spring for summerizing. Then you know you won't be spending every weekend working on the boat as little things start failing causing larger problems.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Alpha I reassembly querstion after water pump change.

Finally got a chance to put the drive back together today as its been raining all week. Took a few tries to get the halves to want to go together. I was almost finished when I realized the bolt for the trim tab has to go into the lower before the halves go together. So I took the whole thing apart and started over.

All in all that setback was nothing compared to many automotive setbacks I've had like studs snapped off in the heads etc so I'm not complaining about having to do the job twice.

I still need to fill the drive with gear lube and wake the motor up from being winterized. That will have to wait as its family time for the rest of the weekend.