Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

[seamerc]

I have a project 1987 Seaswirl with a 4.3l V6 and alpha one gen 1 outdrive. Motor is running fine and outdrive shifts fine. However, when it's in forward gear and you rotate the prop it is making a clicking noise like it is still connected to the shift shaft in the upper housing. It just gets worse with motor running and in forward gear. After shifting is the shift shaft suppposed to let loose? All input is welcomed before I start pulling things apart.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

Everything is connected to the upper. The shifting takes place in the lower along the prop shaft. Clicking or ratcheting is normal if you spin the prop forward in forward gear.

However if it is making noise under way that is not normal. You might have a bad Gimbal bearing or bad U-joints. Are you sure the noise is coming from the lower or being transmitted there form somewhere else?

 

[seamerc]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

I am pretty sure it is coming from the lower. It seems to be transmitting along the whole lower and upper shift shaft to where it slides onto the shift cable assembly.

The guy I bought it from says he rebuilt it by himself. When it's done by someone else I'm skeptical that it is done right. Everything seems to work fine except for the dang clicking noise that gets louder as you have it in gear during throttle.

Oh and my Eaton trim motor is just clicking when you hit the trim buttons. Any ideas?

I want this thing in the water already...

 

[cannonford57]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

as far as the trim it could be the solenoids or the motor itself....jump across the solenoid itself ,the 2 big terminals and if it works then its the solenoids....hope it helps

 

[cannonford57]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

in forward and the motor not running the prop is supposed to ratchet in 1 direction....put it in reverse and it will lock both ways.....as for it doing it while running it may be a cable adjustment or the gears shot.....

 

[jtybt]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

This has me a little stumped. If you had a problem with shifting, you could find a cause, but you shouldn't have a problem if it shifts fine.

The prop is supposed to 'ratchet'(turned by hand) in the direction of rotation it's in.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

in forward and the motor not running the prop is supposed to ratchet in 1 direction....put it in reverse and it will lock both ways...

Just so that no one is confused - the prop will ratchet in one direction whether in forward OR reverse. It doesn't lock both ways in reverse, it simply ratchets the other direction.

 

[seamerc]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

Ok...so the clicking/ ratcheting noise in forward gear when you turn the prop is normal. This makes me feel a lot better. Now I just have to find out why it is so loud in throttle with the water muffs on. Other threads are saying that out of the water it will be louder and will go away in th water under load? I'm thinking it will get louder under load.

Trim pump--tried bypassing the solenoids. It still has power, but all it does is still click. So the motor may be froze...ugh...got one on eBay for $75. Hope it works fine.

Any other thing I should know or try?

Thanks all for the advice.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

You should have no clicking noise when running and in gear.

With the engine off and shifter in neutral the prop should spin freely in both directions without any clicking noise. If it clicks, you need to adjust the upper shift cable.

With the engine off and shifter in forward the prop should lock counterclockwise, and click/ratchet clockwise.

With the engine off and shifter in reverse the prop should lock clockwise, and click/ratchet counterclockwise.

If the above is true, then get a mechanic's stethoscope and pinpoint the source of the noise. otherwise everyone is just shooting in the dark.

 

[bomar76]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

The guy I bought it from says he rebuilt it by himself.

The odds of that guy having the special tools that are required and the knowledge needed to rebuild a drive are near zero.

I would not trust that drive 100 feet.

I would not waste a dime or ten minutes of my time on that drive,a new SEI that hasn't been destroyed by a hack is the way to go.

 

[seamerc]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

jtmarten-

yes, it does what you wrote. I'm thinking about putting it in water to see what happens.

 

[bomar76]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

I would stay within swimming/rowing distance of the dock.

 

[seamerc]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

So I worked on it all day...pulled the outdrive back out, checked everything carefully, re-installed and now it's fine...no clicking noise in gear and throttle...go figure? Bad thing is now I have a minor water leak. It seems to be coming from right below the gimbal housing and trickling down the transom. Looked everywhere and can not find the source. What's up with that??? you fix one thing and another goes wrong...

 

[starsnstripers]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

When you reinstalled the drive did you use a new gasket? If that clicking noise was intermittent and shows up again take a screwdriver and put it against the Y-pipe and put the handle to your ear to see if it's the exhaust flappers. When they wear they start clacking.

 

[jtybt]

Re: Alpha one gen 1 clicking noise...HELP!

Yeah, could be flappers.

You're really not making a lot of sense trying to describe what's going on. It's just confusing.

Water leaking in the boat from the transom may be coming from a weep hole on the lower starboard side of the transom assembly. That usually indicates a leaking drive bellows. It could also be leaking from the shift bellows.

These are all things that have to be fixed or they will cause you great headaches in the near future.$$$$$$$