Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

[Gearhead62]

Have an '87 Merc 5.7 w/ Alpha One.....Small weep hole (cavity) on lower unit is blocked. I tried to snake it out with paper clip, wire, etc. - No luck. Got a lite on it and it looks like its just a recess that is metal and has no access to cavity - blocked.

During some shifting maintenance a few years back, mechanic said lower and upper unit paint didn't match, possibly aftermarket lower unit added by PO. Has been working fine since '08, still works fine, but on "summerize" inspection today there is no water coming out w/ muffs. Did some aftermarket units have non-functional passage, just a recess / hole with no function. I tried a punch (softly) even and it appears I am hitting metal 1/8" deep?

Anyone seen this? Safe to drill out? What's risk? Whats behind it?

GH

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

Have an '87 Merc 5.7 w/ Alpha One.....Small weep hole (cavity) on lower unit is blocked. I tried to snake it out with paper clip, wire, etc. - No luck. Got a lite on it and it looks like its just a recess that is metal and has no access to cavity - blocked.

During some shifting maintenance a few years back, mechanic said lower and upper unit paint didn't match, possibly aftermarket lower unit added by PO. Has been working fine since '08, still works fine, but on "summerize" inspection today there is no water coming out w/ muffs. Did some aftermarket units have non-functional passage, just a recess / hole with no function. I tried a punch (softly) even and it appears I am hitting metal 1/8" deep?

Anyone seen this? Safe to drill out? What's risk? Whats behind it?

GH

Ayuh,... Don't drill it out, as We have No idea of exactly where yer talkin' 'bout....

Got a Picture,..??

Pull the lower unit off, 'n LOOK behind where yer talkin'....

 

[ziggy]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

assuming yer talking about the pee hole. where it's peein out my drive in the pic.

if so. my luck has been not able to drill out. it's likely packed with crud all the way to level with the lower shift shaft top.
i cleaned mine out while doing impeller R&R. took a screw driver and effort to break through it all. the cavity is all the way to the bottom where the hole is at. the hole is perpendicular to the drive and drilled straight into the cavity. i used a modified vacuum to remove the crude as i worked my way down the cavity. when ya get all the crud out. then your paper clip will be able to poke on through.
that's my take.

the cavity in ft. of the shift shaft is void all the way down to the pee hole.

these are pics of a '75 mc-1 drive. your alpha1 drive should be similar.

 

[Failproof]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

Air pressure, maybe penetrating oil. Thats what i would use first.

 

[Gearhead62]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

All

Thanks for the replies....

Yes - its the pee hole (Weep hole) all the way down at bottom of Alpha 1 drive, starboard, towards bow....We're all talking about the same thing.

Short of disassembly, removal, I will attempt compressed air, some oil. Must be packed as my punch seemed to hit metal (old filings, piece of gear? - won't budge).......I dont think I've ever seen it opened up, peeing, w/ muffs, since I've had it ('07) - not good as its stored in freezing temps here, off season. Drive is stored all the way down, but that doesn't clear the cavity from what I can see.

If its advisable, and I were to drill (straight in?), what is my max bit depth before I'm in trouble, or hit something critical - 1/2"?

Thanks......

 

[Turn-n-Burn]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

There's nothing critical in that area except the other side. Maybe a 1/2' space at most. But who knows how far up it is plugged from corrosion/minerals is anyone's guess. Sounds like you are due for an impeller change soon anyways?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

since I've had it ('07) -

There's nothing critical in that area except the other side. Maybe a 1/2' space at most. But who knows how far up it is plugged from corrosion/minerals is anyone's guess. Sounds like you are due for an impeller change soon anyways?

Ayuh,.... I'm guessin' it's 5 years old,.... bellows are gettin' old, 'n the u-joints, no doubt need greasin'...

Gearhead,... ya gotta get over yer fear of droppin' the lower unit, 'n the whole outdrive for that matter,...

You've got alota things that should be serviced, 'n inspected, Annually...

 

[Gearhead62]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

Yeah, you're probably right Bond-o, I haven't manned up to do deeper work on this rig. I've been jobbing it out (Marina) and getting tired of paying ridiculous labor rates + parts for routine maint.

It did get new gimbel, bellows, in '08, gets a new impeller every year + lube and alignment, got a new u-joint in 09, gets good winterizing by marina shop, but I'm off the big lake (Mich) now, cruising local inland lakes and need to do more myself. I would have thought Marina would have noticed the clog when changing impeller.

Since my first post, I went and checked it again, saw a small surface trace of oil, small water drops below drive.....blew in some air and it has stopped. Time to find time and drop this thing - No big deal huh?

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

On my 86 Alpha 1 I had that same void full of crap. Water barely dripped out of the weep hole. When I had the drive split in half for an impeller change I vacuumed that void with a small hose. If I had to do it again I would have someone help me and hold the bottom half of the lower unit upside down and carefully blast a garden hose up into the void. Maybe with a little help from a wire. NO drilln' Sounds like you have a few more items to attend to tho....

 

[Gearhead62]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

Thaks again to all for pictures, advice and positive feedback

I think I have most of this cavity / hole cleaned out - I'll get around to cracking the drive when I find time to take it on....

For future flushing after sand and dirty lakes, will pee hole discharge come from "muffs only" or does that pump / impeller need to be spinning?

Thanks again
GH62

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

It's not a "pee hole" in the sense that it shows whether your pump is working or not. I know Ziggy's picture shows water "peeing" out with the engine running, but that is not the norm. It is simply a drain for that particular cavity. Has nothing to do with your pump, nor it is an indication of whether the pump is working.

 

[Gearhead62]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

OK, that helps....So its basically a gravity fed cavity drain, not under any pressure, unlike an outboard

Should hose pressure and muffs, (without engine / impeller running) send any pressure to that hole, for flushing purposes?

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

Should hose pressure and muffs, (without engine / impeller running) send any pressure to that hole, for flushing purposes?

Nope.

 

[Dieter]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

does an alpha 1 gen 2 have that hole?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Alpha One Lower Unit Weep Hole Blocked - Drill Out?

The hole is there to drain water so that it doesn't get in that cavity and freeze/crack the drive. I used a wire hanger and an aircompressor to work the crud out of mine. Some water fed through the top to help stir/flush the debris can help too.