fluid leak

[stratcat88]

back again. god save Iboats! the mech. i hired to install my nitemare, i mean engine installed a water cooled system and the water pickup is through the hull. he blocked off the pipe from the stern drive through the transom with a big bolt.about the only thing my engine does right is cooling. the problem is their is green fluid coming out of the starboard side water inlet on the lower unit. im thinking that caused the leak. if so, can i plumb that hose into the seawater pickup pump hose before the power steering cooler? thanks again tim. oh sorry, 1980ish 350 mercruiser with alpha one drive. no #s

 

[Bondo]

Re: fluid leak

back again. god save Iboats! the mech. i hired to install my nitemare, i mean engine installed a water cooled system and the water pickup is through the hull. he blocked off the pipe from the stern drive through the transom with a big bolt.about the only thing my engine does right is cooling. the problem is their is green fluid coming out of the starboard side water inlet on the lower unit. im thinking that caused the leak. if so, can i plumb that hose into the seawater pickup pump hose before the power steering cooler? thanks again tim. oh sorry, 1980ish 350 mercruiser with alpha one drive. no #s

Ayuh,..... Ya got a closed coolin' system, 'n the raw water pump pulls from a thru-hull fittin', Right,..??

The guy used a bolt as a stopper, did he also cut the water hose in the gimbal housin' to let that water dump outside the hull,..??

Seein' antifreeze, where yer seein' it, I'd think yer manifolds are failin', at the block off plate, IF the manifolds are included in yer system,...
If not,....
Maybe a head gasket is failin',...

The exhaust gases, 'n exhausted water flows down through the inner cavity of the outdrive,....
That's the Only way, I can see antifreeze gettin' where yer seein' it,... from the exhaust,...

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

Ayuh,..... Ya got a closed coolin' system, 'n the raw water pump pulls from a thru-hull fittin', Right,..??

The guy used a bolt as a stopper, did he also cut the water hose in the gimbal housin' to let that water dump outside the hull,..??

Seein' antifreeze, where yer seein' it, I'd think yer manifolds are failin', at the block off plate, IF the manifolds are included in yer system,...
If not,....
Maybe a head gasket is failin',...

The exhaust gases, 'n exhausted water flows down through the inner cavity of the outdrive,....
That's the Only way, I can see antifreeze gettin' where yer seein' it,... from the exhaust,...

its not antifreeze bond, its more like oil. and i dont know if he cut the hose or not. i,ll go look. i moved the drive to the right and the hose looks like its still in tack.unless he did it up in the drive some where

 

[thumpar]

Re: fluid leak

Check your gear lube.

 

[Bondo]

Re: fluid leak

its not antifreeze bond, its more like oil. and i dont know if he cut the hose or not. i,ll go look. i moved the drive to the right and the hose looks like its still in tack.unless he did it up in the drive some where

Ayuh,... If it's Oil, the drive needs to be drained, pulled, 'n pressure tested to see which seal is leakin',...
Some drive oils are green,...

The water hose is only a foot long, 'n it needs to be cut so's the alpha water pump can pump,...

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

Ayuh,... If it's Oil, the drive needs to be drained, pulled, 'n pressure tested to see which seal is leakin',...
Some drive oils are green,...

The water hose is only a foot long, 'n it needs to be cut so's the alpha water pump can pump,...

if it wasnt cut, could that have ruined the seals?

 

[Bondo]

Re: fluid leak

if it wasnt cut, could that have ruined the seals?

Ayuh,.... Probably not,.. but We don't know which seal is leakin',...

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

Ayuh,.... Probably not,.. but We don't know which seal is leakin',...

went and got the seal kit.70 bucks? i hope he,the mech. took out the impeller but i don't think he did. from one of achris post from he said from where its leaking, its those pump housing seals. leaking out intake on lower unit. got book, and boats will travel.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: fluid leak

Removing the Impeller may not be a good idea. :grumpy:

The water flow in the Alpha goes up to a water jacket that cools the upper gears and bearings in the drive.
From there it it heads forward to the engine.
Without any water being pumped, the upper drive will lose its cooling and may overheat.
The upper cooling is marginal enough to begin with, that aftermarket Drive Showers are marketed to supplement the cooling.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

Removing the Impeller may not be a good idea. :grumpy:

The water flow in the Alpha goes up to a water jacket that cools the upper gears and bearings in the drive.
From there it it heads forward to the engine.
Without any water being pumped, the upper drive will lose its cooling and may overheat.
The upper cooling is marginal enough to begin with, that aftermarket Drive Showers are marketed to supplement the cooling.

just pulled off lower unit. and their is a impeller in there all chewed up.i was told by a few mechs. that having the closed water system, it dont need the stern drive impeller. that the drive in the water was enough to cool down drive, being aluminum. the hose from the drive doesnt seem to be cut, just plugged off. could that heve ruined that impeller and caused the gear fluid to be leaking out? thanks for your help.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: fluid leak

just pulled off lower unit. and their is a impeller in there all chewed up.i was told by a few mechs. that having the closed water system, it doesn't need the stern drive impeller. that the drive in the water was enough to cool down drive, being aluminum. the hose from the drive doesn't seem to be cut, just plugged off. could that have ruined that impeller and caused the gear fluid to be leaking out? thanks for your help.

With the Water line plugged there was no water actually flowing so the impeller burned up.
The water will cool the drive just fine as long as the drive remains underwater.
As soon as you get up on plane, everything above the AV plate will no longer be in the water and other than splash and air cooling, the internal water cooling will be the only thing really removing the heat.

I know my drive always collects white mineral deposits from evaporated lake water on the upper drive.
You have an early Alpha without the overflow bottle like on the Gen2's. Merc add it for a reason.
When your drive gets really hot, the pressure inside has nowhere to go and may be blowing out the seals.

If you want to remove the impeller and plug the lines, that is now an informed choice you can make.
When redesigning the cooling system of a boat, the little details are what will get you in the end.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

With the Water line plugged there was no water actually flowing so the impeller burned up.
The water will cool the drive just fine as long as the drive remains underwater.
As soon as you get up on plane, everything above the AV plate will no longer be in the water and other than splash and air cooling, the internal water cooling will be the only thing really removing the heat.

I know my drive always collects white mineral deposits from evaporated lake water on the upper drive.
You have an early Alpha without the overflow bottle like on the Gen2's. Merc add it for a reason.
When your drive gets really hot, the pressure inside has nowhere to go and may be blowing out the seals.

If you want to remove the impeller and plug the lines, that is now an informed a choice you can make.
When redesigning the cooling system of a boat, the little details are what will get you in the end.

70 dollar kit going back. 115 dollar kit goin in. thanks a lot unc.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

lookin maybe at a new drive. sei has the after market, but there are no numbers anywhere on my old one. i,m guessing its a 1.50 but i see numbers like 1.47and 1.61. its a 350ci mercruiser. can i use one of these sizes? im in the middle of trying to replace the pump housing seals and i dont think i can get that base off. thanks

 

[thumpar]

Re: fluid leak

For a 350 you would normally use a 1.47 unless it is a really big heavy boat.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: fluid leak

looking maybe at a new drive. SEI has the after market, but there are no numbers anywhere on my old one. i,m guessing its a 1.50 but i see numbers like 1.47and 1.61. its a 350ci mercruiser. can i use one of these sizes? I'm in the middle of trying to replace the pump housing seals and i don't think i can get that base off. thanks

If you have the drive off the boat, put it in gear and rotate the prop by hand 10 turns.
If the input drive shaft turns a little under 15 turns, it is a 14.7. A little more than 16 turns, A 1.61.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

For a 350 you would normally use a 1.47 unless it is a really big heavy boat.

its a 25ft criscraft, about 5500 pounds with a 350 mercruiser. heavy boat.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

If you have the drive off the boat, put it in gear and rotate the prop by hand 10 turns.
If the input drive shaft turns a little under 15 turns, it is a 14.7. A little more than 16 turns, A 1.61.

i have just the lower unit off.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: fluid leak

i have just the lower unit off.

Unfortunately the gear ratio varies in the Upper Unit of the Alpha, The Gen 2 varies Upper and Lower.

FYI from the manual....

Drive Unit Gear Ratio Identification
All drive unit gear ratios are identified on each drive in two places. It is important to note the ratio of the drive unit before preceding with any repairs. The first place to look is on the decal on the port side of the drive shaft housing. It will have a number such as (1.50R) and then the serial number. The second place to look will be on the universal joint splined yoke. It will be identified with a letter such as (F). This method is explained in the following chart.

ALPHA
A - 2.0:1
B - 1.98:1
C - 1.62:1, 1.65:1
D - 1.81:1, 1.84:1
F - 1.47:1, 1.50:1
H - 1.32:1
K - 2.40:1
M - 1.50:1 MAGNUM

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

Removing the Impeller may not be a good idea. :grumpy:

The water flow in the Alpha goes up to a water jacket that cools the upper gears and bearings in the drive.
From there it it heads forward to the engine.
Without any water being pumped, the upper drive will lose its cooling and may overheat.
The upper cooling is marginal enough to begin with, that aftermarket Drive Showers are marketed to supplement the cooling.

drive shower cool idea. never seen one.

 

[stratcat88]

Re: fluid leak

well i sprayed the hell out of the pump base and it slid right off, with the 2 screw driver method. hopin its those back to back seals that are bad.splines look ok.if this dont work its off to dania flea market this sat. thanks i boats! tim