Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

View attachment 178845View attachment 178846View attachment 178847

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ceuwy6rlhgp9hd/2013-01-13 19.45.56.jpg?m
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oojbn4dvolc6zs7/2013-01-13 19.46.13.jpg?m
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ketaxcha73czjxu/2013-01-13 19.46.19.jpg?m

I do have an O-ring that goes just below the splines on the bottom vertical shaft. Its just not put on in the picture. The seal I pulled out from where the vertical splines connect with the top is completely different.

Like I said... that O-ring causes more problems than it solves, so much so that Merc did away with it on later drives. Highly recommended that you don't put it back in during reassembly. It is not needed (the seal you will be replacing does that job).
Also... you'll see over time here that there is no such thing as a "gen I" drive. There is GenII and then a various lot of drive types that came before it. That is why it is so important to get the serial number of the drive to know the exact correct replacement parts to get.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

I am going to try to locate the serial number tommorow morning. thanks

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Hey guys, so i looked around for the serial number on the outdrive but was not able to locate it. The drive has been pained over a few times and the stickers are gone from it. On mercruiserparts.com when i click on the R/MR/ALPHA ONE (Sterndrive) 1983-1990, it only gives one serial range. I went to the local marina and showed them the broken seal they knew exactly which seal it is.


They said the seal could be put in from the bottom of the upper housing but it is a bit of a pain in the rear. I mentioned to them that there might be parts of the seal still stuck up there and they recommended its best to take upper housing apart and make sure everything is cleared out and to replace the other seals in there as well.

https://www.mercruiserparts.com/Sho...br=80&bdesc=DRIVESHAFT+HOUSING+AND+DRIVESHAFT

On the diagram I think its seal number 10. Any good suggestions/tip on doing this job? I will be looking hard at the service manual before hand. Thank you all for any help =)

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Remove the upper housing and flip it upside down. I used a B&D "Workmate" bench to secure it in. Use an appropriate size socket, a little grease, and VERY light tapping to set the seal evenly in place.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

what about the rest of the old seal? Do I need to take anything apart to get the rest of the pieces out? Cause comparing the new to the old one I didn't pull too much of the old one out lol. Plus I know for a fact there is a piece that's stuck in there somewhere. I'm still not to sure where the seal is seated 100%

 

[achris]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

With an 'O' ring groove on the top of the lower drive-shaft, that makes it an MC-1 or an 'R'. The photos aren't easy to look at (over-exposed, poor focus), but one of them looked like the drive-shaft housing has a flat top, that would make it an 'R'....

Putting the new seal in the drive-shaft housing with it still on the boat can be done, but it's not easy. Best take the drive-shaft housing off the bell-housing and work on it upside down on a bench. Use a large screwdriver in through the exhaust opening (of the drive-shaft housing) to pry out the remains of the old seal.

When you put the new seal in, use a bit of master gasket sealer on the outside edge, and put some grease inside the lip before you put the gear-housing back on. Don't bother putting a new 'O' ring in the top groove either. They just get caught on the seal (the one you just put in), hold it open and let water into the very place it is trying to stop water getting into. Plenty of grease on the splines, and make sure the pre-load pin, at the top of the lower drive-shaft, moves freely. Give it a light tap with a hammer to make sure.

Then just lower the drive-shaft housing onto the gear-housing before filling it with oil prior to fitting it back onto the boat.

Chris........

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

what about the rest of the old seal? Do I need to take anything apart to get the rest of the pieces out? Cause comparing the new to the old one I didn't pull too much of the old one out lol. Plus I know for a fact there is a piece that's stuck in there somewhere. I'm still not to sure where the seal is seated 100%

Once you get the upper off the boat, and inverted for maintenance (old seal carriage removal as described above), you can use a mirror, vacuum, dental piks, etc to remove any other pieces you may find. Remember, there is another seal above the one you found damaged that is between you and the oil cavity/gears in the upper. Any remnants of the bottom seal would be trapped in there (or in the splines area) until you remove them and give it a good cleaning and lube before seating the new seal carriage. And take heed to the advice about leaving the O-ring off of the vertical shaft. You'll be glad you did. That O-ring may have contributed to problem you found with the seal in the first place. Good luck!

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Thank you guys for the responses.. I will keep you guys updated on how it goes! Hopefully sunday I will be able to take her out on the lake!

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

That's one of the easier seals to remove and replace. You can access it pretty easily through the exhaust area. Here's a pic of when I did mine:

The old one was completely disintegrated! Here's a comparison of the old one I removed with the new one. (The size difference is an optical illusion).

 

[ziggy]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

yep, agree with others. take the upper off to deal with that seal. another thing i've found ya can do. 'if', ya got seal wear on the lower drive shaft. ya can drop that new seal off deeper into the drive. this gives ya a new surface on the lower drive shaft for the new seal to ride on. as opposed to the seal wear point, if ya got that. seal wear can become a replacement item for the lower drive shaft. with upper off, this seal is easy to deal with imho.
my seal is riding just above (seal just below flush with the mounting boss in the upper) the seal wear on my lower drive shat. after 6 years. i can see where i dropped it off at. the newer surface is shined up. the seal wear from the many years of use is lightly grooved.

ditto on leaving the o ring off too. i haven't had one installed for 6 years or so now. no ramifications.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Thanks guys, I just pulled upper housing off and will be tinkering with it this week. I had no work bench at my girlfriends house so I spent all day yesterday building one instead of working on the boat. Im sure it will help me out in the long run since there will be lots of work to be done on this boat or my car in that matter sooner or later lol.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/q26jm1diu6sbzob/2013-01-20%2015.18.54.jpg?m

Here are some pics of the upper housing. I inspected the bellows they dont seem to be ripped from a quick glance. There was lots of grease in there though. The spline on the gear seem to look good too. I will update you guys on the seal replacement. Anything else I should change out since i got this thing off? Thanks for any help!

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

I spent all day yesterday building one instead of working on the boat.

Good move...
For most people, you never realize how nice a sturdy workbench is until you really need it to be, well, STURDY. Along with a good vice and good lighting you don't miss them until you don't have them.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing


Just missing the vice, light bulbs, and ALOT of tools lol, I had a much better collection when i lived in connecticut. Gotta build up from scratch again.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Sorry to chime in at such a late date, but I just noticed the thread. The seal will have a metal outer shell and I haven't found any way to get those smaller seals out without removing the shaft. To get the vertical shaft out, you have to remove the input shaft. The input shaft is retained by a large nut that requires a special wrench that's worth about $125.00. I tride a couple of different aproaches before I aquired the tool and distorted the nut every time.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Hope we don't confuse the OP any here...His situation is very similar (if not exactly) like Fishermark's in post #29. Should have no issues getting the seal carrier ( remains of the bad seal) out as described in that post.
Nice workbench, btw...is it scratch built, or from a kit? I gotta build one that nice!

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Hope we don't confuse the OP any here...His situation is very similar (if not exactly) like Fishermark's in post #29. Should have no issues getting the seal carrier ( remains of the bad seal) out as described in that post.
Nice workbench, btw...is it scratch built, or from a kit? I gotta build one that nice!

Thank you! I found plans online and build it from scratch here is the link

Yea Wrench3, ended up confusing me just a bit with the expensive tool and everything lol. Im going to get the o-ring for the water passage that goes into the gimball i think? and the big o-ring that goars around at the end where the shaft that goes into the bellows, then im going to attempt to get the old seal out. I tryed a lil bit but that sucker is stuck in there! I think i gotta get some bigger screw drivers to pry it out.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Hey guys just wanted to let you know that I managed to get the old seal out =) I went to sears to get some tools and I wanted to see if they had a seal remover, which they did for 7 bucks. Had no issues removing the old seal with it. The tool is kind of big so had to manuever it in a little bit going from the top.. Here are some pics..

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ibuc564cnd9191i/2013-01-21%2019.47.54.jpg?m

https://www.dropbox.com/s/une1z7i1b8f0sz6/2013-01-21%2019.47.59.jpg?m

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t49p2htv30huqto/2013-01-21%2019.48.09.jpg?m


I'm not going to put the new seal in yet. I decided to repaint the drive so that project will have to wait till the weekend, until then I will try to scrape off the old paint and get it all prepped. Thank you for everyone who helped on on this tiny (big for me) project! First repair I've done on this boat solo.

 

[kaspern83]

Re: Issue attaching alpha one bottom housing to top housing

Hi all, just wanted to update everyone with the work since all of you guys were so helpful =) Ive completely stripped the paint off the old drive, repainted it with zinc chromate primer then painted it with outdrive phantom black paint. I have replaced the seal that I had issue with origionally when I started this thread and I am ready to put the drive back together and back on the boat (after I do a pressure test and all works out) Here are some pics.