Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one Gen II engine coupler

[ricohman]

I don't know why I'm focused on this. Maybe because the operating manual states 50 hours or 2 months? I plan on trolling with my new boat and until I get a kicker it will be running slow after the break in.
Is this something that can wait until our 3 month season is over?
I have read that I have to pull the leg to access the grease fittings? I am trying to find a repair manual BTW.
The engine/drive has zero hrs as of today and it will probably have 40 or so at the end of the season.

 

[Don S]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Unless you have an Alpha I Gen II, there are no grease fittings on the coupler and yes you have to pull the drive to grease the splines.

Can it wait, ....... That is your coin to flip, not ours.

You should be able to pull that drive, grease the splines and have it back together in half an hour at most. It will take a gasket set (6-9 bux). Couplers are expensive and you pull the engine to replace. Your choice.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Unless you have an Alpha I Gen II, there are no grease fittings on the coupler and yes you have to pull the drive to grease the splines.

Can it wait, ....... That is your coin to flip, not ours.

You should be able to pull that drive, grease the splines and have it back together in half an hour at most. It will take a gasket set (6-9 bux). Couplers are expensive and you pull the engine to replace. Your choice.

Not sure about the gen II. The boat is a 2011 though.
I'm an auto mechanic, and as you can tell I'm learning about boats. I'l take your advice and at the end of the season I will pull the drive and grease it. I take it that I am removing the entire drive from the transom. Not just the leg?

Edit:
I guess I do have a gen II. So, no grease fittings? I guess the shaft will be pulled anyway so grease can be applied. Do the grease nipples on the coupler supply lubrication for carrier bearings in the coupler as well?

 

[Don S]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

If you have a 2011 boat, it's a Gen II and you do have a grease fitting in the coupler. Don't you have the owners manuals for the engine and drive? They show all that information.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Yes I do have these manuals. But they show little information. There is a picture of a coupler but no description on how to access the fitting to get the grease in.
The manual I have states the coupler and u-joints are sealed, but the coupler and splines can be lubricated without removal of the unit. Which makes no sense.
I am hunting for a service manual for the engine and the drive. I was surprised there was nothing for the 4.3 on ebay.

 

[Don S]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Yes I do have these manuals. But they show little information. There is a picture of a coupler but no description on how to access the fitting to get the grease in.

You have to turn the engine to get the grease zirks to where you can access them. Merc has no way of knowing how or if you can access the zirks. You just have to look. There is usually 2 on opposite sides of the tube out the back of the coupler.

The manual I have states the coupler and u-joints are sealed, but the coupler and splines can be lubricated without removal of the unit. Which makes no sense.

Look at your manual again, I would bet it says the gimbal bearing and ujoints are sealed, but the coupler and ................ etc.

I am hunting for a service manual for the engine and the drive. I was surprised there was nothing for the 4.3 on ebay.

Being that new, there are no freebies on manuals .............. yet. Dealer items at this point.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Yes I do have these manuals. But they show little information. There is a picture of a coupler but no description on how to access the fitting to get the grease in.
The manual I have states the coupler and u-joints are sealed, but the coupler and splines can be lubricated without removal of the unit. Which makes no sense.
I am hunting for a service manual for the engine and the drive. I was surprised there was nothing for the 4.3 on ebay.

Ayuh,.... Ya crawl way back in there, 'n reach down in around everything, 'n you'll feel the zerk on the coupler collar, where the driveshaft slips in......


Btw,... Trollin',... you'll want to grease it abit More often,...

The constant loading, 'n unloadin' is 'ell on couplers...

 

[ricohman]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

You have to turn the engine to get the grease zirks to where you can access them. Merc has no way of knowing how or if you can access the zirks. You just have to look. There is usually 2 on opposite sides of the tube out the back of the coupler.


Look at your manual again, I would bet it says the gimbal bearing and ujoints are sealed, but the coupler and ................ etc.

Being that new, there are no freebies on manuals .............. yet. Dealer items at this point.

The manual states "sealed engine coupler and perm-a-lube u-joints". Then goes on to say the sealed coupler and splines can be lubed without removing the sterndrive unit.
Hmmm. Maybe removing the bellhousing and gimbal housing is the only way?

 

[ricohman]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Ayuh,.... Ya crawl way back in there, 'n reach down in around everything, 'n you'll feel the zerk on the coupler collar, where the driveshaft slips in......


Btw,... Trollin',... you'll want to grease it abit More often,...

The constant loading, 'n unloadin' is 'ell on couplers...

Are you suggesting I access these from inside the boat? That may be possible. I have a skinny 17 year old who would be great at this task. The 4.3 is wide though.
And you are correct about trolling. The manual states to apply grease more often if trolling frequently.

 

[Don S]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Welcome to the wonderful world of Typo's. You can't get to the coupler even if you pull the drive. You might look through the gimbal bearing and see it, and you might put some grease on the splines of the shaft when you put the drive back on, but you can not access the grease zirks on the coupler from outside the boat by removing the drive.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Re: Lubricating 4.3 Alpha one engine coupler

Welcome to the wonderful world of Typo's. You can't get to the coupler even if you pull the drive. You might look through the gimbal bearing and see it, and you might put some grease on the splines of the shaft when you put the drive back on, but you can not access the grease zirks on the coupler from outside the boat by removing the drive.

Typo's.....
No good when you are learning. I will reach waay inside there tonight.
Maybe I will put 5 gallons of fresh gas in and install that bag of blue plugs hanging on the front of the engine so I can fire this thing up.