trouble getting reverse.

04fxdwgi25

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
539
Just realized you have an Alpha drive. DO NOT run engine when boat is out of water and the drive attached, using this flush adapter. If drive is attached, you MUST have water running thru the drive (in water or on muffs) when engine is running or you will burn up the raw water pump that is in the lower leg of the drive.
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
Just realized you have an Alpha drive. DO NOT run engine when boat is out of water and the drive attached, using this flush adapter. If drive is attached, you MUST have water running thru the drive (in water or on muffs) when engine is running or you will burn up the raw water pump that is in the lower leg of the drive.
ty i put bottom end in barrel when running off valve that should be good i think; put new impeller in bottom end while i was here, bellows done shift cable removed jacket back up to mount but seems like i put turn on and it springs back going to try and get somebody to turn from inside with me, is there any other tricks anybody may know to turn whole unit
 

dubs283

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
5,322
any other tricks anybody may know to turn whole unit

When I do a full bellows job on an alpha style transom assy I attach everything save for the exhaust bellows on the bell housing prior to installing the housing in place

U joint bellows, water passage hose, gear lube line (gen 2 only) and the shift cable. The shift cable is much easier to thread into the bell housing before the housing is installed

In your case with the housing in place you'll need to have someone rotate the cable inside the boat while you thread it in place. Otherwise you can keep the engine end of the cable outside the boat while you thread it in but getting the end of the cable through the transom assy risks severe bend and possible damage/premature wear
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
When I do a full bellows job on an alpha style transom assy I attach everything save for the exhaust bellows on the bell housing prior to installing the housing in place

U joint bellows, water passage hose, gear lube line (gen 2 only) and the shift cable. The shift cable is much easier to thread into the bell housing before the housing is installed

In your case with the housing in place you'll need to have someone rotate the cable inside the boat while you thread it in place. Otherwise you can keep the engine end of the cable outside the boat while you thread it in but getting the end of the cable through the transom assy risks severe bend and possible damage/premature wear
checking the pic in stickies for direction of cable previous owner had big bend as soon as it came in boat going to try and reroute hopefully may make turning easier ty for your time
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
ty i put bottom end in barrel when running off valve that should be good i think; put new impeller in bottom end while i was here, bellows done shift cable removed jacket back up to mount but seems like i put turn on and it springs back going to try and get somebody to turn from inside with me, is there any other tricks anybody may know to turn whole unit
curious if i have closed system how does water fr bottom end go tru
 

dubs283

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
5,322
checking the pic in stickies for direction of cable previous owner had big bend as soon as it came in boat going to try and reroute hopefully may make turning easier ty for your time

The cable routing through the transom assy up to the shift plate is specific. It needs to be routed correctly. If not properly routed it can be destroyed rather quickly from the coupler wearing on it or if bent too sharply it can fail prematurely
 

dubs283

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
5,322
curious if i have closed system how does water fr bottom end go tru

Pretty sure this was covered earlier in the thread

The sea water pump in the drive (your defintion: bottom end) does not "go through" anywhere. The water passage hose in the transom assy has been cut off so the water from the pump simply dumps right back into the water outside the boat
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
ty for that, i have a hole in the side of gimbel bearing but can not get grease into it i checked it seems like it is sealed inside reading saying new ones are sealed just want to make sure before i put it in any help is appreciated.
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
found out it is sealed bearing went in nice, went to put top end was going on nice noticed. a little tear in gasket, so i have another thought i would take it off and put new 1 on now i go to put top end on goes on till it gets to threads and now it will not move in or out any ideas how to remove
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
hi me again between week of rain and life been away fr outdrive for awhile. but back at it, got upper installed and when installing lower unit i get to 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch away from closed and prop turns as it should in forward go another 1/8 to 1/4 and prop no longer turns seem to have water tube and trans. pipe lined up any ideas
 

nola mike

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
5,366
hi me again between week of rain and life been away fr outdrive for awhile. but back at it, got upper installed and when installing lower unit i get to 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch away from closed and prop turns as it should in forward go another 1/8 to 1/4 and prop no longer turns seem to have water tube and trans. pipe lined up any ideas
Put the halves together first, then mount the drive as a unit.
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
i am looking at a whole new reconditioned outdrive but it is off a 6cyl and mine is a 8 appears they have different ratio (not sure what that means) but what happens if i change to this think 184 compared 147 thanking u in advance for your time
 

Scott06

Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,443
sorry my ratio is 150
You would need about 4" inches of prop pitch to keep the rpms in same ballpark. What was your current WOT rpm?

As an example I repowered a 4.3 boat with 1.81 drive to a 5.0 that by the book should have had a 1.62 drive. I kept the V6 ratio and went up in pitch 2" to a 21" .Since you are going up 2 drive steps it might work if you go up 4" in pitch. Some drive ratio jumps are too much to prop around ... may not work. My boat is a heavy boat so the extra gearing helped holeshot
 

johnlewi

Seaman
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
68
want to thank all for the help i got it back together and after playing with shift interrupter i now have forward reverse and neutral so thanks again for the help a little cosmetic work paint bottom and i am in
 

ddrieck

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
663
Make sure this washer is in place when you reinstall the lower unit. If left out the bracket will fall down to far and cause shift problems and will also tear up the seal below the washer.1687747792778.png
 
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