What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

[Chas0218]

I am looking at purchasing a boat with an alpha 1 outdrive, the guy can't tell me the generation of the outdrive but is not the original for the boat (1983 imperial, has the ice cream cone transom.)

The 3.0L 4 cylinder engine inside the boat is the same as the stock one but not hooked up so I can't start it or run the outdrive. I have built/rebuilt numerous car engines so I am not afraid of this engine but more the outdrive. If all else fails I can get a 4.3L for it if the motor is junk. He said it was running before he removed it from the other boat and was since winterized.

What are some things I should look for/do to make sure this outdrive isn't junk?

Thanks,
Chas

P.S. I searched the threads for a good 2 days and there were no real "directions" on what to look for/check.

 

[lcmains1]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Run it for a few minutes and drain a little oil.... Look for metal shavings. Thats really the only way to tell, even that way you may not know anything until you get it under a load on the water. I personally would not buy a boat that old unless you water test it

 

[stormrider]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Unless you can test it in the water, assume it's junk. I got badly burned on a 1992 Mariah MX19 that was "lake ready" but I was too stupid to check it thoroughly out, so now I have a 3,500.00 boat that I have about 7,500.00 in Sorry for not answering your original question, but just a word of warning...

 

[ziggy]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

in '83 there is a 181cid 140(4) engine accourding to a mercruiser engine/drive application chart. a 181 is a 3.0. it just wasn't termed that. the drive was a I-R or mc-1 revised. the history can be found in the adults only section i believe. it's mc-1 (like mine) then I-R, then I-MR, then alpha1. these are all basically compatible drives. not totally, just basically. there revised mc-1's.
when i bought my boat, i had the dealer drain the gear lub being sure to look for metal fragments and water intrusion. especially the first part of the gear lub that comes out. metal fragments and water settle to the bottom of the drive where the drain is at. after the lub was inspected, i had them pressure test the drive @ 15psi for a while. it needs to hold indefinitely. this makes sure the seals are good. water in the drive rusts gears and brgs. metal fragments occur after the gears don't get lubed. either via a leak and low lub level or water intrusion.
so if no metal fragments, or water is found and it holds pressure your likely ok for the drive. least that's what i did for mine. so far so good. though i have had to replace brgs and shafts in my drive after 5 years.

as for the 3.0. best i get it's a fine engine. if your good with cars, that's great, just remember when building or working on it, it is not a auto engine and don't have the same duty as an auto engine. it's a marine engine and must be maintained as such. marine parts. marine diagnosis, etc.
if all esle fails. ya can put a 4.3 in it, but you'll be rebuilding the hole thing from behind the fly wheel. all parts will be wrong to include the drive gear ratio. best to stay with what you have or if ya want more, sell what ya got and get a boat with a larger engine in it.

good luck with your decision..

oh, and never beleive the seller. never buy a boat w/o a sea trial. buyer beware if ya can't sea trial it.

new aftermarket drives can be had from sei for 1300 or so. not mercruiser, but exact copies.

 

[45Auto]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Pull the top cover (4 bolts, 12 point socket) and take a look at the upper bearing and gears. They're above the oil level, and if it's been sitting up long with moisture in the oil, you'll get condensation and rust up there (found that one out myself the hard way).

 

[Chas0218]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

in '83 there is a 181cid 140(4) engine accourding to a mercruiser engine/drive application chart. a 181 is a 3.0. it just wasn't termed that. the drive was a I-R or mc-1 revised. the history can be found in the adults only section i believe. it's mc-1 (like mine) then I-R, then I-MR, then alpha1. these are all basically compatible drives. not totally, just basically. there revised mc-1's.
when i bought my boat, i had the dealer drain the gear lub being sure to look for metal fragments and water intrusion. especially the first part of the gear lub that comes out. metal fragments and water settle to the bottom of the drive where the drain is at. after the lub was inspected, i had them pressure test the drive @ 15psi for a while. it needs to hold indefinitely. this makes sure the seals are good. water in the drive rusts gears and brgs. metal fragments occur after the gears don't get lubed. either via a leak and low lub level or water intrusion.
so if no metal fragments, or water is found and it holds pressure your likely ok for the drive. least that's what i did for mine. so far so good. though i have had to replace brgs and shafts in my drive after 5 years.

as for the 3.0. best i get it's a fine engine. if your good with cars, that's great, just remember when building or working on it, it is not a auto engine and don't have the same duty as an auto engine. it's a marine engine and must be maintained as such. marine parts. marine diagnosis, etc.
if all esle fails. ya can put a 4.3 in it, but you'll be rebuilding the hole thing from behind the fly wheel. all parts will be wrong to include the drive gear ratio. best to stay with what you have or if ya want more, sell what ya got and get a boat with a larger engine in it.

good luck with your decision..

oh, and never beleive the seller. never buy a boat w/o a sea trial. buyer beware if ya can't sea trial it.

new aftermarket drives can be had from sei for 1300 or so. not mercruiser, but exact copies.

The boat is for sale locally and is stripped down to the stringers. They are asking $500 for all of it, they have all the trim pieces but I don't know what kind of shape they are in. If I understand the seller, the lower unit is still attached but the motor needs to be put in and aligned. I have been looking for a project boat that I can turn into a fishing boat. I'm not looking for a luxury boat nor spending more than $1000 fixing it up which includes the price of the boat. I was under the impression that the 4.3L would bolt up to the bellhousing because of the bolt pattern being chevy on both engines. I understand that it is a marine engine and needs different parts than an auto engine I was just referring to my mechanical ability.

Pull the top cover (4 bolts, 12 point socket) and take a look at the upper bearing and gears. They're above the oil level, and if it's been sitting up long with moisture in the oil, you'll get condensation and rust up there (found that one out myself the hard way).

I will pull the cover and check for rust, and also drain some of the fluid out of the outdrive and check for metal shavings.


Would the shavings be similar to a manual tranny that ate itself or a rear end? Is it normal in any way for the outdrive to leak any fluid?
I am already going to offer $300 at most so if anything has me worried or second guessing I am walking.

 

[Don S]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

The most expensive boat you can ever own is a free one.. $500 is pretty close to free.

 

[Chas0218]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Ya I am starting to think that.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Pull the top cover (4 bolts, 12 point socket) and take a look at the upper bearing and gears. They're above the oil level, and if it's been sitting up long with moisture in the oil, you'll get condensation and rust up there (found that one out myself the hard way).

Good advise, however, be aware that there is a little more too it then just removing the 4 bolts and lifting off the top cover. The race for the upper bearing is pressed into that cover. It may take just a bit of finesse to get it off, work it off nice and straight. Then the 4 bolts need to be torqued back to 20 ft lbs I believe, for proper preload. There is also a big thin O-ring under the cover that's probably reusable, but may not be.
There may be some gray...fuzz... on the lower drain plug magnet, almost like gray grease, that's normal. Metal shavings, filings, sharp, chunky type, run, don't walk.
Shouldn't leak anything, some leaks are really easy to fix, some require major dis-assembly, All depends on what component is leaking

 

[Chas0218]

Re: What to check for on alpha 1 outdrive...

Good advise, however, be aware that there is a little more too it then just removing the 4 bolts and lifting off the top cover. The race for the upper bearing is pressed into that cover. It may take just a bit of finesse to get it off, work it off nice and straight. Then the 4 bolts need to be torqued back to 20 ft lbs I believe, for proper preload. There is also a big thin O-ring under the cover that's probably reusable, but may not be.
There may be some gray...fuzz... on the lower drain plug magnet, almost like gray grease, that's normal. Metal shavings, filings, sharp, chunky type, run, don't walk.
Shouldn't leak anything, some leaks are really easy to fix, some require major dis-assembly, All depends on what component is leaking

Ok I will be careful and at the same time bring along my torque wrench to torque them back down.

I am kind of confused about the above mentioned outdrives, are they all alpha 1's just different versions or are they all different outdrives? Also would a alpha 1 outdrive bolt up in place of the above mentioned? I am just curious because the seller claims it is a alpha 1 and they were manufactured 84-92 not in 1983.

Thanks again,
Chas