Installing one of my alpha one drives and Can't believe I did this.....

[crazy charlie]

1988 twin 5.0 alpha one drives.Dropped my orange widget shifter installation retainer upon installation and its still in there. Had to jack up the stern of my 10k lb boat a few inches to ease installing the drives(have to pay better attention to my hauler when blocking it up) Hauler set the stern a little too low.That was pain in the ass #1 . Drive lined up pretty well now that the stern is 2 " higher. Forgot the name but I use a little orange widget which snaps onto mounting stud closest to shifter and has an arm to support shifter while installing the drive.got my drive slowly on and was just past the point of no return with an inch left to go and popped off the widget and thought it fell to the ground but later found out that it didn't. so its sitting with the body of the shift shoe.I dont think it will cause an issue as I use a lot of grease there and I am assuming it will just stick to where it is till next season. I have a spare drive and will post a pic of where it is left sitting.Everything else went well and shifts fwd, neut, and reverse perfectly.CANT believe I did that!!!!!! Charlie

 

[nola mike]

Forgot those existed. Always meant to try one, but never get around to ordering it. Not sure where it would fall though?

 

[crazy charlie]

Forgot those existed. Always meant to try one, but never get around to ordering it. Not sure where it would fall though?

Best little widget I ever bought.Designed to do exactly what it does....keep the shift arm in place, wheel in slot and thats what it does.....great as long as you take it out before getting the drive on all the way.

 

[crazy charlie]

Mods can move this to Mercruiser

 

[Candy Gramformongo]

It's like a surgeon closing up and forgetting to remove a piece of gauze. Very bad for the patient, but you think you got away with it?

It is a dilemma in your case whether to reopen and retrieve the gadget or just go with it because everything seems to be working.

 

[crazy charlie]

Forgot those existed. Always meant to try one, but never get around to ordering it. Not sure where it would fall though?

Let me know if you find one and what it is called.Cant remember where I got it.

 

[Stinnett21]

Assuming you're talking about the plastic orange piece that snaps to the stud to hold the shifter in place. How in the world did you get the drive installed with it still snapped on? I have A2 maybe it's different.

 

[crazy charlie]

Assuming you're talking about the plastic orange piece that snaps to the stud to hold the shifter in place. How in the world did you get the drive installed with it still snapped on? I have A2 maybe it's different.

You misread the post.I popped the orange widget off and it fell straight down into the shift lever area .any idea what that part is called? I need to replace it .

 

[Stinnett21]

I see that now gotcha. According to chatgbt it is called a shift slide stabilizer tool part #91-865232.

 

[crazy charlie]

I see that now gotcha. According to chatgbt it is called a shift slide stabilizer tool part #91-865232.

Got it thanks!!

 

[crazy charlie]

Update, found that the part dropped into exhaust end of outdrive.I see it trying to slip out under the prop.Will try to yank it out with a pliers. THAT was a Duhhh moment. Charlie

 

[Scott06]

Update, found that the part dropped into exhaust end of outdrive.I see it trying to slip out under the prop.Will try to yank it out with a pliers. THAT was a Duhhh moment. Charlie

it wont hurt anything in there unless it melts which I doubt will happen unless there is no water

 

[crazy charlie]

it wont hurt anything in there unless it melts which I doubt will happen unless there is no water

Yes ,I was relieved to see where it wound up....VERY relieved

 

[Scott06]

Yes ,I was relieved to see where it wound up....VERY relieved

Don’t over think it all that is in that part of the drive is the exhaust cavity and water pump. Good to hear the tool works ok I had thought about buying One years back.

 

[Stinnett21]

But it will partially block exhaust. If you wind up leaving it there watch your temp closely at higher RPMs. The relief ports can only handle so much.