Recent content by zellerj

  1. Z

    Lazy alternator

    Sometimes with winter condensation etc, corrosion limits the alternator's function. Try spraying some WD40 into the unit to polish it up some. Worked for me when I had this issue.
  2. Z

    anti-freeze amount

    Yes since my boat is on Lake Erie, my engine is always cooled with fresh water. We need a new term, like closed loop cooling (clc) or cooled with antifreeze (cwa).
  3. Z

    anti-freeze amount

    Please disregard my response. I missed the fwc parameter in your original post.
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    anti-freeze amount

    There should be four drain plugs that you need to remove and poke with a piece of wire to be sure no rust junk is blocking the egress of the cooling water. Once all of the water is drained from the block and exhaust risers, remove the large diameter J hose from the thermostat housing and remove...
  5. Z

    Shift cavity water...

    Hummm. Rubber seals are used all the time to prevent oil from getting where it does not belong, even in my outdrive. I agree that silicone grease might be better, but petroleum products are ok too on rubber. If I used a petroleum product on my rubber parts on my outdrive, I would not fret too...
  6. Z

    Pumping out oil from dipstick

    If you are sticking a skinny tube down the dip stick tube, expect it to take a long time. I found that if you user the male hose adaptor that is on the dip stick tube, it can be done in a matter of a few minutes.
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    Better muffs for Alpha One drives?

    Don't see why you have to run antifreeze through the outdrive. With the block and exhaust drain plugs out, take off the J- hose from the bottom of the engine water pump and drain that. For extra assurance with a shop vac on blow - blow out the remaining water. You can pour AF into the engine...
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    Buying a used boat with Mercruiser 228

    Check the bellows. If there are cracks, replacements may be in the future. I don't worry about age so much. A 21 footer was on a trailer - stored inside? Powerboaters are much more concerned about age than sail boaters. There are many sailboats still on the water that are from the 60s and...
  9. Z

    Alpha 1 Gen 2 Y-Pipe Flapper

    My flappers did not fit correctly either, so I trimmed some of the rubber so that they fully closed (or at least partially closed) while in the exhaust pipe. Without trimming, they pretty well were stuck open. Poor design in my opinion. Someone said that the castings for the Y pipe were...
  10. Z

    Overheating at idle

    My alpha 1 overheated after an impeller change because the copper tube caught and turned the rubber insert sideways in the water tube housing. Another thing to check is that the water intake hose is not kinked. If it is kinked, it cools when turning in one direction, and warms up turning in...
  11. Z

    Is Vessel View worth it?

    Is your outdrive oil bottle low?
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    1989 Mercruiser 4.3 LX, Alpha 1 Gen 1 Overheating

    The copper tube above the plastic outlet of the impeller pump fits into a rubber gromet. Check to make the rubber gromet is properly in place. Mine was turned 90 degrees which blocked the water flow.
  13. Z

    1989 Alpha 1 Gen 1 shift issues

    Thanks BT. Seems counter intuitive to lock it CCW and it is in forward which I equate with CW. However I am wrong, because when I put the splined shaft full CW, which locked the prop in a CCW direction and mated it with the upper, and put it on the bell housing, all shifted fine. A careful...
  14. Z

    1989 Alpha 1 Gen 1 shift issues

    I separated the lower leg from the upper, and kept the upper on the boat, to change the water pump. When putting it back together, I had the lower leg gear in forward, and every time I lifted the leg to engage with the upper leg I heard a click, and the lower leg moved into neutral. I tried...
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    Stalling and Starting problems

    Sometimes a floating piece of dirt (or piece of rubber from a hose downstream from the filter) can block the jet and cause a stall. Draining the float bowl and looking for black specs might give you a clue.
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