Alpha 1 Gen 2

[BrytonB]

I noticed my gear lube reservoir slowly started to drop so figured I’d check things out and find this. Anyone have an idea of where all this grease came from, or what to check first? I’ve been told its from over greasing, but I’ve also been told it’s the upper drive seal. It’s right behind the coupler. It’s an alpha 1 gen 2.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... It looks like someone pumped a couple, or 4 tubes of grease into the gimbel bearin',.....

Pull the drive to see if the seal is pushin' gear oil behind the grease yer seein',.....

 

[BrytonB]

just to be sure I’m looking at the right seal where is it located? Is the on the drive behind the yoke?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Yes, inputshaft carrier seal

 

[Rick Stephens]

That seal doesn't really accomplish anything if there is too much grease or the bellows fills with water as there is a bypass port that lets massive amounts go right by it.

If you wipe a finger through that mess and smell it, does it smell like gear lube or not smell much at all?

 

[BrytonB]

That seal doesn't really accomplish anything if there is too much grease or the bellows fills with water as there is a bypass port that lets massive amounts go right by it.

If you wipe a finger through that mess and smell it, does it smell like gear lube or not smell much at all?

See that is what I don’t understand and makes me believe that is was indeed over greased and got pushed back into the boat. I will check again tonight but it didn’t really have a lube smell to it. If I pull the drive off and there is no lube in the bellows I think it is safe to say it is over greased am I right?

 

[Rick Stephens]

See that is what I don’t understand and makes me believe that is was indeed over greased and got pushed back into the boat. I will check again tonight but it didn’t really have a lube smell to it. If I pull the drive off and there is no lube in the bellows I think it is safe to say it is over greased am I right?

Yes indeed.

 

[BrytonB]

Bad news: the input shaft seal definitely went
Good news: I found the problem before it took out my entire drive…I hope

 

[Rick Stephens]

Pop the top cap and take a look. Easy to see. The top bearing and gears are what crap up first.

 

[Rick Stephens]

And reasonably normal bad news. All of us, if we run a boat long enough, lose a seal that way and learn how to set the torque on the bearing pack. We do feel for you, but is just part of boats.