Alpha 1 Outdrive Noise - Update/Revisited

[jayrodoh]

Some of you may remember my previous post about a grinding/whirring noise in my Alpha one this year. It only started after the outdrive was resealed and reinstalled in the spring. The noise is non existent at startup, but after running a bit and shifting in neutral, the noise is present. It is definitely coming from the outdrive area.

The mechanics have spent 5 days dismantling the upper, replaced the shift cable and bellows (had them do the other bellows for good measure at the same time) and reassembling. Didn't fix the problem. One guy thought it was the gimbal bearing and replaced it. Same thing. A quick shift from neutral to reverse and back to neutral silences the noise.

This all tells me that the noise is in the lower unit. Any suggestions?

As far as history, the boat/drive has 399 hours and has been well maintained since new (boat in family since new).

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Alpha 1 Outdrive Noise - Update/Revisited

They use a alignment bar when they reinstalled the drive?

Motor or gimbal could have dropped binding the shaft a bit.

Gimbal moved maybe, just maybe transom a bit rotten.

Hey what i know?

Just see if you can tighten the gimbal bolts and see if they tighten more than 2-3 turns than it's something got to be looked at.

 

[jayrodoh]

Re: Alpha 1 Outdrive Noise - Update/Revisited

Outdrive is aligned perfectly, that has been checked everytime the outdrive has been removed (way too much this season). No rot at all on this boat.

It has to be in the lower I'm thinking, becuase there is no noise until after I run it a bit and it will go away with a quick shift into reverse and back to neutral.