Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

[Golflover]

Quick question. I have an 85 Sea Ray Seville, 3.7L 170 HP Merc with an Alpha outdrive which is still in layup in the garage. It's been getting warmer and today I noticed a protrusion under the sticker on the upper part of the gear case. I pulled the sticker out and stuck to it was what I learned today as the "welch plug. From looking at some of the other posts I've read seem to suggest there should also be a pipe plug under the welch plug. On mine there is not, just the welch plug. I can look right into the gear case. Is this normal on 85's that there was only the welch plug and not a pipe plug until later models or am I to assume mine broke in or out?

Also, and of more concern, there is a little water leaking from the outdrive which appears to be coming from an area near or under the bell housing near that welch plug. I'm fearful that somehow some water remained in this area over the winter, and didn't drain at layup, but how? If this happened what kind of damage am I looking at? Is it possible that water r,mained in the water tube froze and broke the tube and thus the leak? The outdrive was stored in the down position. What should I look for when I bring it out of layup? ?Will potential problems appear obvious

I know very little about outdrives so any help or insight on what may have happened would be appreciated.

Kurt

Thanks, Kurt

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Ayuh,... It Obviously had water in it that didn't drain...
My Guess is, the water was where it shouldn't have been in the 1st place...
Pull the drive, 'n look to see what happened, where...

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Pictures?? You winterize it or have it done?

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Obviously the outdrive was not removed during winterization. If it was, that cavity would have drained. Since it wasn't I guess the coupler splines weren't greased either. Nor the alignment checked, or bellows checked for water/gear lube. etc.

 

[Golflover]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Thanks for adding your wisdom, Don, JJ, and Bondo,

I winterized it as I have for the last 10 years without issue. I drain the lower unit oil, grease the outdrive fittings, and store in the down position. Perhaps I'm all wet here but shouldn't any water in the intake, during the fogging process, have drained out once the ear muffs are removed? I know my first year I owned it I missed a petcock on the heat exchanger. It blew out the replacable end seal, but nothing else.

I'm sorry I don't have any pics. but I could take some. What would you want pictures of? There is no obvious exterior damage other than the plug bulge and the water puddle. My fear is what's on the inside, of course Are there any fail/safe componants inside? It's not that warm yet to pull it apart yet, but I'm trying to get a head start plan.

Is it not advisable to start and then engage the drive once it gets warm to see, or would you rip it apart first?

Thanks, guys. You're the best.

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

I winterized it as I have for the last 10 years without issue. I drain the lower unit oil, grease the outdrive fittings, and store in the down position. Perhaps I'm all wet here but shouldn't any water in the intake, during the fogging process, have drained out once the ear muffs are removed?

Well, that tells me you haven't had the drive off or lubed the coupler splines for 10 years, and the area that had water in it and popped the plug is not connected to the intake. So removing the muffs did nothing to drain that section.

You need to pull that drive NOW.

 

[Golflover]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Well, that tells me you haven't had the drive off or lubed the coupler splines for 10 years, and the area that had water in it and popped the plug is not connected to the intake. So removing the muffs did nothing to drain that section.

You need to pull that drive NOW.

I see. I had someone put in a new shift cable a year ago and not sure if he would have lubed the coupler splines.

Can you speculate how water would have entered this area? Is there a gasket at the bell housing that may have failed or perhaps was re-installed incorrectlywhen doing the shift cable?

Thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blowouton upper gearcase and water below.

Could be either the gasket between the outdrive and the bellhousing, or the shift shaft seal in the bellhousing or a little of both.

 

[Golflover]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blow out on upper gearcase and water below.

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blow out on upper gearcase and water below.

Regarding the welch plug. On alpha one diagrams, it shows that there is a "pipe plug" which is threaded and sits under the welch plug on the upper gear case under the sticker. The pipe plug was not present when I noticed the welch plug protrusion. Is it safe to say that in 1985 they only used the single plug system versus two? Or could the interior pipe plug have sucked into the gear case?

 

[Golflover]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blown out on upper gearcase and water below.

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blown out on upper gearcase and water below.

Don, I am sincerely sorry for my double post. It was not my intent to create a controversial, duplcative or confusing post. I wanted to clarify my inquiry and I should have done so in the same thread. My thought was that it was an important aspect of the original post and it was overlooked. Next time I will know how to approach this issue.

New question: Is the only way to grease the splines by pulling the drive or is there an obvious zerk fitting that acccomplishes this?

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blown out on upper gearcase and water below.

Re: Alpha 1: Welch Plug blown out on upper gearcase and water below.

New question: Is the only way to grease the splines by pulling the drive or is there an obvious zerk fitting that acccomplishes this?

Now there is where you should have started a new thread and not posted it here. Think about it. How many people will open a thread titled Alpha 1: Welch Plug blown out on upper gearcase and water below. are going to read down to post #10 to find it's about greasing the splines ??????

However, I can answer that one. Yes you have to pull the drive to lube the splines, the zirk and different ujoint shaft didn't come into use until 91 on the Gen II outdrives.