Alpha Outdrive Removal Help

[andrewterri]

Teaching my friend how to check alignment and change an impeller on my old boat I sold him. It is a 89 mercruiser 3.0 with an Alpha One Gen One. Despite telling and encouraging him to do his maintenance each spring (Check alignment, gimbal bearing, ect.) he did not do it and he has learned his lesson that even if you dont use the boat often to still do your maintenance. He is in law enforcment and does not get to the lake often so last year the boat only had 4 boating days. The problem now is the drive will not come off. Six bolts out and selector in drive, but the engine has came out of alignment so bad the motor is on the shaft. He was aware and the reason I sold the boat was the wood the motor mount sits on was rotted and the boat would not hold alignment. I never trusted the boat with my family despite being a good boat. I was afraid the engine would bind while running and twist off the mounts. We tried adjusting the motor to get the drive out and after 1.5 hours of trying it was clear that will not work. What my thought is not is to use a chain hoist or maybe a jack. What do you guys think? How can we get this drive off?

 

[alldodge]

Get a 2x4 and have the trim system connected.
Place the 2x4 between top section of drive and transom assembly, then press UP
If it does not come loose with full UP
Place 2x4 in lower section and transom assembly and press DOWN

Teaching my friend how to check alignment and change an impeller on my old boat I sold him

Might need to teach him how to replace the transom

 

[kenny nunez]

If the drive still does not come off then the drive shaft is corroded in the drive coupler. Hopefully it will come off as AD suggested.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you're sure the motor is sitting on bad mounts and binding the coupler-driveshaft union, why not get a lift and take hoist up the motor a bit to allow you to relieve the pressure and pull the outdrive? Sounds like the motor will have to be pulled to allow repairs before the boat can be used anyway..

 

[andrewterri]

The 2x4 is a great idea thank you. Jas, thats what we were thinking we would have to do is get a chain hoist and pull the motor. To fix the mounts is major stringer repair as you know. I know that is the right way to do it but at $2,000 it was not worth that to me and I dont think it is to my friend. The mounts are just soft and allowing the front mount to sink so there is no real way to fix it other than tearing everything out to redo the stringers.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... So you sold yer Friend a junk boat,..??

Hoist the motor up abit, 'n stuff some wood under what's there to bring it into alignment,.....

Maybe yer Friend can get a season or 2 outa it,.....

 

[andrewterri]

I was going to pull the engine and sell it than junk the boat. He wanted to buy it instead. He has worked on it with me and had been to the lake with me countless times over the 5 years I had it and he was well aware of the condition. He got the boat for nothing, obviously.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Use 2 x 4 `s placed at the top od the drive and the transom, operate trim up SLOWLY increasing the thickness of the wood, drive will come off. Now is it tight from collapsed rear bushings or rust from a leaking bellow