Driveshaft O-ring near splines???

[Fishingaddict88]

I just was hoping someone could clear this up. I have a 130hp 3.0 with an Alpha 1 drive. The o-ring nearest the engine couple and splines on the drive shaft is not even close to being in the coupler. From the very limited information (one post) I can find online states that it's not supposed to be in the coupler and is no longer even there on newer driveshafts (due to creating a weak spot in the shaft)? I was hoping someone could confirm this before I go ripping the drive off again. I was just hoping nothing got messed up when I pulled it off because it was a real PITA due to the previous owner not using any grease on the shaft at all. The outdrive went back on smoothly and I assume it's got to be all the way in but wanted to make sure before I fire up the engine again.

 

[tpenfield]

The o-rings should be in the gimbal bearing inner race . . . the coupler don't need no o-ring.

 

[yjanray]

If you're talking about the o ring where the lower meets the upper drive , it has been recommended to me by others on this forum to leave it off. It can get pinched and let water into the splines and cause them to corrode.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I`m going to take a guess and say you mean the O ring just foward of the 2 O rings for the gimbal bearing. Was designed to keep grease contained in the coupler
Dosent really do squat.
You should have been able to simply push the drive on to within an 1/8 inch

 

[Fishingaddict88]

I`m going to take a guess and say you mean the O ring just foward of the 2 O rings for the gimbal bearing. Was designed to keep grease contained in the coupler
Dosent really do squat.
You should have been able to simply push the drive on to within an 1/8 inch

Correct, except there's atleast an inch of drive shaft still visible after the O-ring going to the engine coupler. Are you saying it should be in more? How would that even be possible. Like I said the drive shaft went in like butter.

 

[tpenfield]

Is the outdrive mated to the bell housing all the way and the 6 bolts fastened? If so, then it is as far as it can go.

Got a picture of it to post?

 

[Fishingaddict88]

Not off hand I'll try to get one later today. I took a video of the back of my engine because I was trying to see if there was a serial number anywhere back there. On that video I can see the shaft before I removed it, but just barely. It looks to be about the same, it's hard to tell because it's only for a split second.

I'm just doing all my sanity checks before firing up again. Been dealing with a very rich condtion. Between fixing that (hopefully) and other preventive maintenance, I just wanted to be sure I don't have to pull my wallet back out, atleast not anytime soon due to careless mistakes. It's my first boat and I've learned a ton so far. I'm glad I found this forum here.