MightyEsquilax
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2012
- Messages
- 32
I've got a real problem. I just removed my Alpha I Gen 2 drive and decided to replace the Upper Gear with a SEI116 drive. My old outdrive came off the boat with no effort at all. When I mounted the new SEI116 I could not get that last 1.5-2in of the drive mounted onto the bell housing. Some facts to go along with my problem.
1. YES, the engine alignment is correct. I have video of the engine alignment tool and splines.
2. The old outdrive installs with NO EFFORT (I have video demonstrating old outdrive and new outdrive)
3. I have temporarily removed the O-rings on the drive shaft yoke on both the old outdrive and new outdrive just to eliminate a variable and I see the same effect (old drive mounts easy, new drive doesn't mount).
The gimbal bearing and bellows are new 2 years ago and never had any issue since replacement. No water entry in the bellows or the boat. I am replacing the Upper Gear because I had lower unit oil in the bellows when I removed the drive this Spring and decided the SEI116 would likely be cheaper or same price as rehabbing the old Upper unit.
I went so far as to use a caliper to measure the splines of the SEI116 shaft and old drive shaft to see if there was a difference and I couldn't find one. I also measured the widest part of the yoke where the gimbal bearing rests and the measurement is the same on the new shaft and the old.
I looked at the engine coupler (best I can see with a flashlight through the gimbal bearing) and my untrained eye doesn't see anything "messed up" with the coupler. Splines are there and appear "ok". If the engine coupler was worn out would that explain why my old drive mounts A-OK with no effort and the new drive won't mount all the way?
Is there something else I'm missing??
1. YES, the engine alignment is correct. I have video of the engine alignment tool and splines.
2. The old outdrive installs with NO EFFORT (I have video demonstrating old outdrive and new outdrive)
3. I have temporarily removed the O-rings on the drive shaft yoke on both the old outdrive and new outdrive just to eliminate a variable and I see the same effect (old drive mounts easy, new drive doesn't mount).
The gimbal bearing and bellows are new 2 years ago and never had any issue since replacement. No water entry in the bellows or the boat. I am replacing the Upper Gear because I had lower unit oil in the bellows when I removed the drive this Spring and decided the SEI116 would likely be cheaper or same price as rehabbing the old Upper unit.
I went so far as to use a caliper to measure the splines of the SEI116 shaft and old drive shaft to see if there was a difference and I couldn't find one. I also measured the widest part of the yoke where the gimbal bearing rests and the measurement is the same on the new shaft and the old.
I looked at the engine coupler (best I can see with a flashlight through the gimbal bearing) and my untrained eye doesn't see anything "messed up" with the coupler. Splines are there and appear "ok". If the engine coupler was worn out would that explain why my old drive mounts A-OK with no effort and the new drive won't mount all the way?
Is there something else I'm missing??
I removed the foam ring as well. I forgot to mention that in my original post. Yes, there has to be something simple here. The only places that can prevent it from going in are the engine coupler, the gimbal bearing, and *possibly* the bellows sleeve retainer ring that secures the bellows to the bell housing. The thought crossed my mind to dremel the retainer ring of the bellows sleeve just a little bit but I thought there must be enough "give" in that tiny burr overlap and I've never seen any historical posts or experience from others refering people to problems with the sleeve retainer ring. But, there is a first time for everything!
