Is my lower unit trashed?

[rexmitchell]

Ok, so I was out on the lake today, taking it really, really easy, nothing over 30 mph. I kept thinking that I felt a "different" vibration when accelerating. When I pulled the boat out and thats when I looked at my outdrive and noticed a problem. I looked down and saw this, it is nearly a half an in depth in the middle. Had no performance issues but this doesn't look good. The right side is missing part of the casing and the left side looks like it has a crack in the same spot. So my question is, do I need an entire new lower unit???? I doubt this could be patched or anything like that. Opinions would be helpful, thanks Rex

Edit: and before it gets asked, there was no impact of any kind today, I haven't ever hit anything with it.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Tough to tell from the pics. Is it just the paint that is cracked and scraped a bit, or is the housing split? If you can't tell pressure testing the drive is probably in order here.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Ayuh,... It appears that it had water in it,+ it Froze... Looks like Junk from here...

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Look at the first pic, there is a gouge in the metal there that is nearly a half inch deep by my best estimate. It looks like someone took a chisel to it. Its farther than the paint. The second pic the paint is just cracked......ON another note, how in the heck does something like this happen??? Just stress over time?

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Ayuh,... It appears that it had water in it,+ it Froze... Looks like Junk from here...

Wonderful, I didn't notice any cracks in it before today.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

"Is my lower unit trashed?"

Yes. Good thing for you, you can get a Brand New Alpha 1 Gen 2 from SEI right here on iboats for $1395.
I think they even warranty it for forgetting to check the oil for water intrusion!

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

I have found brand new outdrives for around 1200 bucks online, not just the lower unit, and they are warrantied as well. Which brings me to my next question, should I just go ahead and replace the entire thing while I am at it???? I doubt I will do this so I am already going to be paying labor to have a new one installed, is this something I should just go ahead and do?

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

I saw that on a friends boat. It was freeze damage.

 

[picklenjim]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Stress over time wouldn't make a gouge like that. Looks like it hit something like a rock at one time. The way the paint cracked on the second pic almost looks like it may have some kind of a repair cone on it. On the first pic it looks like a cone on it feathered in with pink body putty. Any way at this point you need to sand all the paint off both sides down to bare metal and see exactly what's going on. IF IT'S NOT CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND LEAKING LUBE then you could fill the gough and any other low spots with J-B weld. Then sand it to it's original shape and paint.Should be fine.

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Stress over time wouldn't make a gouge like that. Looks like it hit something like a rock at one time. The way the paint cracked on the second pic almost looks like it may have some kind of a repair cone on it. On the first pic it looks like a cone on it feathered in with pink body putty. Any way at this point you need to sand all the paint off both sides down to bare metal and see exactly what's going on. IF IT'S NOT CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND LEAKING LUBE then you could fill the gough and any other low spots with J-B weld. Then sand it to it's original shape and paint.Should be fine.

For what its worth, my visual inspection of it showed that it was down to the bare metal but not leaking anywhere. If it is JB welded will it have enough strength to be safe?

 

[Don S]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

JB weld won't hold, really hard to tell in those pictures, but there is a bearing race for the forward bearing in that area. What dirve is it Alpha or Bravo?

 

[achris]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

That looks like an Alpha (you can just see the water intakes in the top pic) with a 'nose job'. As a WAG I'd say the nose job is parting company...

C.....

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

JB weld won't hold, really hard to tell in those pictures, but there is a bearing race for the forward bearing in that area. What dirve is it Alpha or Bravo?

alpha 1(gen 1) I believe.

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

That looks like an Alpha (you can just see the water intakes in the top pic) with a 'nose job'. As a WAG I'd say the nose job is parting company...

C.....

So a nose job huh? Something that can be replaced (again)???

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Another question, could I just replace the housing since the damage doesn't seem to have gone all the way through?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

First thing i would do is look at the gear oil...drain it and see.
I got a feeling it froze over the Winter as the other guys stated.
Also looks like it was repaired before and has body filler under about 10 coats of paint.

If it were mine it would get a complete SEI drive on it...

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

First thing i would do is look at the gear oil...drain it and see.
I got a feeling it froze over the Winter as the other guys stated.
Also looks like it was repaired before and has body filler under about 10 coats of paint.

If it were mine it would get a complete SEI drive on it...

The SEI, is it just an aftermarket outdrive? I just googled them and they seem to be cheaper, like a lot cheaper. As far as quality goes, how do they match up? Also, I believe that I need a 1.50, all I see for the SEI's is a 1.47, is this ok? Also, do I need standard or counter rotation?

 

[fishinpa]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

SEI has all ratios available
also they are likely the best buy for your $$$$$
plus they have a good warranty .




fish

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

SEI has all ratios available
also they are likely the best buy for your $$$$$
plus they have a good warranty .




fish

I was curious as to what ratio that I needed. Its a 5.7 350 mag, I thought I needed to have a 1.50, but I only saw a 1.47 And for the price of the SEI's I might as well go ahead and replace the entire thing, it won't be but a couple hundred bucks more than than just the lower.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Is my lower unit trashed?

Give them a call with the serial from the old drive.They will tell you the correct one.
I have heard no complaints on the SEI drives.
For the price the complete drive is the way to go...fast and easy swap.