Trouble reinstalling pre-alpha drive

[Campfire]

I pulled my drive to check the bellows job I did last year and to check the impeller. Now I can’t get the drive back on. The pic shows the furthest I can get it which is obviously not even close. What am I doing wrong? It is not a shift shoe issue as I am not even close to those touching. The shift arm is inside the drive and mating with the gear shift arm (thing with the roller). The shaft is through the bearing but is hanging up on something or not mating with the splines in the engine. I have tried rotating the splined part that is connected to the ujoints. Is it simply a matter of continuing to slowly rotate the ujoint until it slides into the engine? Last year I just jiggled it a bit and it slid right in.

 

[Campfire]

Filler

 

[isaacs]

It's probably the splines not matching. Your prop should be locked in a counter-clockwise position; I like to use a bungee wrapped around the prop and hooked to the outdrive. You or a helper can then rotate the prop counter-clockwise slightly which will rotate the spline till it goes in.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Did you have any difficulty removing the drive? If Yes ,the alignment is probably off a bit

 

[crazy charlie]

pull it off and start all over.You are not even close to getting it installed.Looks to me like you dont have the drive shaft getting lined up through the gimbal bearing based on how far you are from getting it on.Get a handful of grease and starting at the splines ,slather it on all the way down to the u joints.Make sure you can see the gimbal bearing and make sure the drive shaft is in the bearing.I would get into more detail however your drive is not close to being installed.Also make certain the throttle/shifter at the helm is in full forward.Post back results or further issues.Charlie

 

[JASinIL2006]

Have you checked alignment with an alignment bar?

 

[Campfire]

The drive slid off easily but I ordered an alignment tool. I will have it in a few days. I will post back. Thanks for the guidance.

 

[JASinIL2006]

It's good practice to check alignment everytime the drive is off (once a year, minimum), so good for you for getting the bar.

My drive gives me trouble going on about once every three or four times... when the drive is that far out and is getting stuck, I'm thinking the U-joints have sagged and allowed the drive shaft to slip out of position. I just pull the drive out again and start over. But you ought to check alignment first anyway, so I'd sit tight until the alignment tool shows up.

 

[San_Diego_SeaRay]

Did you put new O-rings on the drive shaft? At my boatyard where I store my boat, the mechanics hate installing new shaft O-rings because they know it is going to be a %$#* to get the drive back on with them. If I remember correctly it's that one O-ring right before the shaft splines and not the two O-rings closer to the drive. You might want to try installing w/o that O-ring. If it installs easily then that was probably your problem. Of course, you'll need to put the O-ring back but at least you'll know what the issue is.

 

[crazy charlie]

It's good practice to check alignment everytime the drive is off (once a year, minimum), so good for you for getting the bar.

My drive gives me trouble going on about once every three or four times... when the drive is that far out and is getting stuck, I'm thinking the U-joints have sagged and allowed the drive shaft to slip out of position. I just pull the drive out again and start over. But you ought to check alignment first anyway, so I'd sit tight until the alignment tool shows up.

I have had several boats with outdrives over the past 40 years and I have NEVER had to do anything re: alignment.I doubt messing with that will resolve your issue.Charlie

 

[achris]

Filler

That's an MC-1 drive, not a 'pre-Alpha'. Merc never made a drive called pre-alpha. They did make 17 different drives before they made the Alpha One.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I have had several boats with outdrives over the past 40 years and I have NEVER had to do anything re: alignment.I doubt messing with that will resolve your issue.Charlie

I agree that it's not likely alignment that is keeping him from mounting the drive, but it's still a good idea to check it every year, especially on older boats.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Did you put new O-rings on the drive shaft? At my boatyard where I store my boat, the mechanics hate installing new shaft O-rings because they know it is going to be a %$#* to get the drive back on with them. If I remember correctly it's that one O-ring right before the shaft splines and not the two O-rings closer to the drive. You might want to try installing w/o that O-ring. If it installs easily then that was probably your problem. Of course, you'll need to put the O-ring back but at least you'll know what the issue is.

Seems like there would be less of a gap between the drive and bellhousing if the o-ring was causing the problem.

 

[isaacs]

Seems like there would be less of a gap between the drive and bellhousing if the o-ring was causing the problem.

I agree. I had a drive like that on a 1969 boat and the O rings were the last thing to engage--along with the shift boot. I used to put a bit of grease on the O rings and the shift boot; the boot was old and a bit floppy and tended to jamb up. A good swift kick was usually necessary to engage the O rings.

 

[Campfire]

Here is a picture of the alignment tool. The first pic is the top of the tool. The second is the bottom. It does slide in and out fairly easily and fully seats.

 

[Campfire]

Bottom of the alignment tool. With what you guys see in the pics and my description of the ease of seating the tool, is the engine slightly out of alignment?

My gut feeling is that the ujoint is hanging up somewhere.

I did rotate the spline off the ujoint that goes into the engine coupler so it is no longer in the same position as when I split the stern dive to replace the impeller. Can I rotate the ujoint shaft by turning the prop? Seems like turning the prop should do something???

When I spin the prop, it does not cause the ujoint shaft to turn. Is that normal? When the shift shoe on the drive is forward, the prop cannot turn counterclockwise. Looking at the drive as off from the rear of the boat and from above, if I turn the shift shoe on the drive to the left fully (about 90 degrees),I cannot rotate the prop clockwise.

Looking at the prop, that indicates to me that the drive was assembled properly after I split it. But from watching YouTube videos, I see the mechanics slightly turning the prop to allow them to install the drive. So maybe I reassembled something wrong?

 

[Campfire]

That's an MC-1 drive, not a 'pre-Alpha'. Merc never made a drive called pre-alpha. They did make 17 different drives before they made the Alpha One.

Thanks. I know pre-Alpha is a misnomer but I did not want to state a specific drive when I was not 100% sure and impair the assistance you folks give. I have heard of a couple of different drives that existed prior to the Alpha gen 1. Mine has the hole at the top of the upper gear case for what I assume is for putting a clevis or carabiner through for help in installing the drive.

 

[Campfire]

I did put new O-rings on the driveshaft but I don’t think the o ring by the splines on the driveshaft is required. I think I read that somewhere on this forum.

 

[isaacs]

Bottom of the alignment tool. With what you guys see in the pics and my description of the ease of seating the tool, is the engine slightly out of alignment?

My gut feeling is that the ujoint is hanging up somewhere.

I did rotate the spline off the ujoint that goes into the engine coupler so it is no longer in the same position as when I split the stern dive to replace the impeller. Can I rotate the ujoint shaft by turning the prop? Seems like turning the prop should do something???

When I spin the prop, it does not cause the ujoint shaft to turn. Is that normal? When the shift shoe on the drive is forward, the prop cannot turn counterclockwise. Looking at the drive as off from the rear of the boat and from above, if I turn the shift shoe on the drive to the left fully (about 90 degrees),I cannot rotate the prop clockwise.

Looking at the prop, that indicates to me that the drive was assembled properly after I split it. But from watching YouTube videos, I see the mechanics slightly turning the prop to allow them to install the drive. So maybe I reassembled something wrong?

See my previous post. You have to turn the prop counter-clockwise while locked in forward to get the u joints to turn. It may take a bit of force to get it to turn because you're also spinning the water pickup pump.

 

[zellerj]

You need to set up the scene to remove impediments. How about putting a piece of plywood on the ground so the drive can slide. How about raising the bow so that drive will line up without lifting the drive too much. And how about putting permatex on the gasket and water inlet O ring so that you don't have to worry about them falling out. And how about locking the drive counter clockwise. And finally how about moving the prop a little bit counter clockwise to so that the splines align. Then it will go on. Believe me, I have been there and done that.