Alpha SS water Pickup

[jr]

Hi guys. Although I don't own a Donzi, you guys seem to be the only ones I can find that know anything about Alpha SS's.

I have a twin 409 SBC's in my Nova. I will be running about 425 HP apiece. The Alpha SS's that I'm running through have a remote mounted water pick-up. It looks totally cobbled up. It consistes of a plate that mounts to the side of the outdrive at the water intake. From there on both sides there is a 3/8 aluminum tube welded to the side of the water jacket. This tube extends aft to a manifold with a screen in it for debris. On the end of the manifold a piece of 3/4 inch stainless braided hose goes to the water pickup mounted to the bottom of the boat.

Now this does not look OEM. Is there a better way? Is there a low mounted water pickup on the market? Thanks for any advice you guy may have.

[Forrest]

It doesn't sound OEM at all . . . take a picture if you can. Depending on when it was made, the Alpha SS can have its water pickup in one of two different places. The early model had a small pickup in the stock Alpha location, and the later model has a small low-water pickup in the nose-cone area.

------------------
Forrest

[Murphy]

I was wondering the same thing. The Alpha SS I just bought has two small 1/4" water pickup holes at the front of the lower gear case. The low water pickup is an aluminum bra that fits over the nose of the lower gear case. It has a garden hose type threaded fitting that must attach to a remote intake. I assume it will go to a seawater type intake that will eventually be attached to the bottom of the hull. Question... how important is this low water pickup? Is it essential? If not, under what conditions is it important?

Thanks,

Murph

[Forrest]

There is no seawater intake on the hull or transom with the Alpha SS. The raw water pump is in the outdrive. Believe it or not, every drop of water that cools your engine passes through those two 1/4" holes . . . and it works well.

------------------
Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 06-16-2001).]

[jr]

Okay. Now look at the pics that Murphy put up. See in the first picture the white plate that is at the leading edge of the drive just above the cavitation plate? That is my water intake. I have 2 pieces of aluminum tubing welded to that plate.

What is the little hole at the bottom of the drive right at the top of the nose cone. Is that the actuall water pickup? Mine has two set screws in it.

I've had that plate off before. It has an oring that runs around it and leads into the water pump. Is that for different cooling applications?

Thanks guys.