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Chili 18
01-07-2006, 09:24 PM
Is it necessary to remove the whole drive leg? Not loads of room in my garage to spread out and stretch so thought it may actually be 'easier' to leave it attached and just lower the trailer front down low.

???

Any experience with Sierra brand impellers and kits? Thought I'd ordered an oem part but this is what came. Looks ok..

gcarter
01-07-2006, 09:50 PM
Just drop the lower.
It's easy.

Uhmmmmmmmm....drain the oil first!

Donzigo
01-08-2006, 07:03 AM
Ditto............George, don't you also need to put it in Forward, if it's an Alpha. Can't remember.

Rootsy
01-08-2006, 09:41 AM
put it in forward gear, trim all of the way in, drain the oil, take the trim cylinders off of the drive (don't unhook the oil lines), 4 nuts, 2 bolts and it'll slide off... leave the prop ON, you'll need to spin the propshaft when seating the housing over the impeller and when reinstalling the lower to the upper to index the spline...

use dish soap to lubricate the impeller and SS housing cup...

bout a 30 minute job if you've done a few...

gcarter
01-08-2006, 09:43 AM
Ditto............George, don't you also need to put it in Forward, if it's an Alpha. Can't remember.
That's true if you are removing the whole drive.
But he only needs to drop the lower half.
Pull the plastic plug for the trim tab anode,
Remove anode,
Remove bolt from bottom under anode,
Remove bolt from front of drive,
Lastly, remove the nuts off the sides of the joint, they'll actually back the lower off the upper.
Change pump impellor,
Reverse the procedure.

Chili 18
01-08-2006, 10:00 AM
Thanks gentlemen! Appreciate your advice very much.

c/\/\

Chili 18
03-29-2006, 06:19 PM
Well, It’s finally warm enough to open the garage door without freezing my nuts and bolts together…. So today I did something I’ve never done before. Was kind of apprehensive about the job. Ive rebuilt engines, built houses, done all sorts of stuff… But as usual, the “fear’ of something new was way worse than the reality.

The SS lower came off easy as pie. Good thing I did it too, as the impeller had two broken blades and the O-rings were pretty tired looking. Pump housing was pretty dirty too, like it had been there for some time…. I only ran it like that one time last fall after buying the drive. Good thing too, I was lucky…

Some questions for the pros… The inside of the lower was fairly clean. Just a bit of that white corrosion in spots, but nothing major. The drive shaft does have some wear where the seals for the pump housing run. Is that ‘normal’? I know its not ideal, but not really much I can do about it, right?

The spines on the shaft are clean and appear healthy. The magnet on the lower oil plug had some metal dust on it. But that’s what its there for. No bigger flakes or chips, so that’s good.

Anything else I can do while its in half that might be useful?

When reassembling, is any sealer used on the mating surfaces of the upper and lower, didn’t seem to be any. How about around the oil passage O-ring. Dab of silicone or??? What kind of lube for the pump seals on the shaft?

The water pump nuts had virtually no torque when I removed them. How tight should they be? Is there a specified torque for the various components on reassembly, Or just feels right tight…?

While its off I plan to strip the paint and try a brushed aluminum look. Have to see how it looks and decide whether to leave it or paint. Wont make it faster, but it’ll look cool…

Appreciate any tips.

Already read THIS http://www.outdriveshop.com/replace_alpha_one_waterpump.html
But....

Chili

mrfixxall
03-29-2006, 06:38 PM
Well, It’s finally warm enough to open the garage door without freezing my nuts and bolts together…. So today I did something I’ve never done before. Was kind of apprehensive about the job. Ive rebuilt engines, built houses, done all sorts of stuff… But as usual, the “fear’ of something new was way worse than the reality.
The SS lower came off easy as pie. Good thing I did it too, as the impeller had two broken blades and the O-rings were pretty tired looking. Pump housing was pretty dirty too, like it had been there for some time…. I only ran it like that one time last fall after buying the drive. Good thing too, I was lucky…
Some questions for the pros… The inside of the lower was fairly clean. Just a bit of that white corrosion in spots, but nothing major. The drive shaft does have some wear where the seals for the pump housing run. Is that ‘normal’? I know its not ideal, but not really much I can do about it, right?
The spines on the shaft are clean and appear healthy. The magnet on the lower oil plug had some metal dust on it. But that’s what its there for. No bigger flakes or chips, so that’s good.
Anything else I can do while its in half that might be useful?
When reassembling, is any sealer used on the mating surfaces of the upper and lower, didn’t seem to be any. How about around the oil passage O-ring. Dab of silicone or???
The water pump nuts had virtually no torque when I removed them. How tight should they be? Is there a specified torque for the various components on reassembly, Or just feels right tight…?
While its off I plan to strip the paint and try a brushed aluminum look. Have to see how it looks and decide whether to leave it or paint. Wont make it faster, but it’ll look cool…
Appreciate any tips.
Chili

Do you have the plastic impeller housing or the stainless one..if plastic upgrade to the stainless one.

when you install the impeler use a liquid soap in the housing this will prevent the impeller from getting dammaged from the intial start up..when i install the gasgets i use bellow adheasive on the gasget serface,a thin coat will do..
Whan you install the housing give it a twist so the impeller goes in the same direction as the engine runs.then torque the housing 12 to 15 inch pounds..

when you install the lower half back onto the upper half put some merc spline greece on the splines this will prevent premature spline ware..


make sure you get the shift shaft lined up or the lower wont mate properly..

and last but least fill the drive with merc hp lube from the bottom up to get all the air bubbles out of the drive

hope this helped and good luck...

mcd

Trueser
03-29-2006, 07:28 PM
What about taking a look at the Gimbal bearing / boot and lube up those ujoints?

Mike

mrfixxall
03-29-2006, 08:12 PM
What about taking a look at the Gimbal bearing / boot and lube up those ujoints?
Mike


Mike i think he just took the lower half off..at leaste thats what chilli mentioned but a good point...

Chili 18
03-29-2006, 10:05 PM
Hi mike,
Good suggestions. Did that stuff last fall while running anti freeze thru. This time it was just the water pump, so just lower half.

In the grand scheme of things, Im probably on borrowed time with the SS. But it sure is great for as long as she goes.. Could be many years, Im pretty gentle with the torque. Its probably re-entry after some flight time that will kill the thing in spite of trying to be careful.

Anyway... Good tips Mr fixall. Didnt know a stainless housing was available for A1. Already have the parts on hand but will switch over next spring if so. The one I have is plastic but has a stainless insert where the impeller lives.

Dishsoap to lube the impeller. But what kind of slippery stuff for the shaft / seal interface? Silicone grease, teflon, mystery merc stuff?

cheers! Almost lake time up north........ :-) The fishing boats are already off New Buffalo. A good sign!

mrfixxall
03-29-2006, 11:05 PM
Hi mike,
Good suggestions. Did that stuff last fall while running anti freeze thru. This time it was just the water pump, so just lower half.
In the grand scheme of things, Im probably on borrowed time with the SS. But it sure is great for as long as she goes.. Could be many years, Im pretty gentle with the torque. Its probably re-entry after some flight time that will kill the thing in spite of trying to be careful.
Anyway... Good tips Mr fixall. Didnt know a stainless housing was available for A1. Already have the parts on hand but will switch over next spring if so. The one I have is plastic but has a stainless insert where the impeller lives.
Dishsoap to lube the impeller. But what kind of slippery stuff for the shaft / seal interface? Silicone grease, teflon, mystery merc stuff?
cheers! Almost lake time up north........ :-) The fishing boats are already off New Buffalo. A good sign!

Chilli,my mistake i ment the ss insert....ss housins is only on the genII alpha and not for the a1,r or the mr..