Mitch Cronin Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Can anyone here offer me any hints?.... Our boat broke. Something in the drive started making a really ugly noise while I was whippin' my son around on a tube... I managed to trim it to a point the noise would stay away, as long as I didn't turn much at all.... so we got it back home... I'm thinking u-joints in the upper drive shaft to the oiutdrive?... My question is... (it's a 1990 Alpha 1 sterndrive connected to a Mercruiser 350 magnum) ...After disconnecting the pair of tilt actuators and removing 6 nuts from the back of the drive unit, what is it that stops the thing from coming off? I can get about a half inch of gap, then it stops.... what have I missed? I don't have a flippin' book for this thing, dangit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Service your leg with the proper Merc oil and strain the oil when you drain it. My experience is when the bearings in the prop drive go there's no warning. Probably not a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 9, 2005 Author Share Posted August 9, 2005 Mav... Based on the fine-when-trimmed-in-one-position-and-running-straight-only scenario, I'm hoping the lower unit is just fine... changed gear oil regularly and with proper stuff... But really, the noise only returned when I slowed to diddley at the dock and had to maneuver to get in... which is why I'm think u-joints... I will have to check entire unit, of course (maybe even replace the whole flippin' thing?!), but I have to get it off first! I've never done that yet... only had the lower unit off once to replace the lower water pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Try this link:some help maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 9, 2005 Author Share Posted August 9, 2005 Thanks Seeker... I'd just come back to say I've got it (along with having a smoke and a sip of the deal old golden soother of all woes )... I there was a gizmo on the lower part of the upper unit where it feeds in that needed to be aligned straight... which, when shifted into forward, did straighten and allow entire unit removal... The sad news for me is... the u-joints are apparently just fine. It's starting to feel expensive. ...not sure where to look next... Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlupin Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Get yourself a maintenance manual Mitch, It's always a good investment! Try ebay or amazon.ca if you want a better price then what the dealer charges. Sometime a 50$ book can save you so much time and agravation..... Eric stern drive service manual other service manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 9, 2005 Author Share Posted August 9, 2005 Whale Oil Beef Hooked! It's the bearing the shaftt rides in where it goes through the transom... Yuk, that looks like a mess to change! All I see is balls bunched up at the bottom of the bearing... You're right Eric... I see from the link Seeker provided that I can get an online service manual for about 35 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlupin Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 online manual I even found an online manual (still have to pay but at least you get it now...) Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.0EPR Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 Mitch, with my experience with merc's and others, it will drop out only if you have the engine in the forward gear...It should drop right off then. Lift up on the leg again, put it in forward gear and it should come right off. If that doesn't work let me know and I'll look in a manual for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 10, 2005 Author Share Posted August 10, 2005 Right you are 2.0... That did the trick... Thanks all, for the responses... I'll suffer through the rest of this snag quietly... Cheers, Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 Can anyone here offer me any hints?.... Our boat broke. Something in the drive started making a really ugly noise while I was whippin' my son around on a tube... I managed to trim it to a point the noise would stay away, as long as I didn't turn much at all.... so we got it back home... I'm thinking u-joints in the upper drive shaft to the oiutdrive?... My question is... (it's a 1990 Alpha 1 sterndrive connected to a Mercruiser 350 magnum) ...After disconnecting the pair of tilt actuators and removing 6 nuts from the back of the drive unit, what is it that stops the thing from coming off? I can get about a half inch of gap, then it stops.... what have I missed? I don't have a flippin' book for this thing, dangit... Mitch, try talking to Rick Mawby on the ramp, he used to do that kind of work with his father, he will know how to disassemble and repair the stern drive. I used to play with them, but it has been many years, I am not far away if you would like me to drop by and have a look and offer some assistance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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