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Questions about Alpha 1 Gen 2 Outdrive

relevante

New member
Hello all, last year was my first year as a boat owner. Had a few "learning experiences" including one that broke my skeg. Getting that repaired next week, so I removed the drive and separated the lower unit to take in to them. While I had it apart, I figured I'd check the impeller. I tried winterizing last year and had trouble getting it to pull water from my gravity feed bucket of antifreeze so it ran dry for a short time, which had me a bit worried anyway.

It looks like there's a little bit of wear on the impeller (probably from the dry run, I assume), so while I'm in there I'll replace that. What also has me concerned is that there is kind of a foamy, greasy residue in the water pump and the top of the oil seal carrier is mushroomed. It definitely looks like things got hot.

I'm assuming the best course of action is to replace the seal carrier and seals, but figured I'd ask people with experience to see what you all think and recommend? Is that necessary? Other things I should look at?

I couldn't get the image upload to work here, but here's a Dropbox link to a photo: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xgelwcyyj8wcduy/Screen Shot 2021-03-25 at 5.44.41 PM.png?dl=0

Thanks.
 
Note: Exhaust going into that bucket can interfere with the pump's ability to 'suck in' water. A trailer test (boat backed into the water) is far more accurate, and muffs (that force water in) can be totally deceiving.

Jeff
 
to me a 'gravity feed bucket' won't have any exhaust in it....it the drive wouldn't readily draw the antifreeze from the bucket, its highly likely the water pump was shot before that...Follow Chris' recommendation with the pump repair...
 
to me a 'gravity feed bucket' won't have any exhaust in it....it the drive wouldn't readily draw the antifreeze from the bucket, its highly likely the water pump was shot before that...Follow Chris' recommendation with the pump repair...

Interesting. And yeah, I had a 5 gallon bucket on the swim deck with fittings rigged up to the ears down below.

The only other incident that I’m aware of was one time earlier in the season, I was flushing in the driveway and my young son saw the hose on at the house and turned it off. It didn’t run dry very long, but I guess it was maybe enough to create enough weakness that the bucket didn’t work but it was OK operating normally in water?

Anyway, thanks again, I’m glad to be getting it all fixed up again. Any thoughts on that residue in the pump?
 
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