Alpha one outdrive removal?

[SCORPIO]

I may have to replace the waterpump in my port outdrive this spring. I was going to just drop the lower unit and change the pump and reinstall. I've been told that it would be easier to pull the OD and then split the two units.
I've never done this with a Merc only OMC. What do I have to do to take the outdrive off the boat? Can this be done by one person? How difficult is reinstalling the outdrive?
Thanks

 

[jarhead]

No need to pull the whole drive. Ther are 5 nuts(4 on the sides, one in the front) and 1 bolt( comes down into the zinc tab above the prop). Remove these and the lower unit slides right off. The water pump will be exposed.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yes, absolutely, positively DO NOT take the whole drive off. You need to go kick the person who told you that in the shin!:smt001

On the Gen II you need to... but do you need to put the drive in Forward before removing with the Gen I?

Simple thing, but don't forget to disconnect the speedo hose.

 

[jarhead]

Good catch Lazy Daze! I never think of it since it's not a big deal to line the shifter back up.

 

[Sundancer]

I had troubles getting the seal in the upper half lined up with the shaft when putting the lower half back into the upper half while it was on the boat. It got bent and mangled a couple of times until I removed the upper half to do it. I'm not sure what that seal does and I think I read somewhere that it's "optional" now, but I don't think that's true. Try it and see how it goes. If you can do it, it does save a few steps.

 

[JVM225]

Removing the drives isn't a big deal if it comes to that. I removed mine for the winter, and did the water pumps in them before I put them back on the boat in the spring.
I suppose that removing the lower to do the pump would be quicker if you can do it, but I never have.
Taking them off could be a one man job if you're feeling energetic, I'm a 55 (almost 56) year old guy in half decent shape (but not a muscle guy by any means) and I have no problems moving them around. But re-installing them is a two man job. One guy for the muscle, and the other guy to line things up. Having some blocks of wood to prop them up with while you're trying to line them up is a good idea too.