Bad Alpha Drive or just a gimble bearing?

[TexasFire]

New poster but not a new reader. I've searched hi and low for an answer or next step and have been unable to find what I'm looking for and local shops have been less than helpful.

It started about a month ago out on the lake just getting started for the day I spun a prop but was able to idle across the lake back to the trailer and load the boat with the winch. About a week ago, we were taking a group out and I got in a hurry putting the prop back on and left the thrust washer off. I ran the boat for maybe 5 minutes, realizing something wasn't right. There seemed to be a lot of noise and vibration from the outdrive. Got back on the trailer and when I got it home realized I had left off the thrust washer.

With the boat on the trailer, in forward gear prop turns cw with ratcheting and will not turn ccw. Reverse gear is the opposite as it should be. With the motor running and ear muffs on, put the drive in gear and at idle it sounds fine. However, run it up to 1000-1200 RPM's and it sounds like the ratcheting comes back. I shut the boat down. Pulled the top cover on the alpha one and the oil appeared foamy other than that it wasn't milky at all, no metal. I drained the unit, it only has about 10 hours on it since the last change. No metal other than some shavings on the plug but it didn't seem significant. No milky oil at all, still looked new. Removed the drive to check the gimble bearing and u-joints. U-Joints look to be new. I purchased the boat last June and it was very well taken care of with only 250 hours and professionally maintained. The gimble bearing doesn't appear to be corroded however i was unable to turn it by hand and there was water in the bellow between the outdrive and the gimble bearing when I removed the drive. Not sure if this is normal or not.

With the outdrive off the boat, I am able to put it in gear and turn the drive shaft without any clicking or noise and the prop shaft will turn accordingly. It is a little firm but I expected that. At this point I'm at a stand-still. If it is the drive, I think I am going to go with an SEI but will go ahead and do the bearing while I have it off. But don't want to spend the money if my drive is still good. What can I do to check the drive at this point? Can a reputable shop check the drive with it off the boat? Any good shops in North Dallas area anyone knows of? Or even Corsicana as I work down there.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to cover my basis.

Thanks in advance for any help!

1998 Sea Ray BR Signature
5.0 with Alpha One
SS 21 Pitch Prop

 

[annie]

Is there any physical damage to the leg? The sounds are correct apart from the above 1000 rpm. If the shift cable is incorrectly rigged it will cause noise at neutral but not really related to the thrust washer?
There shouldn't be any water in the gimbal bearing bellow and you should be able to turn the bearing by hand.
Sounds like you may just need bellows and gimbal bearing. A bad gimbal bearing will cause a rumble more than a clicking sound?
Hope this helps some.

 

[TexasFire]

Thanks for the reply.

You asked about damage to the leg. What are you refering to here?

Seeing as I'll do the gimble bearing regardless of whether I change the outdrive or not, I'll start there and re-install the outdrive and see what I have. I was relieved to not find any metal in the gear lube.

Where's a good place to order quality parts?

 

[annie]

Did the prop make contact with the leg, Is the shaft seal and bearing carrier still ok?
Good place to start with the refitting of the leg and heaps of info on the web in regards to rigging the shift cable.
As for parts.... Google. I buy my parts from the States at half the price in NZ. All the best.

 

[TexasFire]

Here is the damage done. Really looks to just be the cover nut and some wear on the side of the case. I also included a picture of the bellow and gimble bearing.

 

[annie]

Don't forget to find out where the water got into the bellows.... And don't use any sealant on the new gasket when you reattach the leg..... It makes the gasket squeeze out when you torque up the 6 nuts holding the leg on.

 

[RichM]

Make sure that you replace the bellow also. As others have said, there shouldn't be ANY water in there. If there is, your gimbal bearing will eventually turn into a grenade...ask me how I know :-(