OK, need help with my impeller replacement Alpha 1

Road King Cole

Road King Cole

God
Ok, I decided to take it apart on my bench this afternoon. Per the manual: I took off the trim tab, removed the hex bolt inside there, removed the 2 lock nuts on the bottom, loosened the 2 lock nuts on the side as far as they could go, removed the 3 lock nuts on the top. The gear housing should now pull away... nope it does not. In a bone head move, I took my rubber mallet and gave the housing a whack and broke off a piece:

photo.jpg


So besides that, I cannot get that lower housing off. It is not coming off. I can get the rear side to move a very little, but it seems stuck at the front (trim tab end).

Help!!!!

Thanks

rkc

Is there something else that needs to be done?
 
I've got a very similiar problem. I called several local boat shops here in and around the Richmond, Va area looking to see if they weld or know of a welder and sure enough, they all gave me the name of the same welder that is experienced in welding boat aluminum. I know on an Alpha l and pre Aplha, there are 5 5/8 hex nuts and the one allen bolt holding the trim anode holding the lower unit on. If you have all that off and still can't get it, there are numerous guys on here that I have found to be very knowledgable.... Destroyer, Skools, Spareparts, TheFerminator just to name a few. Contact them...they can point you in the right direction
 
look under where the trim tab was bolted, there is a 3/8 bolt hidden under the tab, remove it and it should drop off. Make sure you have hte drive in fwd gear so you can keep the shift linkage in phase.
 
Thanks, yes I got that allen bolt under the anode and the 5 lock nuts. I'll try it some more and hopefully won't break anything else...

I was hoping the broken piece could be fixed with jb weld or something..or be able to run without fixing...
 
RKCole

There's also another DIY alum. weld that can be done with a propane set up and Mapp gas called HTS 2000. Google HTS 2000 and it will come up. There's also several guys selling it in smaller quanties on EBay. Stay away from JB Weld. That what I'm dealing this now.....some knuclehead slather the entire outdrive with the stuff and he was a great body man. You could not tell it until I got the sandinig discs out after I found I had a bad lower unit, etc, etc, etc. Got bamboosled right good. Going to be pricey to fix.
I'd recommend, if you are keeping the boat, to have it welded. Just remember to diconnect all battery cables and make sure there are no o rings or seals in the heat effected area.
Best of luck, my friend. That one is child's play after looking at my junk!!
 
Thanks.

I still can't separate the lower unit from the upper. I just tried raising both upper lock nuts on the side which pushes the lower unit down. So now I got about 1/8 inch gap in the front, but the rear is not budging.

:head:
 
Not sure how to get it off if you have all the bolts out?? But has for the broken part I have done the same thing not once but twice!!
What I did was bolt on a Htdrofoil, not only did that cover the damage it made the getting out of the hole great!!
Get a Alum one instead of the plastic as it is stiffer then the plastic since it is broken there
 
I can't tell you how many times I have looked for another hidden nut\bolt...

That hydrofoil looks like a good "fix"....if I can only get the damn thing apart.

It was pumping water, but its been at least two years without being replaced...

rkc
 
If it isn't broke don't fix it!! I went 7 years on my I/O with out never doing!! Just flush after each use and be done, Only fix if broke is my motto! If you are slip kept then you ned to do every 2 years or so but a trailer queen is good for a long time!
 
If you have a total of 7 fasteners removed(one at teh front, two on the sides, two from under, 1 holding the tab, 1 hiding under the tab) you have them all. Try using a pry bar between the nuts on the sides, I've had to use a pry bar to split the halves. You're not going to damage anything prying aft of the waterpump
 
Just a quick note, if you decide to go the alum-a-weld route, MAKE SURE you use a stainless steel wire brush when you are doing the repair. (You can buy them cheap in Home Depot, Lowes, and Sears with no problems).

The aluminum surface oxidises (sp) almost instantly as it's exposed to oxygen, and the stainless brush is needed to keep the alum-a-weld from adhearing to the brush instead of the repair area. A regular steel brush will get clogged from the weld material and not be able to expose the aluminum surface for welding. V the crack on both sides with a grinder, then fill the V with the alum-a-weld. It's really not hard, and once you have the weld done you just grind/sand the welded area to look like the surrounding area, a little paint and you're as good as new and just as strong as the original.

A little hint, if you have some spare aluminum lying around, make a practice weld or two on the scrap to get your technique down before you do the actual repair. :beer:
 
I think I will go with the hydrofoil as it is probably something I am pretty sure I can do without totally screwing it up....plus it should resolve the cavitation issue I ran into a few times.

I'll do some more prying and see if the bottom will come off, otherwise will button it up. I don't want to miss prime striper fishing season like I did last year (replacing the oil pan).

thanks

rkc
 
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