Wow, thanks for taking the time to give me all this info.
The oil co
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
oups.com...
The annual outdrive alignment is probably more of an issue the first
year than subsequent ones. Things tend to settle the first year and
after that it's a lot less likely to change. Of all the i/o's out
there I'd say not very many get an annual alignment check. Even new
ones.

Is it possible you have always had a slow lube leak? Alignment
problems can cause premature failure of the front seal on the drive.
It has to be pretty bad though. The rubber coupling can handle
moderate mis-alignment.

All boats have maintenance issues. One of the hidden costs of boating.
Boats are nothing like cars. You'll find that pulling the outdrive is
actually pretty easy. Jet drives have gas consumption issues, expect
them to consume about 25% more gas for the same weight. Pwc's have
their own issues. They are a lot more like motorcycle engines than
your mercruiser engine. Inboards are probably less maintenance than an
i/o but certainly stilll need it. They also have some sort of
transmission and a shaft and prop that always sticks out of the bottom
of the boat. There is no free ride.

Mr Wizzard wrote:
Good information, thanks. Boat turned one year old
on June 29th, and I have not had the annual maitenance
done. Only maintaince I've done is change the oil (once)
and had the prop off to do prop shaft maintenance (lube).

I'm starting to suspect engine alignment. Recently noticed
a vibration when in gear at about 1888-1900 RPM just
above idle. Could engine alignment cause/induce undue
forces on somehting to cause the leak ?

I'll call Olympic boat center to see how booked they
are for getting it in to do the annual maintenance, and
check engine alignment (and check for oil leaks). Also
come to find out that engine alignment, and pulling
the outdrive (for engine alignment and maintenance)
is something that Mercruiser says needs to be done
once a year, or 100 hours (which ever comes first).

That could get expensive. I'm conteplating selling this
boat, and going for something else (without an I/O).
Either a SeaDoo 'Sportster' (jet drive), or even some
sort of larger PWC. I'm very mechanically inclined,
but still don't like the notion of annual outdrive pulling,
and engine alignment and all of the other maintenance
associated with the I/O etc. Just a thought....



"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
ps.com...
There are a number of places where it can leak and not be noticed in
the water. The exhaust and the bellows. There is really no way to
get
much of a view into the bellows area. You have to pull the outdrive
and check inside the belows for fluid. And then it's still hard to
tell as the grease from the ujoints and coupler sometimes creates some
oily fluid if it has been heavily lubed. Did you ever have the pump
impeller replaced? Someone may have not used a new o-ring between the
upper and lower unit when they were split. Have you checked the lower
unit for water in the lube? To do this you carefully remove the lower
plug just enough to get a few drops out to see that they are not milky
or contain water.

If it is still covered by a warrenty you can try to get it fixed. If
not then as long as there was not any water getting in the outdrive
I'd
be inclined to just check for water a few times a year and live with
it
until the end of the season. The pull the outdrive and have it
pressure tested. At our house this is not the time for the boat to be
out of commission :-)

Mr Wizzard wrote:
"katekebo" wrote in message
ups.com...
The consumption should be "zero", nothing, unless you have a leak.

Damn, I was afraid of that. So where could the leak be then ??
And if there is a "leak", out of curosity, why doesn't it leak in
the driveway? (gravel pad). As I said, I see no signs anywhere.

Is there a remote chance that there was an air bubble in the line
somewhere from the factory from last June when I bought it, and
it just boke loose somehow?

Has anyone here had experience with a leak in this new of
an Alpha 1 drive, nad what was the actual cause/resolution ?


However..... if you have changed the lubricant recently, it is
normal
that few air bubbles will remain in the outdrive after an oil
change.
They will "purge" themselves during the first three to five trips,
and
consequently the oil level will drop.

If the oil level continues dropping after the first 5 trips after
an
oil change, then you have a leak that needs to be fixed









Mr Wizzard wrote:
What's normal for gear lube consumption for the
newer Alpha 1? I have a 2005 Bayliner 175
w/ Mercruiser 3.0L A-1 which has little plastuc
gear lube monitor. Only had it out 2-3 times
this year since winter, and I noticed that the
fluid level is down about 1/2 inch below the
"Add" line, and I'm concerned. Its *never*
gotten that low before! Today we stoped
in the middle of the lake and went swimming,
wading, and what not, and I looked very hard
for the "rainbow", and found nothing. No signs
of a leak anywhere. No smell, no film, all dry,
no rainbow on water. So if the Alpha-1 was
leaking/seeping gear lube, where would it be
going? prop shaft seal, shift lever? I wonder
if its leaking inside the bellows for the drive shaft ?
is there a way to see down in the bellows from
the inside?

I know everyone says that it should use NO
gear lube, I'm just wondering if there is any
acceptable amount of gear lube that a newer
Alpha-1 can consume before being concerned?
I have been running it pretty hard, and longer
periods of WOT, could that make a difference ?

Thanks!