We had some damage to the aluminum housing on our Alpha 1 Mercruiser
drive lower unit. Per the manual, we removed it and a local prop shop
replaced the horizontal fins that the ski fin had caused to break.
Upon re-assembly, we found the o-ring for the drive shaft was still in
the upper unit. After a little work, we removed it, but a funny part
fell out also, and we can't find it anywhere on the diagrams. It is
about the size of the o-ring, metal, and is a spring, although very
small. Could this be the guts of an o-ring? I'm buffalo'ed.

Any idears?