crisco72

Hi guys and gals,
I need some help/advice with my Formula 233 LS PRE-alpha one lower. Serial is 5901870
Here's what happened. I was out on the lake a while back, tubing, pulling skiers etc when all of the sudden it just went into neutral.
I tried forward and reverse, nothing.
So I turned the engine off, jumped in the water, and had someone move the lever all the forward then reverse. The prop just free spun like it was in neutral. First thought was spun hub but the nut was spinning with the prop (by hand of course, engine's still off)
So then I assumed the worst. Coupler. Although I didn't smell burnt rubber under the hatch and didn't see any rubber chunks.

So here I am, with the boat in the driveway. Lever all the way forward, prop won't turn one way but ratchets the other. Neutral it free spins, reverse is of course the opposite. Doesn't turn one way ratchets the other.
So I pull the drive. Shine a flashlight in at the coupler, it's intact.
Have someone move the lever from forward to neutral, to reverse, back to forward, the lower shift cable moves fine. I can grab it by the gimbal and don't feel any in and out play.
OK, on to the lower. Turn the shift shaft one way, same prop action. Turns the ujoints going one way, ratchets the other. Same but opposite for reverse.
Now I split the lower.
And now I am lost as to what could be wrong.
This is the first time I have worked on a stern drive so bear with me if I ask dumb questions or don't call a doohickey by it's proper name.

I have three questions.

First, this video is of the vertical shaft on the lower. Is this amount of play normal? I wouldn't think so but want to ask. If not, what would it take to replace the bearing? I have a full garage but this probably requires special tools right? How much does a shop usually charge for this? The prop shaft has zero play.
The second question is about the lower shift link. The splined one that's in the upper. The second video shows how sloppy it is. It doesn't seem logical that it would have so much play, especially up and down.


And boy am I glad I went ahead and pulled the drive apart! Look at the impeller! I tried to use the attach picture icon but it didn't work so here's a link.
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. BOTH boat repair shops in town are 8 weeks + out for any repairs.

BUP

iTrader: (9)

SEI 3 year no fault warranty and call it done retail is like 1100 if I recall correctly for a complete Alpha drive. I am dealer for them as well.

I would go with the Merc OEM impeller if you do go with an SEI drive and throw their impeller in the trash..

crisco72

If I had that money I would!
Besides I only have ponds close to me. The closest "real" lake for a boat this size is lake mcconaughy in Nebraska 5 hrs away.
Trust me, if I was still in upstate NY with access to the great lakes I would pony up.
But the upside is I also prefer to work on my own junk. If nothing else it gives me the peace of mind if I am 5 hrs away on a 5 day vacation I am not at the mercy of the local $$$$ boat shop.


On a side note, the intermediate shift shaft doesn't stay high enough in the upper. I am having one hell of a hard time finding a pdf manual for this drive or even decent exploded diagrams.
I did find some topics on this issue that mention a stainless steel washer but all the links to diagrams and parts are broken links now.

SB

iTrader: (1)

Try this:

https://www.4shared.com/document/Ak7...anual_6_R_.htm

crisco72

That link want's me to sign up.

I am truly jealous of you guys that have real spots to drop in the water. Denver sucks after you have been in west palm beach, and the great lakes.

SB

iTrader: (1)

Doesn't ask me, but I have AdPlus, I don't even see that button.

Anyway - here is the ,pdf page.

https://www.4shared.com/web/preview/pdf/Ak79wzYs

dereknkathy

So the shift foot in the drive drops out of the shoe in the transom assy? Pull the cotter pin and shim it up a bit with stainless washers. But I don't like that bearing. I have a 1.62 or 1.67 whole drive I am trying to get 200 bucks for. Low time always trailered. Has a crack on the cavitation plate. Has doel fin on it covers the crack. Sell you the lower for 150 and a shipping guess is around 75.

28 V

The bearing appears to be toast, the upper shift shaft vertical play appears normal. It sits on top of the shift shaft spline when assembled and will be up 3/8 or so from bottom flange. Needs to engage the foot.
My free internet advice & guess is that the bellville washer that keeps the shift dog gears tight has lost its spring- the drive may appear "normal" when tested on trailer but unable to sustain load/stay in gear when on the water.
Another drive as suggested above may be most economical route.

dereknkathy

There are zillions of alphas out there. And nobody is buying them...

crisco72

Oh I know. I have a 450hp ZZ4 roller motor I would love to throw in but the drive would never take it. And I can't make myself bite the bullet to convert to a bravo. Yet.