I just bought a 1984 open bow, it has a fresh 350 Merc with a Alpha one. I have been looking for what I should be maintaining to make sure my boat name "wasted wages" is really true....

Should I just buy some manuals? I lost wheel on the trailer, on the second trip, so, I learned that stuff the hard way. Pulled all the wheels, replaced bearings, bought caps and now fill them every trip.

Anyway, motor fluids are easy, what about out drive stuff? I don't think I see any fittings or openings, but I assume there is some sort of gear oil. This is my first boat, I want to make then mistakes and learn now, before I buy some nicer.

If u take the prop off there is a plug ( flat screw driver 0 on the bottom, thats where u drain and fill it , u also should have a reservior inside the boat ( at the transom next to the inner gimbal housing ) where u can check level.
Then there is an impeller inside the drive, that sucks the water in to your engine for cooling. Its between the upper and lower housing and is actually easy to change out if needet . A manual would defenatly help 100% .
keep the propshaft clean of rust and grease well with arine grease, spray outdrive and prop down after washing good when getting out of the water with WD-40 , it helps !!!!!
Greas the coupler on the bellhousing on the engine where the drive plugs into and grease the drive if there are any nipples on it .
beeing an 1984 i think its a Alpha I gen 1 which i am not to familiar with but i think it did not change a lot to the gen 2 ?!

Like i said, manual is the best start !

Bought my mercury manuels off ebay they are like haynes or chilton books gives you step by step and lots of service info and didnt have to spend a fortune, search for