Wanting to change the oil, drive fluid, and impeller. Called around to good shops and got quoted $350-420. This seems high for a boat with the 5.0 mpi/alpha combo. What do you guys think? Also i'd like a service manual for my boat. Where can i pick one up? Lastly, what is the best brand impeller to use?

If you have any mechanical talent you can do it by yourself. I have never changed the drive in the alpha/5.0 or the impellor on that motor but you can do it all if you spend alittle money and get and oil pump and an impellor. This should be about a 3 beer job after you get the motor and drive warmed up. If you try to do it while it is cold then prepare to have a six pack on hand. Someone will chip in but you can save $200.00 plus if you do it your self.

Almost all marinas charge at least $100.00 per hour labor rate. With the price quoted, I would guess around 2 hours labor. You can get all the lube and filters genuine Mercury quicksilver from Walmart for half what a marina will charge you. All you will need to get from the dealer is the impeller. You can also get the oil and gear lube pump at walmart for less than $10.00 each. Very easy job...Jeff Wurl

The impeller in an Alpha drive is in the lower unit, thus it has to be removed from the drive. If you have never done this before, I would pay to have it done by a shop.

As far as everything else goes, it is fairly easy to do yourself. Just make sure you allow enough time so as to not be rushed.

Unless you've run it into sand, I wouldnt mess with it.

The impeller in a alpha lasts a looong time....much
longer than it does in a bravo.

thanks guys :-) Ran over to west marine saturday for a service manual. Saw how you have to remove the lower unit and think that the $225 just to change the impeller isn't so bad now lol One thing i noticed while there was that they had two quicksilver impellers on the shelf for alpha gen 2's. One was beefier/thicker vanes ($49) than the other ($29). I wanna make sure i get the best one possible. Quicksilver a good brand? Is there a better one than them to use? I'm definitely gonna change it just for my own piece of mind.

If you are looking to replace your impeller, check out this company. They make an impeller that can run dry and resists sand damage. I haven't put on in ours yet but we we change it I am going to give this a try.

Has anyone else used this yet?


http://www.globecomposite.com/pages/products_marine

http://gcsmarine.com/GCSMarineImpellerSizing.aspx

so that's where i can order those! there was a thread over on speedwake where a couple guys were praising them but they just called them blue rundry's. one guy said his was like new after years of service and is still using it.

These could be the ones... a friend sent me a link back in the fall but I misplaced it. Came up with this company after searching and looks like the one that was recommended.