Alpha ss Drive problems

[clc]

Hope someone can help with this. I have a 1990 Senator with a factory tune port injected 350 Merc Cruiser and an Alpha SS drive. I love the Boat It runs good and is in very good shape but I have over heating problems all the time and I believe it related to the pump in the drive. If this boat is even within 50 ft of a “piece” of sea weed I loose water to the engine and im breaking out the oar! Each time I pull the plates off the side of the drive and there is a “single” piece of sea weed in there. Once I remove it im good to go. I understand that Sea weed is always something to avoid but I can’t believe that single small strand of see weed should cripple it. Other boats go through the same areas as me and have no problems. I have replaced the impellor my self as well as had the dealer replace and check it a couple of times with the same result. I have also checked the oil cooler filter and it is clean. I am confident the problem is in the drive because I have checked for water coming from the drive to the engine and it is not pumping. As of recently the problem is worse in that I seem to be loosing water when up on plane but ok when at low speed.

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with these drives and or this problem. I hate to swap out the drive for a standard Alpha as this one is stronger shorter and has a nose cone. Thanks Chris

[clc]

Hope someone can help with this. I have a 1990 Senator with a factory tune port injected 350 Merc Cruiser and an Alpha SS drive. I love the Boat It runs good and is in very good shape but I have over heating problems all the time and I believe it related to the pump in the drive. If this boat is even within 50 ft of a “piece” of sea weed I loose water to the engine and im breaking out the oar! Each time I pull the plates off the side of the drive and there is a “single” piece of sea weed in there. Once I remove it im good to go. I understand that Sea weed is always something to avoid but I can’t believe that single small strand of see weed should cripple it. Other boats go through the same areas as me and have no problems. I have replaced the impellor my self as well as had the dealer replace and check it a couple of times with the same result. I have also checked the oil cooler filter and it is clean. I am confident the problem is in the drive because I have checked for water coming from the drive to the engine and it is not pumping. As of recently the problem is worse in that I seem to be loosing water when up on plane but ok when at low speed.

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with these drives and or this problem. I hate to swap out the drive for a standard Alpha as this one is stronger shorter and has a nose cone. Thanks Chris

[vinny p.]

Welcome to the board.

I can't see how a single strand of seaweed can cause this problem. There must be something else lurking about that is helping this problem come about. I am not familiar with an Alpha SS drive. I have only seen 1 but I never worked on it. Is the impeller similar to that of a standard Alpha? Is it possible that there is something else in the water passage that goes from the seawater pick-up to the impeller that is causing a block-off? After you have this problem, does pulling the seaweed out repair it, or do you have to change the impeller? If so, is the impeller melted down?

[Eriktheviking]

Hey CLC,
I,ve got an ss drive and I,ve got a few ideas. Those side access plates have to have a perfect seal or your pump will sucking water from around them instead of from the 2 holes in the nose. Whats sucks is that those rubber O-rings are no longer available. So I had to run a bead off permatex silicone on mine and it worked great. Also you should drop the lower unit and make sure the tube on the top of the pump fits correctly into the inlet of the upper gearcase. Sometimes they're cut too short and that lets water spray around in that area. I'd also take some compressed air and blast it thru the intake holes on your lower unit and see how well it comes out in that side panel area. There could be some crap stuck in there. If there is run some wire up thru to clear it. Another thing I found on a Senator I once owned was that the tube which delivers the water from the upper gearcase to the engine was too long. So when the drive was down the hose would kink and cut of the circulation to the engine. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif You should only use Merc. hose for that. Its cut to the perfect length and has reinforced sidewalls and is made for the job. Some people use heater hose and that doesn't cut it.Let me know how you make out. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/thumb.gif

[Chris]

I've got no advice CLC.

I just wanted to welcome you to the board.

It's nice to have you aboard. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

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[clc]

I want to begin by thanking everyone for the response. It’s much appreciated. Also sorry for the slow response I have been working my but off here. With that sad I agree I can’t believe that a single strand of sea weed should cripple this drive but it does. The Impeller is a standard alpha unit. In fact many of the serviceable parts are the same as the standard Alpha. The difference is mostly in the diameter of the bearings and shafts and the shorter lower unit with a nose cone. It does have very different water inlets. 2 inlets on the front of the nose cone and 2 inlets on either side of the drive above the anti cavitation plate.

I have never melted the impeller; in fact there has not been any sea weed in or around the impeller. I have blown compressed air through the inlets of the nose cone many times as well as run wire through them and they are clear. The water inlet hose from the drive to the transom is a brand new merc unit that I didn’t need to cut. I pretty sure that it is not kinking or collapsing when the drive is in the down position but I will definitely check this. I think Eriktheviking may have hit on something. The plates on the side of drive originally were sealed over with silicone. Since the first water problem im not sure I have re sealed the plates and have relied on the original o ring and sealer that is built up round those o rings which is a lot. I thought that there was enough there to form a gasket so to speak but maybe they are not sealing. Also I am interested in dropping the lower unit and seeing if the tub on the top of the pump is fitting correctly. Unfortunately in frustration I have winterized the boat and put it away for the season so I will have to test these theories next season. Again I really appreciate the info. Thanks guys
http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/thumb.gif

[Eriktheviking]

I'll bet its the seal on those side plates.But we'll see next spring.

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87 ENFORCER 454 MAGNUM SS ALPHA W/CUPPED 22 PROTESTOR PROP