Alpha Outdrive Leak?

[Super D]

So it finally happened. Looks like a small leak from up inside where the vertical shaft is visible on the front side of the drive, just above where the upper unit meets the lower unit. Any ideas? Easy enough to fix, or take it to the shop? Would this be at all related to having the impellar serviced this season? It did not leak immediately afterward, so methinks not.
Please advise!:idea:
Thanks!

[Ryan00TJ]

There are two seals in the upper case that seal the vertical driveshaft. The upper is larger and keeps the oil in while the lower is smaller and keeps water out. Was the drive pressure tested and failed?
If the leak is one of these seals it's a pretty easy fix but you will need a few special tools.
An upper retainer wrench to remove the drive gear assembly and driveshaft. Once the driveshaft assembly is out, remove the top cap and reach in and remove the drive gear assembly. This will reveal the two upper vert DS oil seals. Remove seals and install new ones. Merc makes a special tool for this and it works wonders. I've seen it done the garage way with a socket but to each their own. Reassemble, pressure test and go boating.
This is a generic rundown but should give you an idea of what the process will involve.
If we were on the same coast I would do it for you for free. I've got all the tools and am pretty good rebuilding drives.

[watergun4u]

sounds to me like it may be the shift shaft seal, that is a comon thing that goes out on the alpha drives! check it out, just my .02

[Ryan00TJ]

watergun4u is correct on the shift shaft seal also. It's located in the lower housing. There are only a few ways water can enter the Alpha.
The double prop shaft seals, carrier o-ring, shift shaft bushing, vert shaft seals, upper cap o-ring, water pump base seal. If your ujoint bellows are cracked and allowing water inside the bellows the seal on the driveshaft assembly can leak. It's purpose is to keep the gear oil in and not keep water out.
If it were mine I would pressure test the drive before doing anything and make sure it in fact fails. If so try and find the point of leakage. If you can't find where it is leaking from I would go ahead and replace all the seals I listed above as it's a sure fire way to fix the leak.

[jkh04200]

As they all said.
Get you a seloc repair manual. Gives a great picture of exactly what all is involved. It is an easy fix. Now getting the seals in (upper & lower) is a pain in the ass. If I have to do this again I'm gonna get the tool ryan mentioned. But it can be done without.
One thing to look at is the verical shaft, below the gear, the area where the water seal rides. This shaft will rust in that area. The pits will tear up the new seal quickly. All you have to do is clean the area with sandpaper and apply JB weld. Sand it back down to cover the pits. After the JB weld dries use a 60ish grit emery cloth or sand paper. Once the biggest part of the JB is romoved go to about a 200 sand paper. It does not have to be a mirror finish. I've done several over the years and never had a problem.

[Super D]

thanks everyone for the input. I have the manual, but am concerned my schleprock (from the Flintstones) tendencies will crush my DIY tendencies (note self-pathetic humor). Will probably try to get an estimate for repairs versus DIY and weigh it all out...
Scale of 1-10, how would you rate this repair (10 being hardest)? I have ok mechanical skills, have done water pumps, plugs, oil, basic stuff...
Thanks again!

[jkh04200]

Super D. I'd rate this at a 3 maybe less. As far as the mechanical part of it. Its a no brainer. There are shims for the horizontal gears. But your not gonna change them. Just put everthing back the way it came off.
To me the hardest part of the whole thing was the R/R of the out drive.