See the Full Restoration Here! There are full write-ups, pictures, and embedded videos in order. DONT MISS IT! friscoboater1995searay.blogspot.com/2012/01/rebuild-begins.html Follow me on Facebook- facebook.com/friscoboater
@FriscoBoater's Garage Jay, I know you might not be able to read all the comments anymore but I have got to say, your sea ray series is life changing, honestly! it has taught me so much! I will forever be grateful for the effort you have put into the videos. I am truly inspired by you and am working though my own restoration now of a rotted 98' bayliner, I could have never attempted such a project without your videos, I am even documenting the process on RU-vid too. It's crazy to think your sea ray project was over 8 years ago! I am learning from your videos as if you're working on it today! A huge thank you, Jay! From me and everyone else!
I'm using a lot of my Dad's old tools and he has been gone for 46 years, so the tools were likely 15 years older than that. Every time I use them I think of him.
Marine Mechanic here. Good stuff, Frisco! Anyone with basic mechanical aptitude can view your videos and get the job done. One suggestion to include with every video, however, is to be sure to use Anti-Seize compund on all of the fasteners (such as those infamous "Trim Senders") when you reassemble the components. I use the "silver" aluminum based anti-seize, because it is material-compatable. Don't apply anti-seize to the hingepins; as they require thread-locking compound when reinstalled!
Great video, thank you! I just removed the drive and came inside to reference a video, and now.. here I am. I now realize that I didn't purchase all the parts that should be replaced (Oil fill tube, fresh water transfer tube, plastic wedges). The inside if my housing was corroded pretty badly. So I can get all cleaned up while I wait on parts.
8:32 - "Let me figure this out for a second and I'll come up with a solution (pause for Break) ....I did not come up with a good idea" 😂 🤣 I know the feeling! Appreciate the video.
I may be purchasing a used 1994 23 ft Century shortly with a Mercruiser Outdrive and a 5.7 liter engine. So I'm glad you educated me on this topic. What would it cost in parts to do this whole replacement. And what would someone charge for labor also. Total w parts.
Great video. I have a gear oil leak that seems to be coming from the hose that you showed. Mine is the Alpha drive Gen 2. I am hoping it is close to the same. This video has been a great help. Thanks.
Great video. Just the one I needed to see. About to disassemble my Alpha One for a total rebuild. Mine is in a bit better shape I think, but we think alike. Boat is new to me, with unknown maintenance, if I want to trust it, I have to rebuild it correctly. Not afraid to dig in, not my first rodeo. Just unfamiliar waters so to speak. Pun totally intended. Nice job man.
A recommendation for you to add some additional leverage when working those heavy torques (this is for everyone who it can help), take a combo wrench and put the closed end on the ratchet handle; works wonders when I have a stiff bolt, nut, pin, etc... Great videos! Going to help me out greatly when I take apart mine. Just got a 1974 Bayliner Victoria that needs some minor restoration. Hopefully I will be able to get it in the water next summer.
When you said "let me figure this out for a second and I'll come up with a solution" and then it cut back in with "I did NOT come up with a good idea", I about pissed myself. I was fully expecting some sort of jig or other engineered solution, but maybe I was expecting too much? lmao.
When you pull the hinge pins you can make it easier using a 1/2" impact with a socket to fit and turn the hinge pin tool. Unfortunately most of the hinge pins I've dealt with are stuck so hard they're impossible to get out without tearing up something.
Absolutely love your videos man. Very very informational. Doing the same things to my 85 Larson ski boat. Thank you for all of the help. Haha wish I had a nice place to work on mine like you do too!!
I'm in the middle of this job on my boat and my bellows are stuck. Loosening the metal rings holding it in place does nothing to get it off, I think there must be some kind of adhesive or something binding it to the housing. I'm probably just going to cut it out and completely replace if possible. But i've noticed on these videos that they kind of gloss over the actual removing of the bellows and make it sound like it's easy but in reality it's hard to get off.
Just think when this hits the water you should feel super confident about having no problems after all it is all rebuilt. Now might as well rebuild the engine too that way it will all be new, great job
this will be good to learn how to care for sterndrives on my first sterndrive boat as I like to fix my first sterndrive myself as im an ex marine mechanic and I knew what to do on these sterndrives the one im talking was on the 4,3 litre V6 Mercruisers and the bravo 1 leg as I knew this will be good for when I be getting my first sterndrive boat on a trailer and I will learn how to fix them sterndrives on my first sterndrive boat im getting soon and I knew what to fix on them Mercruiser sterndrives on my first big boat on a trailer this was good work on this video im always learning a lot now this will help me a lot on sterndrives this video was really good I;ve learnt a lot on videos on boat care and this will be good learning tools I will use in future this will be great for me to learn from the experts on sterndrive engines and the drive legs as im ready to learn on sterndrives as im a 1st time owner of a sterndrive boat this was really helpful as I learn a lot on sterndrives now
I currently have a mercruiser and I'm glad that you actually showed at the end that I gear oil I actually have a leak from that house it seems like the only way to get to it is to take all that gimble and all that stuff off in my correct? also can you put a link or show me where you actually bought that specific tool to take the gimbal off? Thank you very much for video I hope you answer all my??
i love your videos, there very informative and they have helped me out alot, i have a 140 hp mercruiser not the same as yours, but your videos still helped me out.
Grab a deep socket that your ratchet handle fits inside of and then put a ten inch extension on the socket and your ratchet becomes vulnerable to breakage but much less painful to use.
My question is about the water tube that goes into the upper outdrive...does the water go into the engine only ? I have a mid engine installation with jack shaft.
First of all I congratulate you on your work. It's really amazing what you can do rebuilding these parts. I need to rebuild two MerCruiser Alpha one gen two Gimbal Bearing. Please I am extremely grateful if you can send me your information and let me know if you have the time to do this job. I really appreciate your prompt response. Carlos.
Hi Great Video thanks. I have a question, How much should it cost to replace a lower unit on a MerCruser including labor and involving Gimbal bearing/ring/lever assembly/bellows bearings/hoses and all thanks Jacob
I'm trying to pull off this job this weekend.. should I check for alignment before starting this job as well.. actually I did check the last night and the tool won't get past the gimbal bearing.. should I worry about alignment after I'm done with all the job thanks
Fwiw I'm a Certified Mercury marine mechanic I never remove the housing when I replace the bellows so thinking just because the loctite looked old doesn't mean it wasn't changed
@Panzer Track yes but we usually change the one way valve in the outdrive when we replace the hose. Generally when I get that far in them I'll change the ujoints gimbal bearing and all oil seals in the upper gear housing unless it's a fairly new boat or the customer balks at spending the $ but inadvertently they usually have problems develop. Kind of like a plumbing problem, fix one leak another develops. Biggest problem I have is with improper location of clamps during previous fixes making it difficult to get to them and loosen, I've had to bust a few to get them off. Patience is a virtue at times lol but sometimes the wrenches start flying and I have a heart to heart discussion with the gearcase 😂
Also....if it DOES need to be attached...just a simple hose clamp, or do you run a bead of marine silicone around the hose before the clamp to make a seal?
hey there @friscoboater! I enjoy your rebuild video very much... I wish I can have all the time to do all that to my 87 Bayliner Capri (which I really need to do soon). I have one question for you, what would be the issue if my power trim sometimes wouldn't work (go down or up). during those times, I have to add more liquids into it for it to work properly again... and there seems to be a leak also... I also have an inboard .. tia...
I was going to suggest PB Blaster or any good penetrating oil the day or two before the job. Never knew Zmax was for penetrating crusty threads, gotta try that.
Thank you for the video! I only needed to see one part of this, but anyhow I appreciate the video as it helped me understand something going on with my auto oil fill line and I am new at boating from an owner's point of view.
Hey, great video. I'm really having a hard time getting the hinge pins loosened. Did you do anything other than use the large ratchet. I'm considering buying $90 torque wrench to get them loosened.
Simple breaker bar got them off. So got past that problem. I have repainted everything now. Unfortunately, despite the warning of cutting the gear lube hose, I have managed to break that plastic fitting. Trying to figure out how to remove the fitting, it's easy to access from the inside of the boat too. Any ideas on that? I'm like you, replacing all of the bellows and hoses while I'm in there. My gimbal bearing is good, and I think I could replace that later just by taking the outdrive off if I had to. Do you suggest I place the bearing even though mine appears to be fine?
Hi Fresco, I have a problem with air bobbles coming up between my bell housing and gear housing. I had taken it in my my marine shop prior to this and had the water pickup hose replaced on my bravo 1 drive. I sense have taken it back and still have bubbles coming up at the very center between the two. Luckily, I have no water in the gear oil but I am concerned about water damage /exposure to the drive shaft. any thoughts. Thank you.
i' m concerned i'm working on a 1988 carvelle attwood ,there is a hole in the bottom of the boat and i don't know how to fix it ,it is about a half a inch wide and about 3 inches long on the hull,what do i put underit so the rein doesn't drip or will the fiberglass hold it in place,and how many coats of fiberglass do i put on it welder315
FriscoBoater I'm trying to do this job I actually got the alignment tool.. I think the engine is out Alignment. It won't get past the gimbal bearing... should I worry about it before removing the gimbal bearing or after I'm all done thanks
Ohhhh i remeber this shit back in the 80 and 90' ....thanks God Japan ivited Yamaha and from then on its driving and not kneeing.....puhhh this Mercurys was a big sh.. Today even they let produce their Outboards in Japan and yust put a Sticker with Mercury on it ......
