the little lead thingy that looks like a minature rudder on the lower unit whats that called and if its bent and not straight would that cause the boat to vibrate gonna replace it today Im hoping thats what the problem is thanks and on the prop it self should that be tight with no back and forth play at all my prop has a very little back and forth play in it when i go to the shop im gonna check the boats in the yard see how theres are I hit a buoy the other night and this thing got bent and it just wasnt running right thanks for help ps the skeg is bent to the left and this thing is bent to the right you think they would offset each other:smash:

MM, you can use that little rudder thingy to adjust the way the boat tracks, if she drifts to the left or right when yo let go of the wheel you can turn that rudder and compensate.

Vibration? there might be more going on there......

STOP hitting things I had it running in the yard no noise no shaking runs beautiful checked oils all nice prop is spinning nice I turned it nice and slow by hand no noises I can only figure its all the bends in things that are causeing it gonna replace this part and take it up the pond run it and see if that helps if not in the shop it goes before I really break something!

Neither the skeg or the "thingy" will cause vibration.
It's either the prop or the prop shaft.
You won't be able to notice vibration in the backyard or a bent shaft by hand. (unless its REALLY bent!)

Once your in the water and the prop is under load and pushing, then see.

What did you replace after you hit the rock?

I bet one of your prop blades are slightly out of whack. (If you have an AL prop it is almost a sure bet that after you hit something it is bent.
The shaft could be bent but if so, I bet the prop is as well. Change the prop first. (replace the skeg, remember the setting that it was) It removes prop torque from steering your boat off course. If you have CR twins...you really don't need that skeg, or you could set it to zero)

replaced the rudder thingy it was bent and turned to far to the right he put a pencil on the shaft said that was allright I guess you put the pencil in the shaft and spin the prop if the pencil wobbles its bent so i replaced the rudder brand new the prop is just scraped real good not bent or nothing He thinks it was the rudder bend and turned way to the right i guess when i hit the buoy it got caught in the prop and that rudder bent and turned it but i just came back from the pond is running beautiful no problems TODAY!!! GOT RIGHT OUT OF THERE THOUGH 4-6 FT WATER THATS ALL i NEED:smash: thanks for info

one thing u had better check before u go running around alot... drain the gear oil in the lower unit an look to see if theres any milk color in the oil as well as alot of metal fileing, when u hit anything with the lower unit , u can break the seal an chip gears inside.....something u don't want to over look.

with out draining the whole resovoir you know just open it let it drain to see if its milky and if not close it back up! as you can tell im not a marine mechanic

theres two ports[screws] one on top an one on the bottom , it won't drain unless the top one is open to...

un do the bottom one first, then slowly back off the top one untill the oil starts to flow, you'll know in a short time if theres water in there,,,,milky in color, white..........if you get that, better go back to the shop an have it checked out,,,,,,,,,,,

thanks capesams keep my fingers crossed

I just checked that oil its almost a black color same as in the resovoir how often are you supposed to change the lower oil!!

I change it 2-3 times a season........if u ever saw the inside of a lower unit, u wouldn't keep old oil in it......black means one or two things,,,it's old oil,,,,,,,,or when it was put together the clearence between the washers /rings etc. are to tite an it's frying the oil.....I think in your case it's just old oil...........smell it, if it smells burnt....have it checked out....my lower unit blew last summer from just ticking a sand bar,,1200.00 for a used one, parts alone to rebuild mine were 1200.00 never mind the 60.00 an hour for labor on top of the parts...everyone is so concerned about the power head but never give a second thought about the lower unit:smash:

have the oil here ill change it tommorro you just drain it and then fill it with that pump from the bottom until the resovoir is filled right just smells like used oil its clear you can see through it i meant black blue in color not fried black sludge like !! its the same color blue as the resovoir

:kewl:

help!! you really are a nice guy! and not that grouch you want to portray with that pic! now bassmaster is another story!:D

don't beleive eveything u read, ;)

Mike - just to add to what CS is saying... When I had a ster drive with an Alpha One (you might have a newer Alpha 2), if I remember, the bottom drain plug was magenetic and would pick up metal filings if things were wearing. A little bit might happen but if there is a lot... Also if it's not metal when you drain the gear oil you can run a magnet through the container you drained into and see if it picks up a lot.

BUY A SERVICE MANUAL FOR AN ALHPA WHATEVER YOU HAVE - even if it's just a Clymer's Manual - cost 20-30 bucks but is a must for you - has all of this info in it. RTFM - Read The (insert almost any F word here) Manual...

Milky gear oil is bad. Propper gear oil I think is 80-90 weight and should be a dark brown but somewhat translucent oil. Shouldn't be flat anything if I remember right. Also, there is no resevoir to hold this fluid - it's all in the gearcase. If you are comparing the color to a tank inside your boat, that's your outdrive's tilt and trim tank. A different hydraulic system for the outdrive and not to be confused with lower unit oil.

Best thing to do is to change the fluid. Drain ALL of the fluid into a container and check with a magnet. Get a new washer for the drain plug ready before refilling, with the overflow hole open and using a stern drive filler pump ($20 that you'll be happy you spent) refill the the lower unit from the drain plug until it flows out of the top hole (there are three holes total, drain and 2 weeps if I remember - it's in the manual) then with the pump still in the drain plug and without spilling any oil, get the drain plug with NEW WASHER, up against hole and quickly place in - in place of pump - and screw tight. Read the instructions on how to do first... Run it for a couple trips and drain again to check for milkyness in the oil - might take a couplke checks but it's a good practice and won't take lnog once you've done it a couple times...

I think I allways check all oils before i go out does that count lol!

Damn - you're right - that's what it is. But it was notavilable on the older models and that's why I said RTFM :D .... Can you fill from there too? or do you still need to do it the old fashined way??

http://www.mercurymarine.com/3.0l_sd_-_135_hp

check that screw it does have a magnet then you fill from bottom like before to get air out and watch the container to the fill line I do listen to directions good it hasnt been done since winterizing last year im gonna do it today oil and lower unit how often on hydralics oil!! i just read some of that link 3 year 300 hr maitnance whats that mean oh and to change oil it has a little hose that comes out the back drain plug you open the top cap unscrew that hose plug and it drains empty pretty easy to change regular oil even i can do that!!

literally I told you guys how easy it was to change oil well it was draining slow from that hose so me thinkin something is clogging it blow into it nothing so i give it a suck to get it going and well you can guess the rest!:smash: right in the middle of doing this the wife says im going out and the baby is sleeping he should sleep till i get back yea right !! got the monitor out with me 2 minutes after she leaves driveway naaa! naaa! he hasnt slept yet!! so ill finish this later got toget the taste of oil out my mouth :laughs:

You need to open the VENT screws to VENT the gearcase with air to allow the OIL to run out :) ... How's the boy doing?

5 months 27" long 21lbs eats like theres no tommorro I just had him on his blanket playing hes just about ready to crawl hes drewling bad so he was covered with dog hairs all stuck to his face i had to wash him up before mom gets back lol! here he is all over macey!:D what you doing babysitting too today!:D

oils were dirty but not milky no filings on magnet very very!! I repeat very fine almost powder like stuff on magnet and very little all set now till winterizing then its going to the shop for pro overhaul and winterizeing thanks for all the advise i will do it more often now that ive done it on my own!