Remote Oil reservoir question

[Wally3300]

I just bought the SE116 and it is a really nice unit from the looks of it. I have a question about the opening for the oil passage. I am installing a reservoir on my boat to accommodate a remote oil reservoir. My bell housing has the opening as does my hull. My question is about the opening on your drive. My old drive, though it was not used, had a spring loaded ball or bearing inserted in this spot to press against the dribble valve when the drive is installed. Your drive does not have this as shown in the picture. Where can I get the piece that needs to be inserted in this opening and what is the part number for it so I can find it? Was the drive to come with this?

Thanks!

[Tech Support]

Our drive does not come with the check valve. You need Mercury part number 17997A1 spring kit. To install the kit you will first have to remove the thin sleeve in the oil passage hole of our drive.

Tech Support

[Wally3300]

Thanks for the reply. That's what I thought but I did not know about removing the sleeve so thank you for the response. By the way, the drive looks to be a real quality built unit. I will post results of my test drives with it when I finish installing it. It went together real easy but I want to add the Oil reservoir while I have it off.

[hzz]

If you do not want to use a remote oil reservoir, how do you block the opening?

Also, if I do want to install the check valve, how do you remove the thin sleeve in the oil passage?

I gave the unit to my marina to install, and they can't figure it out.

They also found a leak in the lower unit around the shift lever, even though it was pressure tested before it left the dealer.

I am starting to wonder about my marina

Any help would be appreciated.

[Tech Support]

If you do not want to use the remote reservoir you can install our drive without the check valve. This would keep the bell housing sealed as there would be nothing to press on the plunger in the housing to open it.

Tech Support

[hzz]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Just to make sure I understand, the upper unit as it is shipped has a seal in the oil passage opening(a plunger ) that will not allow the oil to come out.

Thanks again

[Tech Support]

No, the plunger would be in the bell housing of your Alpha One Generation Two. If you are eliminating the remote reservoir you can leave the plunger in the bell housing. By not installing the check valve in the upper drive the plunger has nothing to push it in. When it is pushed in it opens the oil passage.

Tech Support

[hzz]

Okay....I think I got it now.

My boat does not have the remote reservoir, so basically I don't have to worry about the oil passage opening...just leave it as is and install.

[hzz]

If the mechanic does want to remove the sleeve to put in the check valve, what is the best way to remove it?

[Tech Support]

If you take as large a flat head screwdriver as you can fit into the sleeve, you can push down a little and drag it out.

Tech Support

[Wally3300]

I put the screw driver into the hole at an angle with the end digging into the aluminum sleeve in order to get a grip on it. I then twisted it counterclockwise and it loosened up and screwed right out. Took a while to figure that out. If someone needs pics of how I did it I can provide that.