Engine alignment???
 

How easy should the alignment tool slide in on a bravo 1?

Will it go in at all if it is out of alignment?

Lastly how do you know which way the motor needs to move and how do you adjust it?

Thank you in advance!

Should go in and out real easy. Rule of thumb is 2 fingers should all that needed to hold onto the tool to insert and remove.

If it's aligned correctly, the tool goes in all the way till it bottoms out on the gimble bearing.

Smear grease on the tool end and slide it in. Don't turn it. Do not force it in. Light hand force only. Remove the tool and read the grease markings. If wiped off the top, lower the engine front. Wiped off the bottom, raise the engine.

Gotta make sure you coupler splines are good 1st though. Should be flat on the splines, not sharp points.

What US 1 said, but I'll add this little bit that I learned.

The gimbal bearing will move in it's carrier, so it is possible that the bearing needs alignment, not the engine. I put a new bearing in, and the alignment was way off. Couldn't even get it in the coupler. I had checked alignment before the change several times, and knew it sohould be OK. Obviously, the engine did not move. The bearing was somewhat cocked in the bearing carrier.

I was able to move it around to get the tool to go into the coupler, and by checking the grease marks as above, was able to fine tune the bearing in the carrrier for a perfect fit.

Thank you for the input!

If it is wiped off the bottom wouldnt you lower the engine and vice-versa??

Also where do you adjust it at?

I made that same bonehead move, was drivin' me nuts. I called marc from BAM, and was gonna bring the boat to him to get it done(was his tool I borrowed), and he said "you know better than that, align the bearing ya dope"!!!

Raising the (front)mounts actually lowers the rear of the engine, if I remember correctly the rear mounts are not adjustable(been a while, I play with outboards now).

It seems weird, but is opposite what one would think. Depending on if you have solid mounts or the standard post mounts dictates how to align. If post mounts, double check that the mount has not lowered down on the stud exposing threads on top between teh mount and top nut. If it has, do not tighten the upper nut down, instead you tighten the lower nut which raises the motor back up into alignment 90% of the time. But still needs checked. The stud type mounts are known for having the lower nut back down, lowering the motor throwing it off. You really aren't lowering/raising the coupler, but changing the angle so it runs inline with the bearing and drive since the height is factory preset from your rear motor mount/transom plate.

Use a pipe (coupler) and rod (tool) that fits inside the pipe for visual aid and see were the rod touches the pipe ID if held off true. It'll be pretty easy to understand how the grease marking are read then.

The ITS alignment tool is real nice. It has an outer pipe that fits in the gimbal bearing, and then the inner tool slides inside of that. Sounds like what US1 is talking about. BTW, the ITS tool will work on all bravos.

Another clue as to how well your alignment is that the drive should come off and go back on pretty easily.

The pipe and rod mentioning was for bench talk to help "see" how the grease marks are read.

Yep, on the ease of removal. Embarrassed to say, but my 1st experience was helping a buddy some 10 yrs ago replace a noisy gimble bearing on his boat. Had to use pry bars to pry his drive off, and then use blocks of wood and a sledge to drive i the drive back on.
If I knew then what I know now. You reckon the alignment was off, that wiped out the bearing and made for the drive R&R like it was? Oh boy. :D

Thank you guys for all your help! Now i dont have to go into blind when I do it!

I watched my mechanic replace my (alpha) drive yesterday. I had replaced the engine mounts and did my best to get them as close as I could by measuring and eye-balling. he brought the alignment tool and put it in, it didn't go in all the way for the first two attempts but after setting the bearing with some light taps of a soft-faced hammer and the tool it was fine. So, just because it doesn't fit at first doesn't mean it isn't right. After it was seated properly we checked the grease marks and determined it was only a hair off. not even worth messing with. just my .02

i just pulled out my 502 to do a rebuild. should i have to worry about this when its going back in?

I am hoping your mechanic was tapping up and down or left to right to align the gimbal bearing, if not he should be shot for beatingthe alignment tool in.

Should always check it whenever the motor is pulled. Solid mounts are usually ok if they are left bolted to the boat.

And then check at least every 2 yrs. Allows you to check your bellows and grease teh u-joints

I have also found when replacing a gimble bearing you can hear & feel when it is seated, I also tap it with a brass drift just to make sure

yes, sorry if that wasn't clear. he tapped it down based on the grease marks, not in.

I was checking mine and it looks heavy on one side? Also the engine is not level left and right. After i leveled the engine with the pins and checking it with the back transom, the floor ,and measuring down to the adjusting pin plates of the valve covers its dead on. Now when it put the tool in it hits on the port side? I did use the coupler i used last year since it was one year old? any ideas? thanks dan

little d---I think you boat is bent!

Another thing to try is to rotate the engine 180* after you have it aligned. If the coupler is warped, it will show up then. I chased a warped coupler for a few (more like several to many many) hours one time. Had to borrow a good one, align the motor and then reinstall the bad one and ran it for 6-8yrs.. never had a problem with it.

I think you nailed it on the coupler. I worked with one guy inside the boat and making 1/8 turns on the adjusting nuts and we got it were it went easy and the grease had splines all the way around the tool. after turning the motor 180 it got tight again. the bottom of the adjusting stands do have a slotted bolts holes, but very little movement. Thanks for the help i thin im good to go.

But then wouldn't that "bind" on every revolution at that 180 point? Or did you get 100% alignment by shifting around the slotted holes?

I'm asking as I did all new mounts on my twin 454/bravo & will be doing the re-install in a couple weeks.