Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

I'm putting my engine in and the alignment tool will go in and out easy but the motor is tilted forward (not level). If I raise the front of the motor to make it level the alignment tool won't go in. Does this sound right? Also if I leave the alignment tool in and then raise the front of the motor I can't get it out!

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Its right, when sitting in the water bet its real close to level

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Rotate gimbal bearing 90 L +R then 180 and repeat? Attempt to center it up and re-check. What shape is the coupler in?

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

GOODT, I was thinking the same thing.

baddog, coupler is in good shape.

I'm just scared that I'm going to wipe the bearing out running it tilted forward. When the tool is sticking out of the gimbal it looks to be running upward. But if you move the gimbal housing up a little the tool looks parallel with the outdrive mounting studs. So where should the gimbal housing be when you align?

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

trust the alinment tool not your eyes.....it cant lie to you..........unlike my wife

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

If the transom angle is more vertical (less than 13 degrees), the engine will not be level with the stringers. When you are "aligning" the engine, you are adjusting the angle to the transom.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Could it be possible that the bearing was cocked to start out with and I aligned the motor to the cocked bearing?

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

no the alinment tool will set it also to the correct angle

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

OK, I'm all out...I guess I beleive you :D Thanks.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

been playing with these for 25 yrs with merc, omc, and volvo certs oh and sea doo trust me your good to go

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

LMAO!! :D :D

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Yup, GOODT and Falcon are right on. My motor is not parallel to the stringers or the gunnels. You can see the top of the plennum in this pic, the front of the motor is noticably lower.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

When I reinstalled one of my motors this spring and aligned it. I had to raise the front ALOT. The tool fits perfect that way but I'm at the top of the mount studs. The other motor is almost 1" lower :(

I'm worried about it...

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

as long as the tool slides ALL the way in and out easily then the alinment is correct,

as for being at the top of the stud with out seeing it its hard to say why, I dont know how they are mouning them to the stringer or if they are on top ect....

but something is differnt some were, did you remember the fiber washers with the spring spacers on the back mounts ???

if so did you glue them in place and make sure they are still there????

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

I would too :(

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

I am planning on getting a new coupler for my boat, it's a 1990 baja 210 ess with 7.4L and bravo one. Are all the alignment tools the same p/n? If not, anyone know which i need and where i can get it. How about the BAM mercruiser i see advertised on here, are they pretty cheap?

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Cloud...Yes, Alpha/Bravo. I got mine on Ebay from a guy who makes them for 40-50 bucks. Nice tool.

Goodt... The spacers are in place. The nuts were rusted/stuck on the mount studs and when turning the nuts, the studs were spinning in the mounts. Had I known when I had the motor out I would have fixed that.

Mopower... I am, but has no vibration or anything. Hope to get thru the season when I plan to pull both motors and take care of a few things like this. I wonder if my other motor is just too low? I should check alignment on both again soon.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Dave M, thats exactly how my motor looks. I feel alot better now!

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

John...get r done :D

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Whats up Bob!

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Underdog lower the drive down on the motor that has you worried and have someone with some weight stand on it and bounce while you observe the transom ,epecially down low.Sounds like you might have a rotted transom issue.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

GOODT…. I have a drive alignment problem. I put new transoms assy on my boat. I’m trying to push the alignment tool in but it won’t go. Moving motor up and down the full range of the mounts. I finally crawl down on was able to feel where the tool was hitting…the tool misses the coupler by the height of the bushings on the back mounts. The new transoms do not have the spring washer, but it is almost the exact length of the washers. Can I take them out and let the bell housing just rest on the fiber washers?

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

The first part of the alignment is aligning the bearing. The bearing can pivot in the race. Hard to describe unless you have worked with these types of bearings before, similar to what is used in a machinery shaft pillow block. You can pivot the bearing to "aim" it towards the coupler by tapping or pulling up/down on the alignment bar. You aim the bearing/shaft so that it will hit in the center of the coupler, then adjust the angle of the engine so that it will slide all of the way into the coupler.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

Ain't that the truth! I was helping aligning a motor after a new transom assembly was installed. We scratched our heads for hours trying to fugure out how in the hell the motor could be off 1"! Finallly pulled the motor back out, removed the inner plate, and found nothing wrong. Reinstalled the plate, then for some unknown reason, we put the alignment tool in the gimble bearing for chits and grins, and a light bulb lit up! You know you can swing that tool around in a 12" arc? :D
Dropped motor back in. Perfect.

Bet we ain't the 1st to realize that a simple 5 second oversight can lead to hours of fustration.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

I forgot to mention about the mounts. Newer rear engine mounts don't use the spring washer, the mount is longer on the bottom and is "serrated". In a mount kit is usually an extra stainless washer that can be used underneath the mount, but only if you have a height problem. Mercruiser decided that the mount should be slightly lower, the washer is included for existing installs where the alignment was originally done with the spring washer setup to keep the original alignment. New installs or if you are able to correct the alignment you shouldn't use the washer. If you don't have the new mounts, I think you still use the spring washer.

1) New mounts with taller serrated bottom, no spring washer, ss washer optional
2) Old mounts, smooth bottom, spring washer still used.

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

[Ain't that the truth!]

Bet we ain't the 1st to realize that a simple 5 second oversight can lead to hours of fustration.[/QUOTE]

Yep that did the trick. :evilb: I should have know that bearing would move like a spherical bearing.
Falcon thanks for the heads up.
Now I just need to figure out how to reverse the cables on the shifter so the drives counter rotate :cool: , going from B3 to B1

Re: Engine Alignment...something don't look right
 

if they are k kieffer shifters they are very easy if they are gaffrigs a little harder either way just reverse the side of the shifter they are hooked to

Thanks to everyone for the gimbal bearing alignment info.

I was experiencing the exact same engine alignment delima as many others and so I tried smacking the alignment tool from the bottom in an upward strike using a short piece of 2 x 4 against the tool and a 3 lb handheld sledge hammer. One slight upward impact on the 2x4 realigned the gimbal bearing so the tool slides in and out easily with two fingers. I had the alignment tool inserted only as far as it would go without entering the actual splines when I used the sledge to pivot the gimbal bearing. After the single impact the tool slid right into the splines.

The front mounts are about all the way down but I'm gonna take the advice given here and trust the alignment tool and lock everything in and reinstall the sterndrive.

Many thanks!! Reading this thread saved me countless hours of additional effort.

Who are these guys ? a sledge to align? Leaving the tool in and raising the engine? good way to bend a good tool. Did they just use the shaft of the tool? OK for experienced. bell housing not parallel to tool unless picked up ? Pie pan used to take care of that

In order to align an engine, can you bolt the engine down to the hull mounts? or is it a good idea to use the alignment tool, set it if needed and then bolt engine to stringer mounts?

Makes you wonder how many transom assemblies have been broken doing it that way.

I forgot all about this thread...well it's been over a year and everything seems to be fine...knock on wood!