cooltoys61

EUREKA!!!
I feel sure you guys have solved my puzzle. I was even a little embarrassed and didn't say it looked like the back of "tool" was mushroomed from yrs of hammering,,but after my 4x4 deal I left that out. Blue Thunder I keep calling the bearing the ring but now it all makes sense. I actually tried what you said but didn't understand what I was trying to accomplish,that is Knock it til it lines up with the back of coupler. I moved the bearing while forcing my UNALIGNED parts together.
Sean, thanks for the answer. I finally understand the second time around.All you guys are an invaluable source for me. If I hadn't found this board I'd have no chance of hitting the water(dependably?)anytime soon.
My wife says"just look at all you're learning!" and I say I'd rather be out there jumping waves,,but eventually when I have learned another old worn out vehicle I can repair it much more quickly the next time around.Thanks again everyone.

US1 Fountain

iTrader: (1)

Are you 101% sure the couplers are good? At this point, I don't mean by just looking or feeling them. Do you have access or the means to have 3-4" long stubbys made up at both 1.010 and 1.000 dia's? You need to know for sure that the alignment tool will even go into the coupler. As much trouble you are now having and with the past history of your drive installation procedures, I find it very hard to believe the alignment tool could enter the couplers even if the motors were out of the boat on the ground. And what are the chances of both motors having these problems?
My money is on bad couplers.

cooltoys61

one coupler does have a restriction about half way in
(1 1/2"),like you said,teeth have grown there and that's why port won't go all the way with tool. Starboard is alignment I think but just woke up from night shift so we'll see. Going to have another or 2 couplers handy and try to wait until next winter(I know,I know),,put off the prochargers until then and hope for the best. It ran fine up to 70 when I bought it so I think it'll last a few months if I don't push it too hard. This boat was mech. edgey when I bought it and I half expect to be pulling something again soon for something else anyway. May sound illogical to some but I want to see how everything else works and can pull it just as easy and with no better boating weather a month from now. I know the over Rev risk and will take that chance.Thanks for all the help

amarket1

If it is the slightest bit out of alingment the coupler will spin out in no time at all.If the teeth are sharp or pointed then that could be no grease.Good luck and if you need anything please feel free to call me.

jspeeddemon

For the sake of learning experiences, I have had the same problem before and solved it this way. The alignment tool wouldn't go in but it was difficult to tell if it side to side or up and down that was causing the misalignement. I had a 1 inch x quarter inch piece of aluminum bar @ 18 inches long, that you buy at Lowes. Instead of alignment tool I placed the bar in as a straight edge with the ability to sight down beside it. This allowed me to visualize which way I needed to go. When I got it right with this method, I verified my work by slipping in the alignment tool and it was dead on.
John

cooltoys61

Thanks again Sean,I'll keep your #,Allen

StrikinLightnin

I had a 1990 35 Lightning that blew a coupler.
The alignment was off not up or down but left and right.
Bought new aluminum angles for the front mounts and positioned the engine for correct alignment.
Marked the angles and drilled.
Never had a problem afterwards.

Falcon

If you could find an ITS Bravo alignment bar you might find it easier to tell which way the alignment has to go. It has a slide that goes over the main bar into the gimbal bearing. It works fine for standard Bravo's too. You can leave the slide off which leaves a gap between the gimbal bearing and the bar. When pushed into the coupler you can tell which way the front of the engine has to go by looking at the gap between the bar and the gimbal bearing. You put the slide back in to do the final check and also to align the gimbal bearing.

I don't think this is the issue, but Merc is changing the rear mounts on the latest engine flywheel housings. The new rubber mount is a bit longer and doesn't use the spiral washer, they bolt down direct to the inner plate. If you would put the spiral washer the back of the engine would be too high. I don't think Racing has switched to it yet. Keep your eyes open for the change if you replace any parts.

Krumbsnatcher

Thats what I had to do, i posted it earlier when these posts started. I shimmed the rear with grade 8 washers. My problem was exactly what you are experiencing.

I did have a hoist on the motor and it did take 3 or 4 trys before we had the right shim combination. remmber after your crank the rear down to re try the alignment.

merkruzer

I don't think this is the issue, but Merc is changing the rear mounts on the latest engine flywheel housings. The new rubber mount is a bit longer and doesn't use the spiral washer, they bolt down direct to the inner plate. If you would put the spiral washer the back of the engine would be too high. I don't think Racing has switched to it yet. Keep your eyes open for the change if you replace any parts.[/QUOTE]



Is this on all the newer housings, I just purchased a new take off housing and have spent about ten hours trying to align this P O S. Im ready to kill someone.
I am using a splined drive shaft with a handle welded on instead of an alignment tool. It goes in to the splines about an inch, so it seems the height of the rear is good, but ive been all the way down and taken it up in small incraments from a point where it wont fit in to the point it goes in an inch then slowly gets worse, so i start back down then up then down over and over. Side to side was a little off so I took the bolts out of the mounts so theyre not an issue now. Im trying to find the actual alignment tool locally ( anyone in south nj have one) Im dying here without this thing in the water.