New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

[Lubeboy]

Hi,

I just purchased a new outdrive and gimbal bearing. Pulled gimbal out easy enough and put new one in pretty easy. Outdrive will not go in last 3-4 inches, just like many posts note.

Here is catch.... I took the shaft off the old drive to use for alignment.... did the grease test, showing no grease on splines on bottom, so engine too low.... we have raised engine all the way up and all the way down, still get same darn "no grease on bottom" when we pull spline out.

Plan to get alignment tool today off ebay, but see that they dont have splines?

1. What am I missing... it is obvious that I am doing something wrong, cause as noted, this should just slide in
2. I have been adjusting engine by raising and lowering adjustment bolts on front mounts, do you leave rear mount alone?
3. Should alignment tool have splines?

thanks...

it is 1987 4 Winns, alpha 1, 260 HP Chevy 350.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

You can't use an old shaft for alignment - you need the bar. There are no splines on the bar.

Once you get the bar, you will need to set the gimbal bearing. You will insert the bar and tap the end of the handle in 90 degree increments. That ensures the bearing is in place. Then you can align the enigne using the correct tool.

 

[Don S]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

1. What am I missing... it is obvious that I am doing something wrong, cause as noted, this should just slide in

The first thing you should have done is to align the inner part of the gimbal bearing to the coupler. This is done with the alignment bar by moving the inside of the bearing around till it lines up with the coupler.
With the alignment bar (no splines on it BTW) partially in the coupler, you bump the handle of the alignment bar up and down, side to side. This sets the gimbal bearing. From there you adjust the engine to fit.
Very hard if not impossible to do with a splined shaft.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Edit: The experts are faster typers than me anyway... just read theirs, and ignore mine unless very bored

Well, in mixed up order:

2: Yes
3: No, no splines. The splines in the coupler will make the telltale lines


1: No grease on the bottom (assuming you've cleaned the input shaft and are pushing it in the coupler to test) means the front of the motor is too high. You have to lower it. If lowering it all the way isn't enough to get an even coat of grease all around (or using the alignment tool, to get spline marks all around) then likely your transom assembly needs adjustment (too high), or your motor mounts in the rear are too low.

So check your motor mounts for rot... if they're rotten they'll allow the motor to sag, which will wreck alignment (and eventually the coupler and shaft).

Erik

 

[Fishermark]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Edit: The experts are faster typers than me anyway...

Well, I'm not an expert, but it is not often I catch and respond to a post before Don S

 

[jtybt]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Just so you get the idea of aligning the gimbal bearing to the coupler before checking alignment to the engine.

The gimbal bearing sits in an 'eye-ball or ball socket' type bearing carrier and can rotate and move like your eye-ball so you have to align the gimbal bearing to the coupler first.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

1: No grease on the bottom (assuming you've cleaned the input shaft and are pushing it in the coupler to test) means the front of the motor is too high. You have to lower it.

Not sure what you mean here but I think you may have it backwards. maybe it was just how I was reading it.

This is what I do:

Without turning the tool, pull it straight out and look at the depth of the teeth marks in the grease.

If the teeth marks in the grease are deep on the top side and shallow on the bottom side of the tool then your motor is too high.

If the marks in the grease are deeper on the bottom than on the top then your motor is too low.

 

[Lubeboy]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Well,

Had boat mechanic come look at boat, with alignment tool to try to get her aligned. After 1.5 hours, no way to get drive in. He says could be busted coupling.

So we are going to have to pull the engine and replace coupling.

Anything I can check before I pull engine to verify?

 

[Fishermark]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Could be a busted coupler I suppose - but I would also suspect bad rear mounts. Either the fiber washer or the pressed in mount being bad. Certainly check before reinstalling engine.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Any why was a new drive installed? It may have some bearing on the alignment issue. Rear motor mounts may be collapsed too.

 

[Lubeboy]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Gonna love this...

Started engine several times and had siezed up... could not figure it out, till someone on forum noted probably bad outdrive. Open outdrive was empty (no oil) and had broken gear teeth. Maybe that siezing caused the coupling to go bad?

 

[meesh]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

I had this issue, as stated above rear mounts were the culprit. If your pulling the motor to change the coupler, get a couple of rear mount kits and do them while your there. Even if you think they are OK, I would change them. Cheap insurance and you dont want to pull it twice.

 

[Lubeboy]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Is it possible to change rear mounts without pulling enginer?

 

[Bondo]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Is it possible to change rear mounts without pulling enginer?

Nope,... No Way...

 

[Lubeboy]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Short of taking the engine out first, how can I tell which coupler I need. (would like to have it on hand so I can put in when engine is pulled). websites have three, one triangle, one triangle with yoke, one round for early models... all for same serial numbers.

Is there something I can look at to determine this before, so I can get on order asap?

 

[Don S]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

Short of taking the engine out first, how can I tell which coupler I need.

Engine SN is the best way to find out.

 

[Lubeboy]

Re: New Gimbal New Outdrive.. Cannot align

guess problem is these are all three options for same serial number (we have 260Hp V-8).... attachment or link

http://www.iboats.com/Mercruiser_Engine_Couplers/dm/view_id.269376

thanks...