Alignment tool won't go in!

[stonyloam]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

This is what I think is going on: Your alignment tool is made up of three precisely sized shafts. The smallest fits exactly into your coupler. The next is sized small enough to pass through your bearing with room to spare, and is long enough to allow the first shaft to engage the coupler (your 1/2 inch) before the larger shaft, sized to exactly fit the gimbal bearing contacts the bearing. In order for the tool to slip into the coupler and the bearing, the bores of the coupler and the bearing must be perfectly aligned in a straight line. The shoulder of your largest shaft is hitting the bearing so it is misaligned. A couple of things could be going on here: The gimbal bearing is free to move in its holder to allow proper alignment of the driveshaft with the coupler, and it may simply not be aligned properly and needs to be "set" correctly. The angle of the bore of the coupler may not be aligned with the center of the bearing, and the motor mounts need to be adjusted to bring it into alignment. If a engine misalignment, look and see where the shoulder of the shaft contacts the bearing (top,bottom or sides) to give some idea of how to adjust your mounts. Good luck.

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

In the ongoing saga of why my alignment tool doesn't go in far enough - "I got a bad feeling about this one". To determine if the rear engine mounts were in tact and all the parts were there and applying copious amounts of Marvels for 2 days, I removed most of the stb bolt. The port bolt spins but does not move outward! I can just barely get my finger down at the bottom to feel the threaded end of the bolt turning but no outward movement. Bad sign!

I've ruled out cutting torch or plasma cutter - too much for me!

Any answers to the implied problem and I would be forever grateful.

Bill

 

[BRG25]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Given the history of your boat (multiple owners with various "updates") and the condition of the floor, I would think it would be safe to assume the engine is not mounted like it was origninally. Perhaps the engine has been pulled in the past and not reinstalled properly or like Don mentioned the motor mounts have sunk? It seems given the amount of work you have done thus far that you are going to pull the engine anyway right?

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Given the history of your boat (multiple owners with various "updates") and the condition of the floor, I would think it would be safe to assume the engine is not mounted like it was originally. Perhaps the engine has been pulled in the past and not reinstalled properly or like Don mentioned the motor mounts have sunk? It seems given the amount of work you have done thus far that you are going to pull the engine anyway right?

The engine sits in it original position still using the original mounting hardware. but has most likely dropped some. Rebuilt 406 sitting around looking for a new home. That's plan b if need be but I still have to get the bolt out without damaging other hardware.

Bill

 

[Don S]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Grind the head of the bolt off, and raise the engine straight up.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

I have had sucess using vice grips to hold the mount bolt under the mount

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Grind the head of the bolt off, and raise the engine straight up.

Thanks Don,

Grinding or Sazall are the two feasible approaches I will try first. Now I'm looking for a serviceable Alpha 1 transom plate/housing. Budget is really going to take a hit for this item!

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Don S]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Why do you need a new transom plate?

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Why do you need a new transom plate?

The engine mounting bolt is ground off and engine is waiting for a cherry picker. Might need a new transom plate if a heli-coil doesn't take or if I can't get the rest of the ground off bolt out of the transom plate. Need both engines side by side so I can swap all the necessary bits and pieces.

Bill

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

there are two bolts ,no threads ,nut should be captured on bottom off transom plate . Am i right or wrong but transom plate should just have a hole. your rubber insert mounts might be shot and you will have to pull engine . the centers will be broke away from outer sleeve as they are aruubber mounted insert with a sleeve in the middle for bolt and engine support with the hard rubber.

 

[rebars1]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

One of your links shows a service bulletin showing an alignment tool with a "remove shaded portion" on the shaft. Does your shaft have the revised configuration? The "shaded part" shoulder looks to be about 1/2" from the smaller shaft. Is that is what is hitting the bearing?

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

One of your links shows a service bulletin showing an alignment tool with a "remove shaded portion" on the shaft. Does your shaft have the revised configuration? The "shaded part" shoulder looks to be about 1/2" from the smaller shaft. Is that is what is hitting the bearing?

This is how my alignment tool measures. Shaded part is not there.

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Re: Alignment tool won't go in! Praying for a miracle!

Why do you need a new transom plate?

Well Don I think I have an answer to your question albeit was not the resolution. I have been comparing two different transom plates, one from my boat (1984) and one from a parts boat I have (1977). What I observed was a small difference in the design of the nut galley for the rear engine mount bolts. There is a small V shape at the very top of the nut galley on mine to allow the nut to spin in the V shape if there is just a tiny bit of wear on the nut. The older transom plates nut galley was straight right up to where the nut would seat. This picture will show it better than me trying to spell it out in words.

This is how the nut was installed when I got the boat. You can see the notch on the left side of the nut in this picture.

I think I have a remedy which will not require another transom plate. I used two of the big ss washers that came off the old mounting bolts and cut and shaped them down to fit into the V notch under the nut.

Please let me know if you think this fix will be OK. You have been a tremendous help to me and many others and I felt you should know what I found.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

The nuts pictured ARE NOT the correct ones.page 54 in this link pic50628
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Install/gas/86016900.pdf

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

Thanks Don,
Now I'm looking for a serviceable Alpha 1 transom plate/housing.

Why do you need a new transom plate?

I reference all this because of the problem I had removing one of the rear engine mount bolts on the boat I am resurrecting from the dead! I had to grind the head of the beast off to remove the engine! Additionally I wanted to answer Don O's question.

The nuts pictured ARE NOT the correct ones.page 54 in this link pic50628
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Install/gas/86016900.pdf

Bt Doctur, I see the nut in the picture is much taller. There must have been a change in manufacturing somewhere along the line both in the ny-lock nuts they were using and the way the transom plate was cast. The 4 nuts I took off the 2 engine mounts recently all had the smaller shouldered nuts. Not saying it was right, just that it was the way it came off.

This like all information found here, my hope is to benefit any seeking knowledge.

 

[Don S]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

You REALLY need to get the right parts. The correct nuts are taller and aluminum. The bolts have a guide on the end to line the theads up.
That little notch you are so worried about finding the reason for is from the cutter used to flatten the surface, that's all.
All the rear mount hardware is special purpose parts and should not be replaced with off the shelf generic parts.

 

[series60]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

You REALLY need to get the right parts. The correct nuts are taller and aluminum. The bolts have a guide on the end to line the theads up.
That little notch you are so worried about finding the reason for is from the cutter used to flatten the surface, that's all.
All the rear mount hardware is special purpose parts and should not be replaced with off the shelf generic parts.

Thank you Don. Got new bolts all around on order. Just wondering why the manufacture didn't use the larger shouldered ny-locks in the first place?

 

[scoflaw]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

So if your motor is out make sure your bar slides into the coupler easily. If you still have the same issue when you put it back together, try the 1 inch bar trick. It will show you which direction the problem is at.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Alignment tool won't go in!

Just wondering why the manufacture didn't use the larger shouldered ny-locks in the first place?

Ayuh,... You're dealing with a 1977, 'n a 1984...

What makes you think Any of it is Original...
If it was, you'd have long aluminum nuts in there...