Mercruiser engine alignment issues

[TilliamWe]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am posting this topic to sort of check my dad's recent work. It seems the last two engine removal jobs that he has done, have given him fits upon re-install. He has not been able to get the back of the motor down far enough either time. The first time he removed a 5.7 to replace the electric fuel pump, and simply re-installed the same motor. The second one, he removed a 5.7 and put a 505 in it's place. Both times he has removed the "coil" washers from the flywheel housing mounting, and it has allowed the back to go down far enough. So, my questions are these: What's he doing wrong in the first place? Will the removal of those "washers" allow the back of the engine to move or cause other problems? Thanks in advance.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

depends on using the "old style/w the washer" or the new type that eliminates the washer.need to know the part number of the rear bushings he installed.if alignment is not set, the coupler goes south in short order.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

bt, alignment is correct, he uses the alignment tool. As far as mixing old & new styles, can't answer that, but the first time, it was the SAME engine that he lifted out, and dropped in. So no mixing anything there. It just didn't go back in the same as it came out. He mentioned the fiber washer on both jobs to me.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

So, DonS, you got any idea what he's doing wrong? Is he forgetting the order he takes the parts out? Does that coil washer actually act as a spring or does it just get smashed down to a solid washer?<br />Anyone?

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

If the engines were in alignment before (With the double wound washer), then the engine was pulled and then reinstalled without any thing being done to change the rear mounts, then it should go back together the same way.<br />Both the double wound washers and fiber washers MUST go back in there.<br />When the mount bolt is tightened down, the double washer mashes flat and the outer housings just touch the fiber washer. They are there to prevent metal to metal contact due to engine torque and other movement, not to act as a motor mount. That is the job of the mount itself.<br />Only with the new style rear engine mounts can the double washer be removed, otherwise something is wrong in the installation. Without seeing it, I couldn't even guess why it's doing that. Something has to be wrong to not be able to be aligned using the front mounts. Did he try to realign the engine, or just put it back in and checked it and it wasn't right? Was the rear mount bolts tightened? Just sitting on the washer will not work, the bolts have to be tight before an alignment can be checked.<br /><br />

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

Don, I am pretty sure that he was tightening them down, cause he remarked that all they do is get smashed flat. And that he couldn't get the front of the motor high enough, either time. That makes it sound like the double wound washer wasn't compressed, but I can't see what he's doing either, as he's in FL, I am in IL.<br />But thanks for the insight!

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

Tis a tight hold when you have to pull the engine to replace the electric fuel pump.<br /><br />DHP

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mercruiser engine alignment issues

DHP, the worst part is, it wasn't even the whole pump, it was just the regulator!