1998 Merc 3.0l Front Engine mounting.

[Nick36]

Hey guys, long time browser, first time poster. I just recently had to replace the blocks that the front engine mount sat on due to their rotteness. When all was said and done with the, the engine might sit about and 1/8" higher than it did before. Is this something I should be concerned about with respect to alignment? Is there a way to check the rough alignment without removing the lower end?

Thanks!

 

[alldodge]

Is this something I should be concerned about with respect to alignment?

Yes....
With drive removed, insert alignment bar into coupler and check. It should go full in and out using no more then 2 fingers

 

[Nick36]

Just to be clear, I didn't take the engine out or disconnect the drive, I just slightly jacked it up to take the load off the front mount, took the mount off, changed the wood blocks and then lowered the engine back down. Shouldn't the alignment still be good? Actually the engine was sunk down in the old rotten mounts a little bit andshe was still running good.....as far as I could tell. I've never removed the drive, so I'm pretty green on that process.

 

[alldodge]

Shouldn't the alignment still be good?

No

At least every other year (Most due every year) the drive "should" be removed and alignment checked. Anything done to the motor should always be checked

 

[Scott Danforth]

The fact that you moved the engine at all means it needs to be realigned

 

[Rick Stephens]

Remove drive, redo alignment. Alignment check is an annual maintenance requirement anyway. And with front mount rotted, you need to be aware of transom rot as well. The transom is far more likely to cause alignment issues.

 

[Nick36]

I'm sensing a theme here, lol. I'll take er in and get her checked. Thanks!

 

[Rick Stephens]

I'm sensing a theme here, lol. I'll take er in and get her checked. Thanks!

This is, for the most part, a do it yourself forum. There is nothing about your requests that you can't do yourself.

 

[Scott Danforth]

In the stickies are vidios by achris on aligning, pulling drives, etc

 

[Nick36]

Hey all, well I pulled the drive, did the alignment, changed the gaskets and put er all back together. First startup of the season went well enough (still have to time the engine). I have a new problem though....My intake is not sucking water.....it did for a minute on startup but then nothing. There's no water in the boat, took the drive off again and no water leaking around the all important O-ring. Is it safe to say my impeller is failing/failed? Anything else I should look at? Thanks!

 

[alldodge]

My intake is not sucking water

What do you mean the "intake" and the pump does not suck it moves water

 

[Nick36]

Seawater cooled, so when I put the muffs on and start the engine, no water is being drawn in.

 

[alldodge]

Thanks
Muffs on, water on full force and therefore water spraying all around the muffs.
Motor starts and water continues to spray all around like there is no change.

If yes to both, then something is clogged up, or the water tube in the drive (Alpha drive) is not aligned, or impeller has burned up

 

[Nick36]

Right. Well I don't believe there is a clog because it did work briefly on one of my starts while troubleshooting, so it got all the way through to the exhaust. The water tube alignment is the tube that has the o-ring that you're supposed to glue in place? Could the impeller work intermittently?

 

[alldodge]

Tube doesn't need glue and impeller would not work intermittently

Remove the hose from drive at thermostat housing and turn water ON to see if any comes out

 

[Nick36]

I'll give it a go tomorrow and report back. Thanks.

 

[nola mike]

Tube doesn't need glue and impeller would not work intermittently

I think he's talking about the o ring between drive and Bell housing. That just needs to stay in place while assembling. I usually just put a dab of grease on there

 

[Nick36]

Yeah that's right Mike, the o-ring.

So, disconnected the hose at the thermostat housing end that came from the power steering cooler.....no water. Disconnected the hose at the input to the power steering cooler from the transom.....no water. Thoughts?

 

[nola mike]

Yeah that's right Mike, the o-ring.

So, disconnected the hose at the thermostat housing end that came from the power steering cooler.....no water. Disconnected the hose at the input to the power steering cooler from the transom.....no water. Thoughts?

Obstruction in the line or problem with the impeller/housing/etc. If you haven't changed the impeller before, start there

 

[Nick36]

So this is what I found when I took the drive housing off the gear housing. The impeller and inside of the housing looked good with no grooves are marks in the inner housing wall. Not sure what to make of all the sand and debris on the outside of the housing. Separately, can I use compressed air to make sure there are no obstructions along the water intake path in the transom?