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  1. Rick Stephens

    MBS Gimbal bearing install tool help

    The idea is to set it where you won't be hammering the coupler before the gimbal is seated. You can measure your way to a proper placement. Stick the alignment bar in, pull it out a 1/4 inch - plenty of room. Mark the alignment bar at the seat bottom in the gimbal housing where the gimbal...
  2. Rick Stephens

    Found a crack

    You have a 2005, which has a die cast aluminum oil pan. Whatever you have circled is not the oil pan..... might just be a thick coat of paint that is peeled.
  3. Rick Stephens

    4.3 Vortec Upgrade

    WHat is being referenced is hooking suction to the dipstick tube and pulling your oil out instead of draining. I use a vacuum oil suction unit that drops a smaller tube down through the dipstick housing. Takes longer to get all the oil out but does get it all.
  4. Rick Stephens

    4.3 Vortec Upgrade

    Bent to fit.
  5. Rick Stephens

    4.3 Vortec Upgrade

    Mine's routed out the front of the motor beneath the manifold. (note, old picture. I externalized the hand pump as it isn't legal in the bilge)
  6. Rick Stephens

    The leg is off

    Take a swipe with your finger of that tan goo running out of the bellows and smell it. Drive gear oil is stinky - u-joint and gimbal grease isn't. Both will mix with water and make a slurry that looks the same.
  7. Rick Stephens

    The leg is off

    I'd a been wordier :D
  8. Rick Stephens

    Fuel pump issues

    There should be no resistance between pump and power. Disconnect the fuel pump and recheck the power. It may be the electrical windings in the pump are breaking down and drawing too much power. Here's the diagram:
  9. Rick Stephens

    Water in Engine

    That is a correct method. 15 psi is a good target.
  10. Rick Stephens

    Clickity clack

    yowser!
  11. Rick Stephens

    Mercruiser 4.3 adjustments

    First thing to do is pull the flame arrestor off and hold the choke plate open, have someone pump the throttle while you look and see if you get squirts of fuel from the throttle pump. No squirt either means the carb is out of fuel, my guess, or the pump isn't working - possible, but wouldn't...
  12. Rick Stephens

    2005 4.3 Intermittent Stalling issue

    Running out of fuel, sounds like. You might pull a plug and look, but seems most likely. There are a bunch of things that can cause a fuel loss, of course funk in the fuel is first choice. Plugged up parts -of which there are several candidates: anti-syphon valve, screen in the fuel tank...
  13. Rick Stephens

    Water in Engine

    Sorry to say it is unlikely a headgasket. First step is to block off the water lines to the manifolds and pressurize the cooling system at the water 'in' port on the thermostat housing. Find out where you are pumping water. Unfortunately, that much water is probably a cracked block.
  14. Rick Stephens

    1990 mercruiser 3.0 harmonic balancer coming off

    All the black stuff looks like belt particles. Good time to replace things. As noted, never use a block and hammer to drive the pulley on, you will damage the crank bearings. Those parts are identical to what comes on the motor from Chevy. Don't buy Mercruiser replacements parts and pay 3 or 5...
  15. Rick Stephens

    Mercury 4cyl stumbles at hole shot and underway

    What he said.
  16. Rick Stephens

    1987 alpha one 175 noise coming from bellhousing

    Pull the motor back out and find the problem.
  17. Rick Stephens

    5.7 Litre Mercruiser Inboard

    What carburetor do you have?... that's where to look.
  18. Rick Stephens

    Burned valve or worse 1997 5.7 LX

    LOL. Isn't that contradicting yourself? :D
  19. Rick Stephens

    Boat wiring

    You will need to go through every bit of the fuel system and be for sure and for certain you have no leaks. No one can type the answer to that question from afar. Fuel leaks and boats equal bombs. The fuel vapors have no where to go but down into the bilge. Hence why it is the law that you run...
  20. Rick Stephens

    1987 alpha one 175 noise coming from bellhousing

    Checking alignment is an annual maintenance requirement. Checking it every time you pull the drive is a must. Not checking it when you swap motors is like not bothering to put oil in the motor.
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