After swapping engines is aligning a must?

[DarrinT]

swapped 140 merc engine and front mount into a 1973 starcraft

donor 1971 Larson

ever so careful to measure the exact setting from my old install to the new

run the motor on muffs seems fine

putting her in the water for the first time in 22 months tonight

if my exactitude is good is alignment absolutely necessary?

 

[Bondo]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

is alignment absolutely necessary?

Ayuh,... Only if you Don't wanta pull the motor Again to replace the coupler....

 

[mariner1900]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Short answer - YES

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

The Seloc manual I'm using says at one point if the vertical alignment hasn't been disturbed the alignment is not necessary - it follows that if you are super careful the alignment tool is redundant?

I had two motors and mounts that in all dimensions were absolutely identical So I pulled the old motor with its mount and adjusting nut undisturbed and after measuring them mulitple times and spending an exacting 2 hrs to make sure I had the exact same measurement I just went with it to save me scurrying out for the alignment tool

Seems to me the only way I could be off is if there is enough variance between block castings to make any damaging difference

In my amateur ignorance I am missing something?

 

[wil7483]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Yeah, you are missing a lot. 1st thing you are using a Seloc manual which should only be used to rest your knees on while you are kneeling to read the OEM manual. 2nd you are trying to make short cuts (taking lots of time also) to avoid buying a tool that can be had on eBay for $40.00 anyday of the week. 3rd, proper alignment CAN NOT be achieved without the tool. PERIOD!!!! Now like Bondo said, if you want to be removing the engine again soon to replace the coupler then by all means have at it your way and then you will be one of the many who had to learn from experiance.

 

[indy440]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

You should really get an alignment tool. They're not expensive. You can borrow mine if you're local.

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Love your Icon wil

Yup I'm going to bite the bullet and get the tool

Thanks Guys for bootin my lazy arse

I'm in Toronto and can get a tool off c-list pretty easy

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

The nice guys at TC ELECTRONICS in Toronto will ' rent' an alignment tool for $15 - its used but you buy it for $97 tax in and when you bring it back - anytime you are done with it!!!! - they refund all of the dough except $15 - Bargoon!!!

 

[indy440]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

perfect!

I bought mine for 41 dollars (shipping included) off ebay which is about the cheapest I've seen one sell for, so as long as you dont have to ever rent it more than twice you'll be ahead.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Out of entire engine replacement job, the engine alignment is a simplest procedure, why is it always under the question?

 

[Bondo]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Out of entire engine replacement job, the engine alignment is a simplest procedure, why is it always under the question?

Ayuh,.... Saltwater Rusted, or Old 'n Rusted adjusting bolt/ nuts can be a Pain,...
But,...
No Doubt, Realigning is the Most Crucial step in a motor pull/ reinstall...

Like not Greasin' the bar,+ readin' the tracks for Really dialin' it in...

Skippin' it, I guess, is seen as Easier....

 

[woosterken]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

D arrin, check this out.............

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Engi...7195627QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear

says they ship international !! seems like alot cheaper than tearing some thing up !!

woosterken

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Thanks Wooster

Next time I Need one I'll Buy one from those Folks as I have Tc's one sittin on my bench right now

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

So I'm totally frustrated after attempting to align my engine yesterday

Spent 4hrs and I think my engine is more out of align than ever

Never got marks on the greased tool that were close to being even whether the mount was all the way up or down

Teeth in the coupling look good

Stick the outdrive on twice to see if the grooves on it will tell the story

Finally get what looks like even marks -light the motor and hear a funny squeal sound and immediately shut down

Frankly I think my engine was in better align when I just measured it

Is there a better tool? The one in the SELOC manual has guides on it and it looks way easier to use than the bar

 

[nola mike]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

the important part is whether the tool slides in easily--looking at the marks is only if it doesn't. i had a hard time with the markings as well, as it seems that it is at least partially dependent on how you push the tool in and out. but again, that may only be the case if the alignment is ok.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Stick the outdrive on twice to see if the grooves on it will tell the story

Finally get what looks like even marks -light the motor and hear a funny squeal sound and immediately shut down

Am I understanding you to say you got the alignment as close as you could, then put the outdrive back on, then started the engine? And after starting the engine, you heard a loud squeal?

I doubt seriously that the squeal was due to poor alignment, unless you were really way off. Is you gimbal bearing in good shape?

I have to ask ... you didn't start the engine with alignment bar in place, right?

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

Naw I put the drive back on. Going to install a remote start switch to listen for the noise without the engine actually runnin- could be nothing but I still want to check it.

Anyone know how badly out of align it needs to be to destroy itself?

 

[ziggy]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

you need to read this thread... http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=382029
and watch the videos too.

i just put my engine in yesterday. the alignment bar went in and out as easy as friscoboaters did after his second attempt.

that is apparently the way it's supposed to be... his second attempt was total success.

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

After watching the video that's the freakish thing, the alignment bar I'm using - once its aligned- will slide in and out easier than what is shown in the video no matter where the engine is.

Notice how he has to move the bar up or down to make it go in?

In the Seloc manual they show a tool that looks completely superior - it seems to have two guides on it that makes aligning the alignment tool unnecessary - one fits over the round part of the bell housing like a garbage can lid with a hole in the centre and the other seems to match up with the bearing - then the tool slides on the guides.

Then an interpretation of the spline marks might actually get the engine in perfect align.

Anyone have any experience with that kind of tool?

The splines on my coupler look good - is it possible to have the wear on the coupler splines increase the interior diameter of the coupler and still have nice flat profile on the splines themselves?

The manual shows worn splines as being "pointy" and mine are not.

If so that would explain why it is so easy for me to slide the tool in no matter where the engine is.

 

[DarrinT]

Re: After swapping engines is aligning a must?

I should also mention that I have turned the engine over to get the various orientations