Alignment...what could have happened?

[big zeke]

Last fall I pulled my A1G2 leg off my boat, the removal was a bit tough at first but the shaft slid out smoothly, no sign of binding anywhere. Last week I tried to reinstall the leg, I tried to slide the alignment bar in and it would not slide into the splines (made it thru the gimble bearing just find). Eyeballing thru the gimble, it looks like the engine coupler centerline is about 1/4" lower than the gimble centerline (just eyeballing but it is definately lower). I have since taken it to a shop and they have confirmed that the engine ie too low and they will need to lift the back of the engine to confirm the washers are in place. I'm guessing at 4-6 hrs for this reinstall including alignment(ouch!)

The boat literally sat on the trailer all winter, never been touched so what could have happened to the alignment? The last fella that installed the engine (18 months ago) was a bit of a hack (found he reused the exhaust gaskets, bellows clamps were finger tight) so nothing would surprise me here. Weather or not his handiwork was the culprit, the alignment was good last fall but now is way off.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[airshot]

They will come apart without much difficulty with the alignment off, it is going together that is the problem. The gimble bearing does pivot to allow alignment to the coupler. If a new motor was installed I would start by checking the install. Get a "mercruiser" service manual for your specific engine and follow the proceedures in there or you will have to trust the local marine mechanic which will be expensive as this is their busy time of year. Unfortunately there are many horror stories on these forums about trusting boat work to backyard mechanics, and that is why so many on here end up doing the job themselves with the proper service manual.
As for the last part of your question......how do you know the alignment was good last fall?

 

[thumpar]

Rotten stringers?

 

[bspeth]

Pivot the bearing its like an eyeball

 

[NHGuy]

So is the front of the motor down at the lower end of it's height adjusters? If not first try to align the gimbal bearing to the coupler and see if the alignment bar will go into the coupler. If you can tilt the motor and the gimbal bearing do it, That's how you align it.
If it takes em 4 to 6 hours either you have a tight engine box or they are "ambitious". Maybe you can offer to remove stuff to ease the job. Pull the battery cables first. If they are just going to lift it an inch or so in place they don't need to pull things. But if the motor is going to come completely out I'd offer to remove the main plug, and the power steering lines at the transom end. Suspend the lines up high or they will drip fluid all over.
If you are mechanical you can pull off most of the other stuff they will need moved. There's a throttle cable, shift plate & cables, wires to the trim sensors and some grounds.
And you'll need to disconnect the cooling water feed from the transom. Take before pics with your smartphone. Once those things are off it's 2 nuts and 2 bolts for the engine mounts.

 

[big zeke]

So I heard back from the shop, the fiber washers that are supposed to be installed between the coupler housing and the gimble housing were not there (the final insult from this back yard hack), once they were installed the centerlines matched up and then the real alignment could happen. It's obvious that this engine was never aligned in the first place although the CV joints in the drive shaft were tight when I pulled the leg last year. To answer the question from Airshot...I don't know the alignment was fine...obviously it wasn't.


I'm sworn off of backyard mechanics. If I have to pull the engine again I'll happily rent a lift and do it myself. The good mechanics are always busy, the bad ones aren't.

 

[tpenfield]

Rotten stringers?

+1 on the engine mount stringers being something to check in that circumstance.