Engine alignment question:

mylesm260

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
444
Recently installed a new engine using an old coupler.
Did not do any alignment.

Coupler lasted roughly 10 hours....

Now I've purches a new coupler with a new yoke.

Can I use my old yoke shaft as an alignment tool?

IS aligning it to the bearing good enough, or do I need to align it to the bellhousing aswell

old coupler was the crank style... new one is the triangle style
 

Haut Medoc

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
10,645
Re: Engine alignment question:

Yes, but you would be better off with an alignment tool.....;)
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Engine alignment question:

The bell housing has nothing to do with alignment, there is no contact between the bell housing and the tool. You can even align it with the bell housing off.
 

mylesm260

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
444
Re: Engine alignment question:

I'm confused...

If the bell housing has nothing to do with alignment, then why do some (not all) of the alignment kits come with a spacer to center the tool in the bellhousing?


And if I DON'T need to align it to my bellhousing, then my old yoke shaft should work perfectly then... I mean it will be true with the gimbal bearing....
 

180shabah

Rear Admiral
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
4,995
Re: Engine alignment question:

Mine didn't come with any kind of spacer, just big metal stick.....

It works better than the yoke, because it doesn't mesh into the splines, so when you remove it, there are spline marks in the grease on the shaft. These marks tell you which way the engine needs to move.

I am just guessing here, but I would be willing to bet that you have said some pretty dirty words when you found out that you had to pull your engine again to replace the coupler after only 10 hours. Do you really want to do it again in a year or so because you didn't spend $50 for an alignment bar.
 

Haut Medoc

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
10,645
Re: Engine alignment question:

Mine didn't come with any kind of spacer, just big metal stick.....

It works better than the yoke, because it doesn't mesh into the splines, so when you remove it, there are spline marks in the grease on the shaft. These marks tell you which way the engine needs to move.

I am just guessing here, but I would be willing to bet that you have said some pretty dirty words when you found out that you had to pull your engine again to replace the coupler after only 10 hours. Do you really want to do it again in a year or so because you didn't spend $50 for an alignment bar.
Wise words...^^^^^^^;)
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Engine alignment question:

The u-joints are on the bell housing side of the equation ;)
 
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