How far to adjust mounts for alignment?

[crestapre]

I've read all of the alignment links in the forum and I really didn't want to start another but here I am.

I have twins with SX drives. I have tried the alignment tool before installation this spring and I have a problem with one of the drives. They both were removed w/o any problem in the fall.

On the port side the alignment tool is going in with no problem at all. On the starboard side the alignment tool only engages the coupler about 1/2 inch and feels like it bottoms out. I am cautious about adjusting the motor mounts. How much does the motor actually move (at the coupler side) with a turn of the mount nut? How can one engine be so far out of alignment when the other is dead on?

Thanks guys.

 

[Don S]

Re: How far to adjust mounts for alignment?

It may be a bad coupler, try turning the engine 1/4, then 1/2 then 3/4 turn and see if the bar goes in or not.

It's also possible the gimbal bearing got moved a little when the drive was pulled. Insert the bar into the coupler as far as it will go by hand, then bump the alignmnet bar left & right up and down and see if it will go in.

 

[crestapre]

Re: How far to adjust mounts for alignment?

OK, I'm back.

I've tried to adjust the SB motor to the best that I can. The alignment bar engages the splines on the coupler about 1". It will not go in any further no matter where I have the motor mounts adjusted. The marks in the grease for that 1" are even all around so it looks like the alignment is good. But why won't the tool go in all of the way?

Could the coupler be tapered?

Looking into both couplers:
Port side is a clear shot to the flywheel and is aligned and takes the whole tool in.
Starboard side seems to have a rubber donut at the end of the splines to seal the end of the drive shaft. Port side does not have this rubber donut.

Could one the these couplers be an aftermarket replacement before I got my hands on this boat?

 

[crestapre]

Re: How far to adjust mounts for alignment? Update.

Re: How far to adjust mounts for alignment? Update.

I have just tried inserting a 1" wooden dowel into the coupler and it went into both the port and starboard couplers without interference. The dowel appears to be centered in the gimbal bearing on both.

I don't know why the alignment tool won't go into the starboard coupler but I think that I have confirmed that both engines are pretty well aligned.

To verify, I have measured both motors to reference points in the boat and they are in similar positions to one another. I know that this is not accurate but it helps to confirm the dowel position.

I think that I am ready to install my drives.