I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

[fancyfeet]

I was changing my engine in my boat. It has a 3.7 mercruiser and a Alpha One drive. I forgot to put the shifter in forward gear before I removed the stern drive. Will this cause damage and what do I need to do before reinstalling the stern drive? New at this so any help is great!

 

[bparsel]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

As long as you can line up the splines on the shaft it shouldnt be an issue. Put it in drive, and put the outdrive in drive. All you are doing is lining up the shifter linkage on the bottom of the housing with the shift control on the outdrive. You do this because the shifter housing and linkage will be straight in the "Drive" position as opposed to an angle when in neutral or reverse.

Now ----If you cant get the outdrive into the drive position, put the throttle in drive and when reinstalling your outdrive get it all the way in up to the shift point, you should then be able to take a screwdriver or pry bar and go up from underneath, put some gentle pressure on the drive shifter and slide it into the shifter fork. Overall it shouldnt be a problem, just more of a pain in the ***** than anything.

 

[bparsel]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

On a second note......didnt that make it a little tough to get the drive all the way off?

 

[Alumarine]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Make sure the shoe in the shift shaft isn't bent.

 

[fancyfeet]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Thanks for your replies. It really wasn't difficult at all to take off. I do have the new engine in and aligned. I purchased the mercrusier alignment tool for that. Just totally forgot about putting it in forward gear. I am going to get to the stern drive this weekend. I installed a new water pump and may do the u joints while its out though they are fairly new. This is the first time I have ever done work on it myself. I will check to make sure that the shoe in the shift shaft isn't bent also. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks Again!

 

[fancyfeet]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Ok. Checked the shoe and it looks good. Checked the selector on the drive it is in forward. Put the gear shift (throttle, what ever) in forward. Hopefully it will go on smoothly. Thought I would crank over the engine before I installed the drive back on. Save time if something was bad. Engine was used, just not firing. When I did this the starter would stick out and not disengage. I had the starter off of my old motor (motors are 470 and 488). Looked a little different but when I look online they say they should be the same. Bond-o on here says they are the same engine. Just installed the starter last night. Hooking up the wires today. Going to try it again. Figured I would get all the engine bugs out before reinstalling the drive just in case that engine would have to come back out . Hopefully I can get through the rest of this season with this one while I go over the other one for next season. Let you know the outcome on both!

 

[fancyfeet]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Well, here is the update. I haven't got the stern back on yet. The reason?
I am going to have to do a rebuild on the engine. Wasn't getting fire, Checked compression and the last two cylinders are toast. Took the head off, sludge build-up big time. No wonder no fire! I think the year is 83 or 84 488. I know these engines are not that great but I have a 470 also and between the two of them maybe I can get a season! Anywho, I am a engine builder for drag racing, does anyone know if there is any performance parts available for these engines i.e camshaft? Never built a boat motor but going to try! Also, is the waterpump on the 488 camshaft driven? Thanks for your help.

 

[JustJason]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

I am a engine builder for drag racing

Okay.......

Wasn't getting fire, Checked compression and the last two cylinders are toast.

Okay..... not that compression has to do with an ignition system....

Took the head off, sludge build-up big time. No wonder no fire!

Okay..... Not that the engines lubrication system has anything to do with an ignition system.
And..... I have no idea where you would possibly see sludge from pulling a head.
And....... On top of that I couldn't tell you the last time I actually saw "sludge" on something outside of a peice of lawn and garden equipment.

does anyone know if there is any performance parts available for these engines i.e camshaft?

Yes there is... It's called a 4.3

Also, is the waterpump on the 488 camshaft driven?

If you really pulled the head, which I think that you really didn't do, you would obviously know the answer to that question.

 

[fancyfeet]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

ok. let me start again. I shouldn't of said it wasn't firing. I am getting spark no igniting in the cylinders. When you pull off a head, you can see the pistons. In the cylinders there was, well lets just call it "goop" 1/8" to a 1/4" on top of the pistons and rust in the cylinder intakes. Looks like it was possibly rained in. Craigslist special but hey, not afraid to tackle it. If my option was to put a different size engine in it, it would be a 350. Not what my plans are. I don't understand why you don't think I took the head off but thats ok. I am new at boat engines and just looking for some mods for the 3.7 if available. Thanks again.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

WOW, that was a little rough on the response.

 

[danond]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Not really. To help someone you need to know they're not wasting your time. We need straight-forward info, and he didn't appear to be providing it.

He said he was an expert (drag engine builder) and couldn't tell where the cam shaft was on a 6 cyl after pulling the head. Those statements don't jive, so JustJason went fishing for actual, correct information by pointing out that he wasn't being up front, or didn't appear to be.

Completely fair.

Fancyfeet explained it somewhat better later, but it's still strange.

 

[fancyfeet]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Sorry this has become such an ordeal. I am a drag CAR/MOTORCYCLE engine builder. Just learning boats. Thought maybe someone would be able to just let me know if there were any mods available for a mercruiser 488, 3.7, 4 cylinder, Alpha one drive. I know where a camshaft is. Haven't gotten THAT far down yet, only the head off, and I was at home looking at rebuild kits. Some were saying "not for engines with camshaft driven waterpumps". My shop is not at my house so I couldn't run out an take a look. I would of rathered someone suggest a little more information be given and steered me in the right direction of what everyone likes to know. I said a few times I was a newbie. My boat is an 1986 wellcraft 19' which had a 170 originally that got 41 mph. I always push for more horse power so I picked up a 488 on craigslist. The seller said it wasn't firing. I upgraded the ignition, give it a tune-up, rebuilt the carb, and went to turn it over. Still would not start. Checked for spark, had a nice spark at the plugs. Took the head off to look at the pistons and cylinders and found build-up on top of the pistons. Engine needs rebuilt. Thats where I stand. Just wanted to know if there is any mods available since you guys have been at this a lot longer then I have on the boat end, and where a good place to shop for them are. If you need more info, just ask. I am new at this! Thanks again!

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: I screwed up! Please help! Stern drive issue

Oh I see.