Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

[mudweiser]

I had the outdrive rebuilt on my 89 Bayliner Arriva 5.0 with a Alpha 1 outdrive. Now i'm trying to install it. I can't get the outdrive to go in. Shaft goes through the gimbal bearing, but i'm still about 2" short. All i can tell is the shaft is hanging it up. The shift linkage is not not even touching yet. Installing it in drive.

 

[guypreston]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

Do you have the shift lever in the full forward position ? if not this will prevent the out drive unit from attaching back onto the bell housing.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

Your engine may have shifted. If the drive coupler and the gimball bearing dont line up exactly the drive will never slide back on. Had it happen to me.. twice. You need the alignment tool to check the alignment.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

And make sure you grease the o-ring on the driveshaft as it can get caught in the gimbal bearing.

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

I had the lever in gear, not wide open, but in gear. The linkage was lined up, i could tell it was hanging up further in the housing. Guess i'll have to get the alignment tool.

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

The alignment tool arived today wow, now i know why they are so spendy. This thing is pretty beefy. Anyways, my motor shifted. How do i know which way i need to move it, is it more a trial and error thing, guess and move it unitl you get it right?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=257649

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=257649

Thanks to all who posted. Everyone was right on. Th engine had shifted. No way would this outdrive have ever gone in with out the alignment tool. I had to lower the front of the engine i bet atleast 1/2". Now i question why it was that far off. I still need to get it nuts on, but now i can slide the alignment bar right in with almost no effort. Thanks again.... My boat will be back on the water soon!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

Your stringers may be collapsing due to rot...hopefully not but that is a common problem, especially with Bayliners.

Edit: I just reread your post and you said you had to LOWER the engine. That would not be due to a stringer problem.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

did you have a difficult time removing the drive? Your alignment could have been off from the start.The rear motor mount bushings may have collapsed, the front mounts may have rotted dropping the front of the motor.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

Check your alignment...... as in spin the engine 180 and double check it......
get your shift foot down bottom lined up and make sure it's partially in.......
Make sure your drive is in forward and wrap a bungie cord around the prop to keep it in gear.... Grease up the shaft real good but not so much that the grease is going to keep it from going in....

Then after all that......

Drop back 5 yards.... take a couple quick steps..... then give it das boot right to the back of the driveshaft housing.......

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

I looked at all the mounts, and used long 2x4 wedged inder the mounts i tried to pry up and sideways looking for rotted rubber and such. Everything seems to be tight and nothing seems like it moved in the hull at all. The outdrive slide out pretty easy when i removed it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

looking for rotted rubber and such.

Ayuh,.....

You're lookin' for Rotten Wood.......

If the Alignment Bar slides in,+ out with Ease,.... It otta be Easy to reinstall the Drive.....

Run the boat,+ later,... Buy the $10. Gasket,.. Pull the Drive,+ Check it Again....
If things are Movin',... You'll figure out Where....

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

I don't see/feel any rotten wood. The way i'm looking at it is the front of the engine bolts to the hull, the rear bolts to the outdrive housing. Wouldn't rotten wood only affect the front of the engine causing it to drop? If the rear dropped wouldn't the outdrive have to really slide down on the transom to cause this mis-alignment? My next question is; could this mis-alignment have caused the gear set in my outdrive to have failed? Thats the main reason i have it out, i just rebuilt the outdrive.

 

[mudweiser]

Re: Installing outdrive. Won't go in.

did you have a difficult time removing the drive? Your alignment could have been off from the start.The rear motor mount bushings may have collapsed, the front mounts may have rotted dropping the front of the motor.

I think you might be onto something here, i have to question why there is so much room under the rear mount bolts. Thats about how far i had to drop the front of the engine. I can't feel the rear boots with my finger, nor can you see them. On the attached picture, is this about the normal gap you see on the rear mount bolts?