Looking for bare engine block with pistons

[Westieman]

Thanks Scott for the advise, thanks Lou for the compliment!
Well, it is not easy to get it right the first time. I misplaced the shift cable. The cable should pass behind the power steering. Luckily it is an easy fix. Problem is that a lot was already disconnected by the previous owner. And of course, my short term memory is no longer like it used to be. I must be getting older.
Anyway, I will get there, eventually .
Tomorrow I have a special project on the boat! I will show you guys when it is done.... curious? :lol:
I hope I will not need to adjust the alignment of the engine. Position of the engine mounts did not change since I took the bolts out of mounts on the engine side. Of course, the rubber mounts might have been compressed over time due to the weight of the engine. I will check it though.
Hope you had some fun out on the water Lou, to compensate for the struggle in your car's back door. It is great you can do those repairs with the help of your son. These small things mean a lot to me, and to you I guess?

Stay safe!
greetings from the Westieman!

 

[Scott Danforth]

if you touched the mounts, you need to check alignment. the fact that the motor was out and on a bench you are going to need to adjust.

yearly alignment checks are also part of the annual maintenance.

 

[Westieman]

Thanks Scott ! You wouldn't happen to have the dimensions of the alignment tool?

 

[Bondo]

Thanks Scott ! You wouldn't happen to have the dimensions of the alignment tool?

Ayuh,.... That can be found in Don'S Adults Only Section, with pictures,.....

There's a link in my signature,....

 

[Lou C]

Thanks Scott for the advise, thanks Lou for the compliment!
Well, it is not easy to get it right the first time. I misplaced the shift cable. The cable should pass behind the power steering. Luckily it is an easy fix. Problem is that a lot was already disconnected by the previous owner. And of course, my short term memory is no longer like it used to be. I must be getting older.
Anyway, I will get there, eventually .
Tomorrow I have a special project on the boat! I will show you guys when it is done.... curious? :lol:
I hope I will not need to adjust the alignment of the engine. Position of the engine mounts did not change since I took the bolts out of mounts on the engine side. Of course, the rubber mounts might have been compressed over time due to the weight of the engine. I will check it though.
Hope you had some fun out on the water Lou, to compensate for the struggle in your car's back door. It is great you can do those repairs with the help of your son. These small things mean a lot to me, and to you I guess?

Stay safe!
greetings from the Westieman!

The same tool works for Merc, Volvo (SX) and OMC Cobra, you can make one, but there are commercially available ones from ebay sellers, I bought a Sierra one from a marine parts supply place some years back that I use to check the alignment every time I have the drive off.
Yes it was nice to have my son help with the Jeep window actuator, he is very patient and follows instructions well! I wound up being able to use an ebay repair kit to replace the two rollers that fit in the top track below the window, these are the ones that break and allow the window to slide down. As much as people criticize Jeep/Chrysler the door was easy to take apart and after removing the speaker the actuator came right out the speaker hole. Tested the motor (original) and it was fine still. Replaced the 2 broken rollers ($20 kit) and back in business! Next is the lock actuator.

 

[Westieman]

Small update, might come as a surprise
Some "before and after" pictures

 

[Westieman]

First coat is on, tomorrow the next. Need to adapt to the weather. Today was fine, tomorrow...? The forecast looks good so fingers crossed.
The reason for the paint job was a bad repair
More updates to come!

 

[Lou C]

Beautiful job!
What kind of paint?
Spray or roll & tip?

You know I had mixed feelings about getting our boat painted back in 2012 but it's 8 years later still looks great, best thing is no more buffing oxidized gel coat.

 

[Westieman]

Hi Lou! Yes, I was in doubt to. But did not have much choice so.
Paint is 2-pack International " Perfection". Rolled and tipped it this morning with the mss .
Will be rubbing and polishing it later. I would like it to shine like a new one, or a good secondhand one :lol:

 

[Lou C]

Very nice! I thought of doing this myself but didn't think I could do a good job plus no shop or garage big enough to work in. So I wound up getting it sprayed by a great fiberglass place local to me in red Imron. Expensive but worth it. Imron was developed for heavy duty applications like airplanes and tractor trailers and it works great on boats as well. However, it is only for professional application because it is very toxic, requires a oxygen supplied respirator etc. The blue will really stand out in a sea of white gelcoat boats as my red boat stands out!

 

[Westieman]

Today the second coat ! All went well except for the ambient temperature. Today we had some 29°c ( 84 °F ?). A little high but we started early before the big heat. The 2-pack will cure quickly under these conditions.
One more milestone, got the engine running this afternoon :joyous:. Just for a few seconds since there is no outdrive and no cooling water. Gave instant oil pressure but not sure about the starter motor which makes some unwanted noise. Will probably replace it later on for one with reduction gears.
Next on the list, sanding, rubbing and polishing. The new rub rails ( white with a red insert ) are waiting in the box.
Gave the outdrive a test fit on the transom in order to check the alignment. It slides in and out without any problem up until the last 1/4 inch or so. Shift fork not engaging? Will check it later, today was to hot to fidle around with the outdrive .

 

[Lou C]

Are the outdrive and shifter both in neutral? that is one difference from the Merc Alpha and OMC Cobra, Cobra should be in neutral. Also sometimes without the alignment tool it is very difficult to get the driveshaft to slide straight in to the coupler. It really does make it easier...I have had times where it went right back on, and other times where I had to fight it a bit.

can't wait to see the finished paint job/rub rail.

 

[Westieman]

Got the adjustment tool for the shifter. ( the one you suggested from midnight wolf) So the " transom" side is in neutral. The outdrive side is a different story. For that there is no tool. Went looking for some measurements on the net but could not determine exactly what the dimensions should be. Found 2 different dimensions but these are very close together. Problem is that they did not state the position. Is it neutral, forward or reverse. But I guess neutral is in middle between forward and reverse. Anyway, I would like to know the exact dimension for the shifter fork adjustment. Had to take it off the shifter rod since the bolt that fixes it had broken off. Any help on the subject would be much appreciated!
But there is no hurry, have to tackle a different "problem". Hope to test drive it tomorrow ( pic ) . After the MG TC back to the boat

 

[Westieman]

Oh Lou btw, outdrive slides in easily, once the splines are aligned of course. Only the last 5 mm. is different. Could screw on the locking nuts and force it in place but I'd rather not proceed that way. Looking at greased splines, it slides in square and even.

 

[Lou C]

hope you can see this the dimension is 7 13/64" or 18.3cm, measured from the top of the shift rod head to the drive housing surface (where the water passage cover is bolted on to..

PS
I had mine set up at a shop back in 2004, because I was having shifting problems like it would not come out of reverse, stiff shifting, etc. After that it was much better but not quite perfect. Around 2012/2013 the remote adjustment changed slightly so it was time to learn this mysterious Cobra shift system that so many mechanics will not touch. Well I bought the 3 OMC tools (midnight wolf sells 2 but not all 3, for the 3rd you can measure without it). Pulled the drive and found the shift rod height was slightly off. Adjusted that with the tool, then did the transom shift cable and the remote cable. After this it shifted the best it ever has, into gear with a solid THUNK and out of gear with 2 finger pressure on the shift control. That is how a properly adjusted Cobra is supposed to shift. BTW, I still have the same shift cable on it as when I bought it in 2002.

 

[Westieman]

Thanks Lou!!! But is this the height with the rod fully out ( up ) or fully in ( down ) ?

 

[Lou C]

In neutral which is the mid point position between FWD and REV.... so just the middle notch lol

 

[Westieman]

Yeah Lou, the middle notch, going great there lol.
Unfortunately, there is no center "click", only completely in or out and everything that lies in between. Think this is normal? I would have expected a"locking in place "mechanism with a positive click on it once you have engaged REV, neutral or FWD. A bit like a gearbox of a car. Strange no ?

 

[Lou C]

When you move the shift rod have someone turn the driveshaft or the propshaft at the same time, that is how a dog clutch is supposed to be shifted and then you should feel it lock into fwd and rev...I haven’t played with mine in a while so I can’t recall exactly how it feels

 

[Westieman]

Hi fellow boaters! Hope you are all in good health and doing great!
Another small update.
I have been struggling a bit with the shift rod height but got it figured out. I took a tape measure and started comparing different positions of the different parts ( fork in the outdrive and the rod on the transom). Now the outdrive went into the transom without any trouble at all. Once the splines aligned, BANG, it went all the way in, screws on and done.
Shifting forward and reverse is light and easy, very happy with that. Now I can start playing with engine. Needs some adjusting. Ignition, carb etc...Looking forward to have the engine spinning and warmed up for the first time.