Mercruiser rear engine mount problems

[Maclin]

Changed out engine coupler, putting engine back and the rear bolts don't seem to want to start to thread into the transom mount.

I had the exhaust boots lined up, and dropped it on down slowly and got them to plop on. Front mounts were still not down on the stringer, so went down a little more, pushed on the engine to stern to make sure it was "there" back there, and dropped slowly while doing that until the front mounts hit, holes were lined up with the lag holes.

I am not sure what all I can booger up during this part of the engine remount, plus it is hard to exert much downward pressure, Is there a trick? Or do I maybe have a problem? I believe all the hardware is correctly implemented, bolt,washer,spacer and the fiber washer and lock washers were intact on the transom mount. I did assume the bolts can be reused.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bt Doctur]

If your resting on the double wound springs the bolts should slide in and catch the nuts held captive in the housing.

 

[Bt Doctur]

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[Maclin]

Thanks Bt Doctur . I may have jostled some of that on the transom mount on the removal. I meant to be sure and look before while I had the engine out of the way and of course old-aged it right out of the brain. It was getting late last nite and I had to pack it in. I plan to get back at it next weekend and move the engine out some and will take a look. Thanks again for reinforcing that it is(s/b) that simple of a process.

 

[kenny nunez]

I had that problem a few times and this is what happened. The distance between the rear mounting holes is too close. What might help is to grind one side of the nuts . The inner transom plate is de-formed or even could be cracked. When the boat was built or repowered the transom is soft or the installer used an impact wrench to draw the inner plate to the transom.
The only other thing that could have happened was the lower unit may have struck something and stressed the transom.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I tape the nuts into place,.... Once the rear mount touches Home, the bolts usually fall into place,....

Any ole tape'll do,... Maskin' tapes is my usual,....

 

[Maclin]

The bolts push through and stop short at what appears to be about half of the thread length, then just spin when turned.

The book did not mention anything about nuts, can they just fall out? I swear I didn't have any pieces leftover

 

[Rick Stephens]

The bolts push through and stop short at what appears to be about half of the thread length, then just spin when turned.

The book did not mention anything about nuts, can they just fall out? I swear I didn't have any pieces leftover

Yup, the nuts just slide into capture slots. If not careful, they can be dislodged. They are just castle nuts, can be mistaken for something else.

 

[Maclin]

Thanks Rick. I looked at the merc manual that shows a diagram of the inner transom and includes the bolts and sundries, I think I know exactly where to look now. I should have tried the bolts in the transom mount holes first, it was all right there when the engine was out of the way.

 

[Maclin]

I was able to get the rear mount bolts in today. I moved the engine up and out first and looked it over back there, tried the bolts, all good, the lock washer and fiber washer were intact and I could see the nut below and the bolts engaged fine. I had to try several times to get the engine to rest properly. Most of the problem was due to the top of the engine compartment kept the hoist chain from being able to lift straight up. I had to lever the engine back with a 2x4, and got one side to just drop in, THAT is a pretty cool sound at the end of a long afternoon. The other side was about the same, had to lever some. I ran out of time to try to align it. I did poke the tool in just to see what that felt like, it made it in all the way with one small push at the end. Not real smooth but easy enough to pull back out, too dark to really read the marks. Have to wait for a while to finish it all up as travelling out of town for the next 3 weeks for work.

Thanks for the help everybody!

 

[biggjimm]

I had that issue the first couple times that I pulled one.
Now, the first thing I do when going back in is the rear mount bolts. Before everything else gets bolted on & right smack in your way.

Hope your memory is better than what mine is anymore. After three weeks I would have done forgot which boat I was even working on let alone what goes where. Lol.

Good luck.
Jim

 

[Maclin]

I had that issue the first couple times that I pulled one.
Now, the first thing I do when going back in is the rear mount bolts. Before everything else gets bolted on & right smack in your way.

Hope your memory is better than what mine is anymore. After three weeks I would have done forgot which boat I was even working on let alone what goes where. Lol.

Good luck.
Jim

LOL!!! Yes, took some notes, but at 63 am hoping brain fade does not kick in before I can get back to it.

Thanks...

 

[biggjimm]

LOL!!! Yes, took some notes, but at 63 am hoping brain fade does not kick in before I can get back to it.

Thanks...

Brain fade.... I'll have to remember that one. Sounds much better than "Sorry honey, I forgot"

I find myself taking a lot of pictures on my cell phone when I'm working on stuff these days.

 

[Maclin]

I was able to align the engine and get the drive installed. I had to use new fiber washers and double wound lock washers because each time I checked alignment again after socking down the front mounts the bar would not go back in at all. When the engine was held by the hoist I could hear a small clunk at the back when I gave it a good shove, and could see one corner moving about a 16th of an inch. Once the new washers were installed the alignment went well, and the drive went on with barely any effort.

The trim gauge does not work right now, it goes straight to the top and does not follow the drive position. I am pretty sure all the connections made it back to connected but must have missed something. I will research some and see what i can come up with.

The ease of the drive install kind of surprised me as I was expecting a giant hassle getting the splines to engage. I had the prop on, ready to have my son move it if needed, but the shaft pretty much went right in, then a small shove when it got to that 1inch-to-go spot and good to go. I need to replace the trim cylinder rod bushings and caps, had some aging injuries with those.

Thanks to all that contributed. Salute! :wave:

 

[Rick Stephens]

Congrats. A few dollars in new mounting hardware resolved the fit.

You may find that the trim sender itself is shorted out internally or in the wires. I guess that is the commonest issue with them over time. Either they quit working altogether or they short out. Major PITA to replace.

Rick

 

[Maclin]

Thanks Rick. I finished up late yesterday, and needed to get it back to storage and had no time to look stuff up before I buttoned it up. I am pretty sure I missed plugging in the bayonet connectors from that lampcord style cable from the transom mount into the connectors on the back of the engine.