Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

[toolman4]

I just need the measurement of the end that goes into the spline. I got a alignment tool off ebay for my 99 starcraft with 4.3 motor and new long block from rapido marine, but cannot get it to go into the spline section. It looks like it is straight in but does not want to go. Any help would be great.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

I just need the measurement of the end that goes into the spline. I got a alignment tool off ebay for my 99 starcraft with 4.3 motor and new long block from rapido marine, but cannot get it to go into the spline section. It looks like it is straight in but does not want to go. Any help would be great.

Ayuh,... I believe there's a drawing of the tool up in the Adults Only section, at the top of this forum...

 

[FishHog]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

not sure who it was, but one of the ebay sellers made them right, then powder coated them, making them oversized. If you take some emry cloth and sand off the powder coating if it has some, it should fit perfect. If its not powder coated, then I'm not helping at all.

 

[Don S]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

not sure who it was, but one of the ebay sellers made them right, then powder coated them, making them oversized.

Sometimes you just have to wonder about the thought processes (or lack of) of some people.

 

[toolman4]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Thanks everybody. Ok my measurement is correct. I used the cherry picker and went up and down with the front of the motor and couldnt find where it would slide in. It looks like it should go, but I cant get into the spline section. Are the back bolts supposed to be loose or out while doing this? What else can I try?

 

[Don S]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

You do realize the inner portion of the gimbal bearing needs to be lined up to the coupler first. Then you align the engine.

Push alignment bar in as far as it will go, then look inside the boat and see where you have to twist the bearing for the bar to go into the coupler.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

the rear mounting bolts must be tightened down first

 

[toolman4]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Ok my bolts were tight. Just to verify how many should that be? Could you explain further where to look inside the boat to twist the bearing so it will enter the sheave? I've been trying to read up but didn't come across that adjustment in the service manual or on threads.

 

[toolman4]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

to the top

 

[Don S]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Could you explain further where to look inside the boat to twist the bearing so it will enter the sheave?

THINK !

The alignment bar comes in from the back of the boat. The end of the alignment bar is what you want to see. Now where do you think it's located ??????

 

[toolman4]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Sorry Don its my first time and first boat. I just found a good post with pictures about hitting it up and down with a soft hammer. Now I get it. The pictures are in the new service manuals.

 

[Don S]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

You can't "Hit it up and down" if it's not at least started in the coupler. The hitting it with a mallet basically just jars the bearing and allows it to stay where it's at.

Here is a whole thread on alignment http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2971085 that is up in the stickies at the top of the forum, but none of it works if you don't get the alignment bar started into the coupler to begin with.

 

[achris]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Here's another video that mentions aligning the bearing...

Checking alignment: http://youtu.be/w118LGsYgY4

 

[toolman4]

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

Re: What is the micron measure ment of the 1999 alpha one sterndrive alignment tool

I stillllll cant get the alignment bar to slide into coupler or sheave. I've included a couple of pics but dont know if they are going to help. The second pic is of the gap right in front of the coupler. The first pic has a white line in the very middle of the circle is the back of the sheave. The circle you see on the very inside is the sheave entrance. It seems the alignment bar is hitting the enter of the cuopler and enter of the sheave at the same time with the 2 different sections on the alignment bar. The alignment bars last section slides through the gimbal bearning about 2 inches. I don't know if I should hit the end of tool with the hammer to force it in more or what. It looks in alignment. Anything else I can try would be great. The front motor mounts seem to go down only so far and then are being held by something else back mount maybe. How many bolts should the motor to transom connection be in back just to check? Any other insight would be great. The micron measurement of the sterndrive drive shaft female groove is the same as the alignment tool's first section. just verifying. I'm just thinking maybe the bar doesnt fit. Its not powder coated or anything. Every video I watch it seems they can at least get it into the sheave.

 

[toolman4]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

top

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

did you replace the rear motor mount bushings? if yes, new style(knurled) or old style(plain)
did you use all the correct hardware?
wondering if the motor has to shift left or right a bit

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

did you replace the rear motor mount bushings? if yes, new style(knurled) or old style(plain)
did you use all the correct hardware?
wondering if the motor has to shift left or right a bit

He hasn't even got the gimbal bearing aligned to the coupler yet. The alignment bar isn't even started in the coupler.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

Maybe if you clean some of the greese out of there and just coat the alignment bar it would give you a better indication of what direction you need to move the engine.

 

[toolman4]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

I appreciate the help. This should be way simpler but its not going that way. I had another engine bud look at it and he couldn't figure it either. How high can I lift the motor up or down in front without hurting anything in back. The mounts were put exactly back on like they were so it is a little baffling. Does anybody grind the alignment tools edges down a little so they have more than than the 45 degree camphor to slide in easier. If I measure the female groove in the stern spine it is just a touch smaller than the start of the alignment tool but I suppose that is normal right.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help aligning engine to sterndrive

YOU have to physically move the inside part of the gimbal bearing, with the alignment bar until the end of the alignment bar goes into the coupler, even if it's just a little bit in to the coupler splines. Then, you can start your alignment process.