new to I/O's help?

[firemanjonny]

New to iboat's glad to be a member. Also, new to I/O's. recently pulled the mercruiser 3.0 engine from my 1984 larson floating jalopy. I figure since i'm into it this far. Might be a good time to check out the gimble bearing? If I move the drive shaft from inside the boat how much play, side to side, might indicate a need for replacement? Can I put it off until winter? Doing a full engine overhaul myself now. A drive overhaul now, might just kill me! Any input is greatly appreciated. Also, re-installling the engine; difficult to set the shaft into the coupling?

 

[ziggy]

Re: new to I/O's help?

sounds like ya pulled the engine w/o pulling the drive. if so, yer supposed to go the other way. pull the drive, then the engine. put the remote in fwd. prior to pullin the drive.
to check a gimble brg. ya just spin it with yer fingers with the drive removed. if it ain't icey smooth, it needs replacement.
welcome to 'the' fourm. lots of folks helping ea. other out here.....
for where yer at. ya really need a oem service manual. yer deep into it.... hopefully someone will come by and let ya know which one ya need.... here's number 6 for an alpha1 drive, ya may need an earlier one version, but this will get ya started. the engine part is seperate manual. i don't know which one ya need. service manuals cover specific serial number ranges.
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6covr3.pdf

 

[firemanjonny]

Re: new to I/O's help?

Thank You for the info Ziggy! Yeah I had fried a rod bearing so the engine had to be pulled. Like I said was trying to put off the drive till winter. I'm sure I'll be able to figure out how to yank the drive, if I have to. I guess, Is it not possible to drop the engine back in at this point? Assuming of course, the gimble is good? Or, is there a reason you suggest, I should have pulled the drive first? Oh, last question, My drive shaft should have side to side play correct? Or shouild that be solid?

 

[Don S]

Re: new to I/O's help?

Without removing the drive first, you take a chance of damaging the coupler. by lifting up on the engine.
When reinstalling the engine, you will have to go straight down on the mounts to get all the hardware in the proper location. You will also have to make sure the engine alignment is right or you will destroy the coupler in short order (requiers and engine pull to replace)
The gimbal bearing is aligned to the engine coupler, so any movement in the shaft an gimbal bearing by moving the shaft from inside the boat with the engine out means nothing.
Get an OEM service manual for your engine and drive and read it. Pulling a drive is a 10 minute job and very easy.

 

[firemanjonny]

Re: new to I/O's help?

I do have a manual. Some of the tricks of the trade are obviously left out. My floor is also out of the boat so, I was thinking i could slide the engine straight back over the shaft, onto the rear mount. Is this acceptable, or am I going to damage the coupler? Sorry if I am an idiot with this. Engines are easy, the rest of this is new territory.

 

[Don S]

Re: new to I/O's help?

I was thinking i could slide the engine straight back over the shaft, onto the rear mount. Is this acceptable, or am I going to damage the coupler?

Hmmmmmm, you must have missed this part of my post above.

When reinstalling the engine, you will have to go straight down on the mounts to get all the hardware in the proper location. You will also have to make sure the engine alignment is right or you will destroy the coupler in short order

 

[firemanjonny]

Re: new to I/O's help?

Thank You, yes I caught that. I was assuming you thought I had limited space to work with therefore the staright down onto mounting hardware thing. Parden my "greenness"? I just assumed, since the engine came straight forward from the drive, thats how i should put it back in. The mounting bolts just drop right in from the top, I though anyway? Certainly don't mean to insult you, i do apologize if I have.

 

[Don S]

Re: new to I/O's help?

The mounting bolts just drop right in from the top, I though anyway?

They do, but there are also things under them, like the double wound washer and the fiber washer, and you still have to make sure the alignment is ok, with an alignment bar, or you will be destroying a 300 dollar coupler.

Certainly don't mean to insult you,

You didn't. At all.

 

[firemanjonny]

Re: new to I/O's help?

alignment bar? oh man, this is getting more complicated. I do try to understand how things work. So, please bare with me. By attempting to install the engine the way I have suggested, I will be putting some torque on the coupler, the coupler is fragile enough to be damaged that easily? Seems like a hardy piece of equipment although I do believe you. Your obviously far more experienced than me! Now, by removing the drive, setting the engine, re-installing the drive, I should be avoiding that undue strain on that coupler?

 

[Bondo]

Re: new to I/O's help?

I was thinking i could slide the engine straight back over the shaft, onto the rear mount. Is this acceptable,

Again,..... No.....

The motor has to be set Straight Down onto it's rear motor mount Hardware,....
Then the bolts are dropped in.....

Then the Alignment is Checked,+ Adjusted,... using an Alignment Bar......

Pulling the drive entails 8 Nuts,+ a $7.00 gasket set......

Doing it the way You Say,.... The Alignment can Not be checked,+ That's what'll Destroy the Coupler.......

 

[ziggy]

Re: new to I/O's help?

plus, after ya pull the drive, then ya can check yer gimble brg. like ya wanted. and ya can grease yer ujoints and inspect for water intrusion into the bellows area along with doing the alignment proper too. yep, ya will need the alignment bar. get one, it's a good investment. drives need to be pulled once a year anyways for maint. and alignment confermation. don't forget to put it in fwd prior to pulling the drive.
ya say ya got a manual. which one? is it an oem service manual? the oem is the only way to go for service manuals.