Outdrive Popping

[wejaz28]

96' 5.7L, 2bbl, Alpha One gen 2.

Just had engine rebuilt. When I got it back, outdrive is now making a popping noise, going up and down(mostly down). Sounds like its binding. Had someone lower drive, placed hands on it. Felt a popping in the whole unit, as if it was in a bind. Does it pretty consistently.

Have not had boat in water yet, and cannot find anything on this on the interwebs.

Outdrive was not removed for engine repair.

 

[nola mike]

96' 5.7L, 2bbl, Alpha One gen 2.

Just had engine rebuilt. When I got it back, outdrive is now making a popping noise, going up and down(mostly down). Sounds like its binding. Had someone lower drive, placed hands on it. Felt a popping in the whole unit, as if it was in a bind. Does it pretty consistently.

Have not had boat in water yet, and cannot find anything on this on the interwebs.

Outdrive was not removed for engine repair.

How/why did the engine get swapped without removing the drive? First thought is u joints. See if it makes noise on muffs, then pull the drive

 

[achris]

Outdrive was not removed for engine repair.

That's the very first thing that needs to come off, and the last thing to go back on when removing an engine.

Your popping sounds like it might be the yoke moving in and out of the coupler, or the trim rams, could be anything really. But the first thing you need to do now is to remove the drive and check the unis, and the gimbal bearing, and most important, check the engine alignment.

Chris...

 

[kenny nunez]

Chris, post a picture of the arrangement of the rear motor mounting bolts and spacers. I bet they have them wrong.

 

[achris]

 

[Scott Danforth]

Outdrive was not removed for engine repair.

Well, that not only made the job 200% harder, you still have to pull the drive to align the motor.

So now pull the drive, align the motor and then service the drive, and then reinstall

 

[wejaz28]

According to guy who did work.
He did not take outdrive off boat and left motor mounts attached to motor(unbolted mounts from boat).

 

[kenny nunez]

He still had to remove the 2 rear vertical mounting bolts that Achris posted. As Scott also said the drive has to come off to set the shaft alignment. If it is not aligned the drive coupler aluminum splines or the rubber part will fail and leave you paddling.

 

[flashback]

I guess that with a stout enough hoist you could yank the motor out with the drive still on but I would have bet my SS check against putting the motor back in. I'm learning every day..

 

[wejaz28]

I do not believe the outdrive came out of the boat. I think he pulled the engine out after separating the two.

 

[Scott Danforth]

According to guy who did work.
He did not take outdrive off boat and left motor mounts attached to motor(unbolted mounts from boat).

200% harder than if you pull the drive and do it the correct way.

 

[Rick Stephens]

I do not believe the outdrive came out of the boat. I think he pulled the engine out after separating the two.

No Merc mechanic ever said don't bother with an alignment after pulling and reinstalling a motor. Absolutely no brainer that everyone who works on Mercs knows/.

 

[achris]

There's a 99.9% chance the alignment is out. Pull the drive (5 minute job), check the alignment (2 minute job), adjust the alignment (could take up to 15 minutes), refit the drive (3 minutes)...

It's either that ^^^ or run the very high chance of destroying the engine coupler and/or the drive input yoke...

Chris.....

 

[wejaz28]

Taking boat back when mechanic gets back in town. Will Follow up. Thanks for input.

 

[wejaz28]

Bad you U-Joints. All better now. Thanks for all the input

 

[achris]

Bad you U-Joints. All better now. Thanks for all the input

Great... (Did the alignment get checked and adjusted at the time?)

 

[tank1949]

According to guy who did work.
He did not take outdrive off boat and left motor mounts attached to motor(unbolted mounts from boat).

I never heard of pulling motor w/o drive pulled FIRST.

 

[achris]

I never heard of pulling motor w/o drive pulled FIRST.

I've heard of it done, and I've seen a boat with the engine gone and the drive still on. But it's just stupid. Makes the job a thousand times harder, risks damaging the coupler, and you have to remove the drive to set up the alignment anyway... So why not just pull the drive at the start. It really is a 5 minute job. I really don't get some people.

Chris...

 

[nola mike]

I've heard of it done, and I've seen a boat with the engine gone and the drive still on. But it's just stupid. Makes the job a thousand times harder, risks damaging the coupler, and you have to remove the drive to set up the alignment anyway... So why not just pull the drive at the start. It really is a 5 minute job. I really don't get some people.

Chris...

I can see maybe getting the engine out... But how could you get it back in? Guide the input shaft in as you lowered and moved the engine aft?

 

[nola mike]

Taking boat back when mechanic gets back in town. Will Follow up. Thanks for input.

I'd be wary of him saying "I checked and everything's fine". I'd check it myself in this case or bring it elsewhere.