SX drive will not go in the last 1/2"

[penta newbie]

Other than gimbal bearing alignment, What can keep the drive from sliding in the last 1/2" It just wont slide in.

I just replaced my gimbal bearing and seal, and did the alignment with the tool. It slides in with very little effort and the splines are even all the way around in the molly grease. I replaced the bellows and have cleaned and put a small coating of grease on the bolts and mating surfaces.

I am looking for tricks of the trade as it appears the gimbal is correct.

 

[nitwhit]

Re: SX drive will not go in the last 1/2"

Is your shift cable routed through properly with the connector off of it? Other than that, take a look at this thread.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=513846&page=2

 

[Senior B]

Re: SX drive will not go in the last 1/2"

Does the alignment bar go all the way in? It's difficult for me to see the pictures but the greese marks should go all the way down the entire length of the last part of the alignment bar. If it doesn't you still have some adjusting to do. You might also have too much greese in the coupler if you gobbed a bunch on the alignment bar and did this each time you put the bar in and this isn't allowing any displacment for air or greese when you put the drive on.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: SX drive will not go in the last 1/2"

Wipe any excess grease off of the two o-rings.

 

[penta newbie]

Re: SX drive will not go in the last 1/2"

Thank you all for your input. The culprit was grease, not oil on the o-rings. Read the Volvo service manual which says to use oil not grease to prevent hydraulic locking on the o-rings. rechecked the alignment, removed the grease, used oil and ......wiggle wiggle, pop all the way home. Dang manual....it always seems to be right.

Sea trial tomorrow afternoon if the boat starts. First fire on a new motor.

Thanks again.