Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

[Twolane]

1979 Mercruiser 165. The double spiral lock washers are in each side. Engine was out for rebuild. Front wood solid. Here's what I've got.

The pics show the alignment tool and its grease witness marks starting from the top then rotatining counterclockwise 90 degrees (looking from the rear) in each successive picture. To my eyes the teeth marks left as tell tale look relatively even. But have never done this before so don't have a clue what I should actually be seeing. Also I'm assuming the tool should go in deeper than this. But, again, that's an assumption based on no experience.

It goes in that far and no farther. Might go farther if I tried harder than bumping the tool lightly with the heel of my hand. But everything I've read says no real force is necessary.

If those with some hands-on experience would look at this pic and say what they're seeing I'd appreciate it. In the mean time I'll replace the water pump and other seals in a lower unit for the first time also. Hopefully that won't take all night. But who knows. You guys that work on boats for fun are nuts!

 

[Don S]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Drop the front of the engine.

Look at this thread too. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2971085

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

that thing is barely going in . . . way out of alignment.

 

[Twolane]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Drop the front of the engine.

Look at this thread too. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2971085

Will do and thanks. Since it's way out will try 1 turn at a time and recheck.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Ayuh,.... The splines ride all the way to the 1st shoulder...

 

[Don S]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Read first, and watch the video's. Then when you know what to do and what to expect things will go better. You start skipping information, and you will be messing with this for a long time.

 

[Twolane]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Read first, and watch the video's. Then when you know what to do and what to expect things will go better. You start skipping information, and you will be messing with this for a long time.

Thanks. Have read the instructions, read the manual, watched several Youtube videos and still not getting it. Another set of pictures offered. Same convention as the first set starting from the top then turning counterclockwise 90 degrees at a time as looking at it from the back of the boat.

If I'm reading these as I think they should be read the front of the motor still needs to be lowered. There is no more adjustment though. Front is already as low as it can go.

Tell me I'm doing something stupid. Please....

 

[Pete104]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

You've got the double lockwashers. Are the fiber washers NEW?

 

[Twolane]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

You've got the double lockwashers. Are the fiber washers NEW?

No, they are not. Never read anything about them being a mandatory replacement. Visually they looked fine and flat across both plains. Never thought of replacing them.

They compress? That much?

Was hoping this was some stupid mistake stemming from my kid completely disassembling the lower front mount to give it a fresh coat of paint. That finding the center point again was just some incredibly annoying task that I wasn't mastering.

If the fiber washers are the culprit I'm waiting for parts. No chance of a test run this weekend. Nuts.

This gentleman may be right on. Should anyone have another suggestion I'm more than willing to spend some time giving it a try.

 

[Twolane]

Re: Help with Engine Alignment -- Mercruiser 165 -- Hopeful Pics Will Help

Never mind on this one. I bailed. Got all the bellows replaced, the engine R&R'd and rebuilt, the wiring all back in the boat and the instruments all working again. Lower unit resealed also. But it never got to be fun and this was the end of my patience. Messed with it for another 90 minutes early this morning just to see if fresh eyes helped. Still always seemed I needed to get the front lower than it would go.

Took it to a local marine shop this morning. They've got the washers if needed. They'll align the engine and adjust the shift cable. Back to me one day next week then will get the engine fired and finally take it to the water. Thanks to all who offered guidance as it went on with both this and a buddy's boat that's been in my shop within the last couple weeks. Always appreciated.