Good morning all,
A couple of weeks back Don and a few suggested I look at Ebay for an engine alignment tool for my Volvo P.. Much appreciate that suggestion!!
It did arrive this past week and I have been putting it to good use this morning.
What I have is a 2003 5.7 Gxi mated with a VP DP. Engine/drive have 125 hrs - TX fresh water only. I'm sure that's all the info required for this conversation.
Last fall from good advice here I pulled my drive and stored it in the garage, winterized the boat and sealed up the open drive area. The last time anyone "supposedly" checked the alignment was fall of 2006 - this was also the last time the drive has been off. Boat has been flawless in regards to operation etc.. I'm a very seasoned mechanic (though new to boats) thus have been doing my own Mx for the last few years. After much reading etc on the forum here I realized the need to be pulling and checking the drive and components - here we are today.
Pulled the boat out of storage last night and parked her in the driveway. First thing I did was grab my new alignment tool and slid it in. The tool slide in with some resistance yet definitely went in completely. I removed it and used the existing grease to check for spline contact. Only 4 or 5 splines made good contact on the top/12 O-clock position on the tool, thus what I considered the tight spot etc..
Now here is where my question really begins: With the splines making significant contact to the top of the tool, adjusting the front engine mounts down should be the proper process correct? I ask because I figured if anything I would have had to raise the front/engine given sag or engine mount compression over time.. (I must mention here that I did "adjust/raise" the front/ engine and the tool resistance was "much" worse).
Well, after literally lowering the front of the engine down near 1/4 of an inch (based off of the fresh threads on the mount bolts), the tool slides in completely with absolutely very little to "no" resistance - I even rotated the engine checking each 90 degrees of rotation. Currently I snugged down the mount bolts and my mechanical experience/grease monkey brain tells me I have it right where it should be..
I guess I am just perplexed at the need to adjust the front of the engine "down" that far. You think it could have been that far off from the manufacturer etc.? The rear mounts did not look adjustable yet maybe they compressed enough that the front adjustment was required.?
I just wanted to run all this by Sir Don and the other resident experts before I mount the drive and complete my spring prep.
Thank you all!
A couple of weeks back Don and a few suggested I look at Ebay for an engine alignment tool for my Volvo P.. Much appreciate that suggestion!!
It did arrive this past week and I have been putting it to good use this morning.What I have is a 2003 5.7 Gxi mated with a VP DP. Engine/drive have 125 hrs - TX fresh water only. I'm sure that's all the info required for this conversation.
Last fall from good advice here I pulled my drive and stored it in the garage, winterized the boat and sealed up the open drive area. The last time anyone "supposedly" checked the alignment was fall of 2006 - this was also the last time the drive has been off. Boat has been flawless in regards to operation etc.. I'm a very seasoned mechanic (though new to boats) thus have been doing my own Mx for the last few years. After much reading etc on the forum here I realized the need to be pulling and checking the drive and components - here we are today.
Pulled the boat out of storage last night and parked her in the driveway. First thing I did was grab my new alignment tool and slid it in. The tool slide in with some resistance yet definitely went in completely. I removed it and used the existing grease to check for spline contact. Only 4 or 5 splines made good contact on the top/12 O-clock position on the tool, thus what I considered the tight spot etc..
Now here is where my question really begins: With the splines making significant contact to the top of the tool, adjusting the front engine mounts down should be the proper process correct? I ask because I figured if anything I would have had to raise the front/engine given sag or engine mount compression over time.. (I must mention here that I did "adjust/raise" the front/ engine and the tool resistance was "much" worse).
Well, after literally lowering the front of the engine down near 1/4 of an inch (based off of the fresh threads on the mount bolts), the tool slides in completely with absolutely very little to "no" resistance - I even rotated the engine checking each 90 degrees of rotation. Currently I snugged down the mount bolts and my mechanical experience/grease monkey brain tells me I have it right where it should be..
I guess I am just perplexed at the need to adjust the front of the engine "down" that far. You think it could have been that far off from the manufacturer etc.? The rear mounts did not look adjustable yet maybe they compressed enough that the front adjustment was required.?
I just wanted to run all this by Sir Don and the other resident experts before I mount the drive and complete my spring prep.
Thank you all!
