4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

[Lobstadive]

1990 Sea Ray, 4.3L Mercruiser I/O. I 've had this boat many years with no problems. Decided to have the outdrive serviced for PM. Asked them to replace the impeller and check u-joint & gimbal bearing. Got the boat back. They changed the impeller and said the gimbal bearing was going so they replaced it and that the u-joints were fine.

First time out and I get a heavy clicking sound when the outdrive is down more than 1/2way and turned all the way to port or starboard. It's smooth when it's up more than 1/2way. Brought the boat back. They said the gimbal was fine and properly installed. They changed the u-joints anyways and they still can't get the noise to go away. They even put two other drives on it that they had in the shop and have the same noise. Supposedly they haven't seen this in 40 years and all that's left is the engine coupler and they want to pull the engine and replace. I'm afraid what else might go wrong if they do. How did the coupler go bad overnight ? Could it be the coupler ? Is it possible the gimbal isn't properly installed ? Any ideas ? I would like to inspect for myself before they pull the engine and break something else. Any help... or ideas would be great ! Thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

. I 've had this boat many years with no problems. Decided to have the outdrive serviced for PM.

Was this the first time the drive was taken off in years? If so, how many years. That may explain the noise.

 

[Lobstadive]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

Thanks Don, it was off 4-5 years ago for an impeller.

 

[moetr]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

Get an alignment tool and check it yourself if you are inclined. My drive was howling in all but one position. My alignment was slightly off. No noise at idle. The clicking is usually u-joint but an alignment issue puts stress on everything. You mentioned it was smooth in one position, similar to mine. If alignment was off it could have taken a set I guess but then it would still be off. Did they check or adjust the alignment? I would just try something simpler before pulling motor. Are the splines on the coupler square. Maybe you can look with a flashlight? If splines are bad then it needs a new coupler anyway. 40 years then they must have checked the alignment. Sometimes good enough is not good enough. Mine was close and drive not hard to get on and off but not good enough.

 

[moetr]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

One other concern. Gimbal bearing needs to be driven in fully and square. You can always get small piece of aluminum trapped behind it. I don't care how many bearings they have installed. Take this for what it's worth. I am a newbie to Mercruiser but do all my own work and am now inimately familiar with this 1999 Alpha and 5.7 as I bought a saltwater boat.

 

[Don S]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

The drive should be pulled yearly if for nothing else than to grease the splines on the coupler. Without grease, the splines are probably worn out and with now clean splines and grease, are making a bit of a racket.

 

[Capn G]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

The drive should be pulled yearly if for nothing else than to grease the splines on the coupler. Without grease, the splines are probably worn out and with now clean splines and grease, are making a bit of a racket.

Don, a question.. on my 4.3 with alpha one gen II outdrive, I noticed while looking for alignment issues, a zerk fitting on the coupler... question: does the drive need to be pulled? Can't I just hit the zerk with a grease gun and go boating?

 

[Don S]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

Gapn G, you need to start your own thread with questions, don't hijack someone else's thread.

 

[Capn G]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

Don, I hardly see where I'm "hijacking" a thread... Your suggestion to pull the drive yearly to examine the splines for grease and suggesting that could be an issue, prompted me to ask you that since I found a zerk fitting on MY drive, I thought it was appropriate to ask if greasing a zerk on the coupler would be preferrable to yanking the outdrive. Your answer to me would have been sufficient to the original poster as well, provided of course he had a zerk on his coupler....

 

[littlebookworm]

Re: 4.3L Mercruiser - Engine Coupler, Gimbal, U-Joint or Getting Screwed ?

Capn G: Don's right; but, short answer - drive should come off each year to check and grease everything. Hy