Alfa 1 gen 2 sterndrive install issues

[Brett LaRue]

Replaced the gimble bearing (its seated properly) and u-joint assemble along with everything attached to the bell housing. All new seals and O rings. The Sterndrive won't go on all the way about an inch out.
I didn't over grease the end of the saft.
The shift leavers are mating properly in forward.
The plastic end to the shift cable is inside the sterndrive.
I used my alignment tool and it slides in to the last notch on the tool and I can turn with two fingers. But when I take out I don't see the traces of splines in the grease. See pics
If it is indeed aligned could it he the O rings on the shaft? If so, would some moderate hits with a rubber mallet be ok. Any other advice welcome. This project is killing me.

 

[alldodge]

I can turn with two fingers. But when I take out I don't see the traces of splines in the grease.

You should not turn bar with your fingers to see marks, it's just push in and pull out

It does not appear the tool is going into the coupler, otherwise there would be marks if not turned, or cleaned off if rotated while inserted

A new bearing is real tight. Alignment tool needs to be moved around until it goes in. Once in the tool should be smacked with your hands up/down/left/right and couple times each to make sure gimbal is centered

 

[Brett LaRue]

You should not turn bar with your fingers to see marks, it's just push in and pull out

It does not appear the tool is going into the coupler, otherwise there would be marks if not turned, or cleaned off if rotated while inserted

A new bearing is real tight. Alignment tool needs to be moved around until it goes in. Once in the tool should be smacked with your hands up/down/left/right and couple times each to make sure gimbal is centered

Yes a good bit of the grease was removed when pulled out. Tool goes in all the way to the last notch, I consider the rest just the handle

 

[alldodge]

What does it look like when pushed in and pulled straight out, are there spline marks?

 

[Brett LaRue]

What does it look like when pushed in and pulled straight out, are there spline marks?

Did it again heres the pic afterward. Tool was a bit stuck to pull out

 

[Scott Danforth]

It wasn't pushed into the coupler

 

[alldodge]

It either was not pushed into the coupler or the coupler is stripped

Are there any teeth on the coupler?

 

[Brett LaRue]

It wasn't pushed into the coupler

This weird I've played with the tool for 30 minutes trying all different angles and nothing. One thing that just hit me, when i tried installing the saft and pulled back out the grease on half of the splines was gone. Wouldn't that mean the salft was halfway into the coupler. Thanks for your help by the way.

 

[Brett LaRue]

It either was not pushed into the coupler or the coupler is stripped

Are there any teeth on the coupler?

 

[Brett LaRue]

The boat ran fine plenty of power. So I suppose the teeth on the coupler are fine.
There was knowing from the top of the Sterndrive when turning that's what started the tear down.

 

[tank1949]

View attachment 386823

Did it again heres the pic afterward. Tool was a bit stuck to pull out

gimbal bearing not centered (hopefully or else other major issues). This happens a lot when replacing bearing or allowing OD shaft's weight on removal to dislocate bearing. Beat alignment shaft side to side several times and see if shaft trues up. No gear teeth on grease means it is not going in all the way OR coupler's teeth are stripped. I don't think it is stripped.

 

[Brett LaRue]

gimbal bearing not centered (hopefully or else other major issues). This happens a lot when replacing bearing or allowing OD shaft's weight on removal to dislocate bearing. Beat alignment shaft side to side several times and see if shaft trues up. No gear teeth on grease means it is not going in all the way OR coupler's teeth are stripped. I don't think

 

[Brett LaRue]

That seemed to do the trick
I was being to gental with the side to side taping as I tend to break things. The alignment tool slid in another inch in a half. Appeared to have spline makrs on it. It was dark so I'll do it again tomorrow with more grease and light.
Is it possible to have the alignment tool slide all the way in and miss the coupler?

 

[alldodge]

That seemed to do the trick
I was being to gental with the side to side taping as I tend to break things. The alignment tool slid in another inch in a half. Appeared to have spline makrs on it. It was dark so I'll do it again tomorrow with more grease and light.
Is it possible to have the alignment tool slide all the way in and miss the coupler?

All the way in and miss no

 

[tank1949]

That seemed to do the trick
I was being to gental with the side to side taping as I tend to break things. The alignment tool slid in another inch in a half. Appeared to have spline makrs on it. It was dark so I'll do it again tomorrow with more grease and light.
Is it possible to have the alignment tool slide all the way in and miss the coupler?

Make sure grease indexing marks are even.

 

[Brett LaRue]

Make sure grease indexing marks are even.

That looked good. I installed the lower end (did not have the sift cable attached to the motor). I manually moved the bell housing shifter info forward as well as the shifter on the lower end. They were mated and in the forward position when we I stalled the lower end.
Hooked up the shifter cable to the motor ( not sure if we did it right)
Now the prop spins in forward when in neutral when we start the boat. Is this a throttle cable adjustment issue?

 

[chs marine service]

put the shifter in forward, check the prop and see if it turns counter clockwise. if so, have someone put light pressure on the prop, counterclockwise while you sdjust the shift cable, remove the cable from the linkage and push the cable in all the way. measure from the middle of the adjuster barrel to the middle of the hole on the end of the cable linkage. set the barrel @ 6". the shifter should now be set properly.
if youve done this and still an issue, check to see if the shift arm and the arm on the gimbal housing are engaged properly. if not, the drive needs to be pulled at least partially in order to line up the 2 arms.
hope that makes sense

 

[Brett LaRue]

put the shifter in forward, check the prop and see if it turns counter clockwise. if so, have someone put light pressure on the prop, counterclockwise while you sdjust the shift cable, remove the cable from the linkage and push the cable in all the way. measure from the middle of the adjuster barrel to the middle of the hole on the end of the cable linkage. set the barrel @ 6". the shifter should now be set properly.
if youve done this and still an issue, check to see if the shift arm and the arm on the gimbal housing are engaged properly. if not, the drive needs to be pulled at least partially in order to line up the 2 arms.
hope that makes sense

Good advice. Actually got it done yesterday and had her out on the lake. For the first time in 4 weeks!

 

[chs marine service]

what solved it?

 

[Brett LaRue]

First was being too gentle with the alignment tool. A harder knock up and it aligned the gimble to the coupler. Also to gentle when trying to get the last 1/2 inch of the lower end on. I knew the shaft and the coupler were aligned just wouldn't go all the way on. I figured it was the last two o rings tring to pass the gimble. So I gave the lower end a foot knock and she slipped on enough to bolt use the rest of the way.