Engine alignment issues

[Thagan]

Working on my '84 Blue Water 17' with a 2.5 Mercruiser. Engine ran great but had a water leak. I'm an idiot and can't find the water leak so I put the engine back in. Trying to do the right thing and align the engine to the outdrive. I bought an alignment bar off Ebay. I used a digital micrometer and it shows it's diameter is accurate When I stick the bar in it is hard to get in and out. I've lowered the front motor mount by 2 turns and didn't notice a difference as it's still hard to get in and out. So I raised it 4 turns from that point and still hard to get in and out. I've used grease every time and all I see is spline marks all the way around the tool. Nothing to me is indicating misalignment. I've set the gimbal bearing many times using the tool to make sure it wasn't the issue.

Any idea what the heck is going on?










Edit: After a quick breather I went back out and tried it again. It goes in much much easier than it ever did before. I used black grease instead of red grease and it is easier to tell what it going on. The pic is what I just pulled out. Accidentally wiped the bottom off on the bearing but it looks the same all the way around.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,..... Can't feel it from here, if the grease is even all 'round, it might be "Aligned",....

Does the bar go all the way in, 'n bottom out on the gimbel bearin's race,..??
Did ya grease to bar everywhere it contacts the parts, or just inside the coupler,..??

 

[alldodge]

Might need to adjust more then 4 turns, don't know. I'm assuming your smacking the alignment bar on all sides once inserted to make sure its centered, and the pulling out

 

[CamaroMan]

over greasing might lead to too much pressure to push in and too much to pull out - havent had this but they warn againt too much grease when assembling outboards as the grease fills the cavities inside drive area.

the bearing might need a light tap - try north/south/east/west 1 at a time and see - the sound will change from a thud to a clunk when it bottoms against the housing

 

[achris]

Few possibilities.

First, look inside the bellows, through the gimbal bearing and at the coupler. Using a torch you should be able to get the alignment roughly close.

Did you try to get the gimbal bearing lined up? (put the bar in and give it a few sideways wacks)

If none of that works, you may have a problem with one or both rear engine mounts. The in-line engines are more prone to rear mount collapse, due to far more weight on them than the V engines.

Chris........