Engine coupler alingment issue.

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hopes&dreams83

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I've been on here for a while since I started rebuilding this bayliner. Tons of info here that's helped me get this far but I'm stuck now. I put a remanned mercruser 5.0l mcm and a brand new SEI stern drive which like the original is an alpha 1 gen 2. So I was gifted the boat when I bought the new stern drive. Installed the sterndrive only to find out the engine was cracked from not winterizing. So I swapped the engine got everything in and I thought aligned everything only to find out the drive does not slide in like before. So I went back to the alignment. Struggled for days trying to align it. I noticed that no matter how hi I raised or lowered the front mounts the tool would slide in and out with ease. Felt little to no friction spinning the alignment tool. Problem is I can not get spline marks on the grease at all. I checked the teeth when swapping the coupler to the new block and when I started having this issue and they look good and square to me no taper. So I thought maybe I need to set the gimble bearing. I put the tool in and I notice there is a lot of play in the tool. So I thought maybe the tool is a bad knock off but I went in the boat and had someone wiggle the tool while I watched the coupler and I could clearly see the coupler moving. So my question here is, is there any acceptable amount of play in the couple? Is it possible I damaged it on the way in? A buddy suggested I forgot to torque it down. I don't believe I forgot to torque it. I remember waiting a week to get the new bolts in. Should I be prepared to pull the engine again and change the coupler?
Any help is much appreciated
 
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hopes&dreams83

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alldodge said:
The coupler should not move at all, should be rock solid
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Thanks that's pretty much what I needed to know. I ordered the new one should be here in couple days. Now do I have to worry about my mounts being repositioned? I also repaired the stringers before the install and had to drill new holes for the from mounts. Am I going to have to fill the holes and redrill them?
 
alldodge

alldodge

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wholeass83 said:
Thanks that's pretty much what I needed to know. I ordered the new one should be here in couple days. Now do I have to worry about my mounts being repositioned? I also repaired the stringers before the install and had to drill new holes for the from mounts. Am I going to have to fill the holes and redrill them?
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Your mounts will be good, should not have to change. Only adjustment will be the up/down of the front mount
 
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hopes&dreams83

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hopes&dreams83 said:
Awesome. I was worried I might have botched with the side to side alignment because of the coupler being bad.
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So I changed the coupler got the engine back in. For some reason the new coupler is about 1/4 in longer then the old one? With the old one I could just fit the tip of my finger between the transom and coupler. now with the new one I can get just the tip of my finger nail between them. It has the clearance of a sheet of notebook paper. Did I buy the wrong coupler? I thought they were all the same for alpha 1 gen 2.
 
alldodge

alldodge

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Lets start with motor info. What motor and year and if you have the serial number that would be best?

What part number did you get?
 
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hopes&dreams83

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alldodge said:
Lets start with motor info. What motor and year and if you have the serial number that would be best?

What part number did you get?
Click to expand...
0l022871 is the serial. How do you identify it by the serial? I've been wondering that for a while.

Replaces Mercruiser Part#: 18643A5 GLM 11532 Sierra 18-2323
 
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hopes&dreams83

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Any idea why it's slightly longer and closer to the transom? Is the part defective or is the old one compressed or something? This is my first time doing anything on an inboard
 
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alldodge

alldodge

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Unable to say why it's so close, but if it's Sierra it could be product issue. So long as its not touching it should be fine. If it does barely touch it should be no issue with it being plastic
 
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hopes&dreams83

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alldodge said:
Unable to say why it's so close, but if it's Sierra it could be product issue. So long as its not touching it should be fine. If it does barely touch it should be no issue with it being plastic
Click to expand...
No it's not plastic it's solid steel. Its not touching tho but you can't tell just by looking
 
alldodge

alldodge

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ok, should be fine but I'm just guessing, have not had or heard of this kind of issue
 
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