Merc 4.3 can?t align engine

[wood45s]

Merc 4.3 can?t align engine

1995 Starcraft Islander 221 recently purchased. The engine was rebuilt summer of 2016 with Chev s10 block and rebuilt heads by previous owner. It has not been on water since rebuild; only run with water hose on it some when engine was installed. They didn?t remove stern drive to install engine or check alignment. I immediately removed stern drive, fixed starter, etc. and test ran engine with water hose connected to thermostat housing. Seems to run ok.
I can?t get engine aligned yet. I am using alignment tool inserted thru gimbal bearing. Bottom line is can?t insert the tool into coupler with rear engine mounts torqued to specs 40 ft-lb. If I loosen the rear engine mount bolts I can insert the alignment tool fully. Then I tighten rear engine mounts again and alignment tool will not go into coupler, not even a little. I raised and lowered the adjustable front engine mounts a half turn at a time and never could get the tool inserted when the rear mounts are torqued down.
Maybe a washer or something was left out when the engine was installed. The only wood is a couple of ? plywood spacers for the engine mounts (front and rear) which are attached to the aluminum stringers/framing of the boat. The plywood spacers look original and appear to be in good shape best I can tell.
Maybe I should lift the rear of engine and put in a washer for spacer and try that?
Any ideas?
I will replace the gimbal bearing, but was trying to get initial alignment done with the old bearing.

Thx,
wood

 

[Bt Doctur]

If the motor was installed correctly with the correct rear motor mount items it sounds like You will need to lower the front mounts as much as a 3/8ths of an inch.
Rig up a support using the bracket on the therm housing. remove the top nuts and turn the nuts downward all the way if possable ,if not remove the front mounts and loosen the lower nuts to be able to turn them by hand. Buy the correct die if needed .
lower the front of the motor using a hoist untill the alignment bar goes in, turn lower nuts up to reach the motor mount and go 1 turn more. Remove hoist and check alignment . If good tighten top nuts.

 

[wood45s]

I forgot to mention in my first post that I am using a 1 inch pipe thru the gimbal bearing to indicate which way adjustment should go until i can get the alignment tool to insert. The 1 inch pipe appears to be very close to centering the gimbal bearing now. It was off a bunch at first.
I will lower the front as much as as 3/8 in small increments tomorrow and check.

thx