Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

[SeattleMatt]

I have some past posts on this subject, but I am revisiting it because it is still bothering me. My engine is new, the previous motor was aligned, had some trouble getting the new one lined up, which may have been just not setting the gimbal. In the end I kept having to move the engine down until it bottomed out on the bolts and the tool still has some resistance and splines touch on top of the tool. My question is:

Just to confirm, splines on the top = lower from of engine, adjust down?

Is it possible that I just went way too low and that I could get it aligned at a higher level somehow, maybe there are two points that it could align correctly with the gimal or something?

Should I cut my spring rear mount spring washers?

I have already replaced the bolts and spring washers on the rear mounts, the boat is a 1996 5.7l alpha1 gen 2.

Thanks

 

[Reming870]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

If you are using an alignment tool lightly lubed and you see the lines from the spline only on the top, I would say the engine has to go up, not down. Lines from the spline on the top of the tool means the engine is lower than the drive. If you raise the engine too high the lines will show up on the bottom.

 

[telstar1]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

Stick a 1 inch bar into splines and observe where it orients in gimbal brg. Thatll tell you if low or high.To get engine to be higher in front you need to ADD height at back mounts not take away. Think abt it.Maybe one of your rear mounts has less washers than before?

 

[SeattleMatt]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

ok, i was told that the engine needed to go down when the spines touch on the top of the bar. Are you sure?

 

[telstar1]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

Try the 1 inch bar itll tewll you which way you need to move. The grease marks thing can be a bit confusing.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

You could also raise the front of the motor 1/2 or 3/4" then try the bar. I didn't trust my gut so I tried it way up high, middle and way down. See what you get.
If either of your mounts are in a tight spot as mine are, get a cheap wrench and saw it down to a length that will fit in the space you have. Then deburr it on a wire wheel or grinder. That really shortened up the job of setting engine height for me.

 

[SeattleMatt]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

ok, i'll go try to buy a 1 inch bar somewhere, thanks.

 

[rancidvandall]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

ok, i'll go try to buy a 1 inch bar somewhere, thanks.

You would be suprised how many household items have a 1" shaft...check mop handles, broomsticks, etc... it is just being used as a guide to visually see the offset. It worked for me...mine was off to the left, so I had to re-loosen my REAR mounts and fit a bottle jack in between the motor and the side of the engine stringer and "jack" it over a few MM's. It also showed me where to rough in the height on the front mount. Then the fine tuning with the grease on the tool. Then three 1/4 turn increments and I was finally happy that it was done well. My outdrive slid right in and I was back in the water!

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

Are you sure you have all the motor mount hardware installed properly?
If the double lock washer got knocked out of place, you never will get the front low enough.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

This thread seems to be bordering on "old"... I wonder if Slow-Boy ever got his problem solved. Sounds like he had an alignment tool, but didn't know how to use it properly, and wasn't getting the "best" advice early on. Hope he got it fixed. Lack of followup tells me he either got it fixed, or just gave up.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser Alignment won't go low enough

:facepalm: :facepalm: I missed that this was almost a year old.


rancidvandall, welcome to iboats, but please don't drag old threads out of the archives to answer.