my new old 1988 ss20v

[ab59]

engine set in yesterday afternoon , now need to get buisy with the alignment . Odd how far off this is when nothing but new wood is different from removal of the old engine. Since I never checked it before removing the old engine I really don't know if it is different . I have got to wonder if the old engine was alignment was rite.

 

[ab59]

Watermann--I see from your posts that you are a good hand at painting so I would like to ask you a question about Painting my boat. You can see in the picture of the gimbal and alignment bar that the paint is scratched up where some one got a little to enthusiastic when cleaning the transom area that the paint went with the gunk. Do you think I can sand this light area under the pinstriping and then repaint the back of the transom ? Got plenty of gravel chips up front int the blue paint from towing that I would like to touch up and not repaint the entire boat to fix.

 

[Watermann]

You could tape off the decal area, sand, prime and paint. How would you be applying the paint?

 

[ab59]

Most likely with an HVLP gun . Nothing fancy but has given me good results in the past but was only painting trailers and the like.

 

[ab59]

too funny ---just getting the motor mount on the right side of the engine to move has been an all day job that will continue through tomorrow. Froze up really bad I took it off the engine , put it in a vice and beat it with a 4 lb hammer till it moved . At least I got the lower separated from the upper half that bolts to the block. I busted the jaws out of my end wrench and gave up once . I called my guy for used parts but he had nothing for me so I went for a 24" pipe wrench this time and a three foot snipe. I also hopped into the truck and bought another heavy duty end wrench and with the two I was able to move the nut but it is squawking each and every bit it comes loose . Tomorrow I'm taking a hack saw and splitting the nut, don't know why I did not think of that today, would have save a lot of time. Hope to clean up the threads on the stud without buying a 5/8 die . will see

 

[ab59]

Well got the mount squared away by carefully cutting the nut with a hand grinder ( with metal cutting blade ) and a little finishing up with the hacksaw to get close then drove a fat cold chisel at an angle and the frozen nut popped open and I unscrewed it by hand with ease. Chased the threads with a new nut and everything was good to go.
The engine is now aligned , I guess , the spline marks look even all around the tool but as far as pushing the alignment tool all the way in with ease is another story. The tool slides in with no effort until the last couple of inches where I have to push it a little harder to fully insert it. Hope that's rite , like I said the spline marks look even all around.
It did not take me long to forget just about everything as far as hooking the wiring back up but for the most part it is self evident . Sure am glad I took pictures and short clips of video as I tore it down . This new intake Manifold and carburetor gave me a few more challenges as far as fitting things back on top of the engine but things are coming along but slowly.
Slow goin here as the temps are back to 105-114 with no relief in sight for the next week or more. Sizzle .
I'm thinking about finding my old night fishing gear and doing a little night fishing for stripers as I hear that they are on a decent bite lately and I can see the river from my kitchen window. Would be a welcome distraction for a short time.

 

[Watermann]

The issue with the alignment shaft not going in as easy as you want. Did you insert the bar in a couple inches and then tap on all 4 sides of it with a mallet to center the gimbal bearing? It's probably binding on it a little.

Well for Mercruiser anyway.

 

[ab59]

I thumped on it with my palm of my hand the other day when I first started aligning the engine but did not use a rubber mallet . My plan is to let it sit while I figure out the wiring and bracket relocation on the engine and then try again after it has a chance to settle and compact the new wood.
I will get the mallet and set the bearing again with it and then re check .
This alignment tool is supposed to just slide in really easy clear to the end where it bottoms out with no drag or grab ?

 

[ab59]

I finished up the wiring at the engine today and then checked the engine alignment . Strangely enough the alignment tool slid right in and the splines are even all around , guess the new wood compacted just rite .
I found what could be a new problem at the gimble housing outdrive mating surface in the area of the shift cable . It's pretty rough on the flange and looks like it may have been leaking of just deteriorating at the flange. I have an idea about some JB weld but would like to know if this is something that I should handle a certain way other than replacing . I will list this problem in the main forum to get a more open viewing.

 

[ab59]

Outdrive back on and installing a new Impeller pump. Headed for 112 * today so I m ay wait until tomorrow to test run .

 

[Watermann]

Good luck on the test run!

 

[Alumarine]

I like the way the impeller installs!
Hope the test goes great.

 

[ab59]

The water pump replacement on this Cobra is the easiest I have seen. Why would they stop making an outdrive like these. Quick , simple and you do not need to split the lower unit to get to it, stellar .

 

[ab59]

oh and thanks for the wish u good lucks, I can use them . I am really in the dark as to the condition of this outdrive. Sure hope it's not going to follow along with the engine and all the stuff connected to it. Bad everything from alternator to starter as well as carburetor. Fingers crossed I guess.

 

[ab59]

And so the dance begins . Got everything rigged to run and although the engine started and ran good , when I tried to put it in forward gear the engine idled up but it did not go into forward, I think the rpms were to high to go into gear. When I returned the stick to neutral it did not idle down and I had to set it back by hand at the carburetor. Looks like I have some adjusting to do with the throttle . didn't really think that I was going to get away without it since this is not the same carburetor that was on the last engine. On the good it seemed to shift easily into forward and reverse , that is if it was shifting . I really can't say for sure since I did not have the engine running when I shifted it.
It is sizzling over here and looks like the entire west coast is broiling in temps at and or above 110 * , I'm done for the day , will figure this out tomorrow . Sure feels like Miller time .

 

[Watermann]

Throw it in gear and try spinning the prop, it will lock up in forward and click while spinning in reverse.

 

[ab59]

I will give that a shot. If not tonight then first thing in the morning.

 

[ab59]

Just went out and tried that and got nothing . The prop spins freely and does not feel kike it is trying to engage. Bummer. I did notice that the cables are bowing out from the side of the gunnel when I push it into the position of forward gear so maybe it's because I didn't tie everything back down yet.
Will have a better look tomorrow.

 

[Alumarine]

Might want to post a question in the OMC sterndrive section about the shifting.

 

[coostv]

If you have an 86-98 you can download a manual from the link for that drive from here: https://sunbirdcorsair.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/original-omc-manual-in-pdf-format. I did back when I had one of those drives and it helped a lot, there are some nuances to adjusting them for sure. When properly adjusted they do work good, just a bit expensive when they break...