Replaced Bellows now gears won't engage fully?

[capecodtodd]

just by google...

MerCruiser Alpha One Gen 2 Bell Housing Sterndrive Mount Gimbal Helmet 806031 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MerCruiser Alpha One Gen 2 Bell Housing Sterndrive Mount Gimbal Helmet 806031 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Here's the whole transom https://www.ebay.com/itm/155655345994?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20201210111314&meid=c836842f108f4ee099528c97b1ab3f01&pid=101195&rk=1&rkt=12&sd=235056895760&itm=155655345994&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V4ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecall&brand=MerCruiser&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:155655345994c836842f108f4ee099528c97b1ab3f01|enc:AQAIAAABYNaJCFP3eaFlNU%2FMPxRY0TCMczVKEUB5MsBytoCwPnd71M08lfrVO4PuTCchnU42KC4W4fZqxBROE%2BM7tSL%2BgZgL1kWiIUBRsEpydVTA61DhOJDUizwNgM7HKYQEqSaBlADtHB20WwsjqpMgb8UUyiZjIa%2FDJhWGuKwfn%2F5%2BSmxSRz0uhvbO9iHdZ9xMSPj903lKYj0Z3FwJz%2FlTTMLTwqS1hWxZHEeY6t3lV1ZHfKmbhB9BU%2BBVbpDy%2B6VPWekr0zKJVTLc2pHnfRw1xnWLHEsvB6qPVFksp9pF5kb%2FMFfKLnbY3JsyVBYB9S%2FB%2BjSicyhv6MeMfld3Hv8tpyVuDuVSVXZtNyh9K9j7EouXwm6%2FzH3iz6w%2BHCjyIQWmvxdFE1vHeDxAbmxfQRVTxbYEPgJqAmkiFbaKcI9rt8PYVjwcN3bULEGO6NXq4MkiTzJ1Wh3f3Smu2koSwrJDrzM3y4o%3D|ampidL_CLK|clp:2047675

another transom https://www.ebay.com/itm/275558692606?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20201210111314&meid=f239b6089c8f4019917d0475675bbec1&pid=101195&rk=6&rkt=12&sd=235056895760&itm=275558692606&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V4ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecall&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:275558692606f239b6089c8f4019917d0475675bbec1|enc:AQAIAAABYNaJCFP3eaFlNU%2FMPxRY0TCMczVKEUB5MsBytoCwPnd71M08lfrVO4PuTCchnU42KC4W4fZqxBROE%2BM7tSL%2BgZgL1kWiIUBRsEpydVTA61DhOJDUizwNgM7HKYQEqSaBlD%2F%2FmaMlsQY%2BiC1Ti1sng41zaEZGzOUIy%2B3%2FQt3%2Bi6D84xJ4a57j6JvTkwZyuG%2B0HLb5MVoxJNlTedHx4XFPo8%2Fs4ZmgbOEQ2dnTJsWp58eogRSyEOQO6CgACdDIit%2B%2FAtet%2BvW3JdhBbPJgPVf0XzjYnOyob%2FzP6bvWEHUQCa4S1%2BSS3XglSx9oNhuko4jyrNV09jr4wvo%2Fp6R0VO28ZMMZFG4wEYgcyZdnbhL3Kkm6N6CvchrAwplhNldMNhYoVsceHhPKQibVZJWk%2FkgGDjXXtXbGEbEeRvsHLbW%2FkXXmFZI1O%2BMHYLydyvuwesBeaE9%2Br6GWvaq4sZ8f5l0cSHQ%3D|ampidL_CLK|clp:2047675

you may have to buy more and sell off what you dont want

This guy is in michigan makes a living parting out freshwater boats https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkparms=folent:anniepooch1|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71970&_ssn=anniepooch1

Hmmmm Those are not priced badly considering all that is present and what just the bell housing alone seems to be going for.

 

[capecodtodd]

I bought a new to me bell housing and it did not come with the gear lube dribble valve. I was able to remove the brass nipple from the old bell housing without breaking anything but how do I get the dribble valve out? I can't seem to find a good diagram or a video of how it is down. From the looks of it the valve pushes in from the outdrive side of the housing? Is it even possible to save my old one?
What is odd is the new bell housing has a plug on the back/motor side where the dribble valve goes. Is this valve even needed? It seems that I could fill up the lower unit with gear lube and then why would it need to be topped off from the reservoir that sits on top of the engine? I can't remember if I have ever had to top off the reservoir bottle during the season..?
Maybe I can put the plug back in and forget about the dribble valve?

 

[04fxdwgi25]

 

[04fxdwgi25]

 

[capecodtodd]

View attachment 386120

Thanks! I was able to get the old one out without damage. Finally a win!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Just throwing this out there but in what direction are you checking for forward gear engagement when turning the prop ????????????????

 

[flashback]

Sometimes the simple things can bite

 

[capecodtodd]

Good news. It is all back together and I started the engine. The next step is to take it out and give it a try.

 

[capecodtodd]

The lake trial went well with zero water getting in and the shifting worked as it should but there is a new problem. I now have a vibration. After about 5 minutes of putting round we went a bit faster and I noticed a tick from the engine at about 3000rpm and the boat felt a bit sluggish. We stopped to float and I had a look. I found that the spark plug boot on number 3 cylinder wasn't clicked on all the way. We started back up but the vibration and tick was still there.
This morning I pulled the plugs and they all looked fine but #2 was black. I checked the plug gaps and they were ok. I pulled the dist cap and cleaned the contacts. I put it all back together and started it up. I have a shake at idle that goes away at a higher RPM say 2000. I put it in forward gear and brought up the RPM's and I didn't hear the tick but there was a vibration.

Looking on line and here on the forum it seems that the symptoms are pointing to either dirty fuel, it is from last year, or I am in need of new plug wires and distributor cap. In my experience if it is fuel it really runs rough and stalls out at idle but doesn't vibrate or shake the motor and boat.

Could it be something else from the bellows and then bell housing replacement?

 

[flashback]

Check compression, I'm guessing you have a miss on #2

 

[tank1949]

Thanks for replying. I did not split the lower from the top. The first time I put the outdrive on the slot and bell crank did not connect so I had to pull it partially back off and get them inline. They are nicely married together now. I have been trying different adjustments on the engine and was able to get the barrel nut and the front hole on the shift arm to be 6" apart but that was with the gear shift in the forward position. When it is in neutral they are about 6 3/4 apart.
At the bell crank there doesn't seem to be much movement from forward to neutral to reverse. If the boat was a clock and the bow was 12, in Forward the bell crank is pointing almost towards 12. In reverse the bell crank is pointing at about 11. Is this correct? It seems like it should be moving more to really shift those gears.

Examine the shift keyway again. Putting od back on can get mis-aligned.

 

[capecodtodd]

Examine the shift keyway again. Putting od back on can get mis-aligned.

I believe the shifting is okay since the shifting was fine in the water but now the vibration is a new problem.

 

[Scott06]

I believe the shifting is okay since the shifting was fine in the water but now the vibration is a new problem.

is this in gear or neutral - thinking gimbal bearing, ujoints or propeller

 

[capecodtodd]

is this in gear or neutral - thinking gimbal bearing, ujoints or propeller

The lake trial went well with zero water getting in and the shifting worked as it should but there is a new problem. I now have a vibration. After about 5 minutes of putting round we went a bit faster and I noticed a tick from the engine at about 3000rpm and the boat felt a bit sluggish. We stopped to float and I had a look. I found that the spark plug boot on number 3 cylinder wasn't clicked on all the way. We started back up but the vibration and tick was still there.
This morning I pulled the plugs and they all looked fine but #2 was black. I checked the plug gaps and they were ok. I pulled the dist cap and cleaned the contacts. I put it all back together and started it up. I have a shake at idle that goes away at a higher RPM say 2000. I put it in forward gear and brought up the RPM's and I didn't hear the tick but there was a vibration.

When I had it apart the Ujoints looked brand new and had a nice range of motion with no clicking etc.. I didn't replace the gimbal bearing because I did not have the tools and it looked new. I did tag the bottom with the prop last year and it got polished by the sand but no nicks/chunks were taken out.

This vibration happens at neutral on dry land but seems to even out at 2000-3000 RPM's. At idle in neutral the engine is shaking.
I'm going to pull the plugs again for a look. I have a couple of old plugs from last time I changed them plus wires so I might swap them out and see what happens.

 

[capecodtodd]

Okay. I was able to check the compression and it read as follows from front to stern #1 165, #2 165, #3 160, #4 155. From what I have been reading these numbers are within a good range so what is next to stop this shaking?

Could it be the timing? How does one turn the motor to find TDC on a 3.0 with that big motor mount in the way?
I checked the plug wires and they are in the proper spots. I was thinking maybe they got mixed up but I do have tags on them plus the boat ran well enough last season for water sport fun and nothing has changed besides the bellows, shift cable and bell housing replacement.

Any ideas?

 

[capecodtodd]

The boat is now running great, in the yard. I will water test it soon. I ended up replacing the plugs, wires, cap and rotor, crossed my fingers, fired it up and the shake is gone.
What a chore this has been from replacing the bellows, to the bell housing, the new shift cable and then wondering why it was suddenly shaking so bad.
Thanks to everyone that chimed in with answers to my many questions.