*&%$@ alignment

[Craig]

Put the motor back in, put new fiber washers on the inside of the
transom adaptor. Could not get the motor to line up correctly Did it the way the book says, used an engine hoist on the front of the motor to make height adjustment. The only time the tool slid in nice was when the mount was so far up it was above the motor mount stud! I did move the gimbal bearing and that helped some, where I could get it on the stud, but I still couldn't get the drive on. So I must be doing something dicked up. Took it to a "real shop":wink: Knowledgable guys there. They call yesterday, they can't get the motor to line up, say the back of the motor must be too high
This is not a new motor or coupling
Didn't touch the forward mounts
Put a fiber washer and "spring" under each ear on the rear mount, tourqued to spec.
So I have to pick it up today and bring it home and see what the f@#k the problem is.
If I do in fact have the parts on the rear mount installed correctly, there's one thing I'm thinking....
At one point when we were originally adjusting the motor, we raised the front of the motor, but forgot the alignment tool was still installed partially. It bound up. I know, dumbass.
Could this have screwed up the coupling (standard issue aluminum spline) teeth insert some how that it's not straight????
Any other suggestions are appreciated. My Havasu trip is quickly approaching and this boat hasn't been in the water in a while!
And it looks like rain again today....naturally

[C-2]

Damn dude, that sucks!!!
Scary shiznit to hear since you've already had the motor out a couple of times.
Only thing I can suggest is crunching your data from the first/second installs and the current one. When stumped start over from square one?

[Craig]

Yeah, that's kind of why I used the hoist this time and did it just the way Merc said I'm outta here in 10 minutes to pick it up and bring it home. If I can get the hatch off myself without crashing to the ground it'll be easy enough to lift the rear of the motor a couple of inches to varify exactly what is under the rear mount. Then I'll go from there.

[HP350SC]

Craig- Look through the hole with a flashlight, pull coil wire or whatever and crank it over to see if coupler splines are off center or wobble at all.

[Blowin Money]

Craig, put motor back in place and torque down rear bolts to specs. Leave front motor mount bolts loose, try and insert alignment tool a little ways in so you will have leverage to move the bearing. Pull up or push down on bearing to adjust for proper alignment or pull or push left to right to adjust bearing to right position and alignment.
Coupler is very hard to destroy, but it can happen. Once you get the alignment close and alignment tool into coupler, shock the alignment tool by hitting it with a hammer, it should shock bearing into place.
Also you may want to check and make sure you don't have double fiber washers together.
This should get you close, but if you need any more help send me a message, I'm in Chandler and can hook up and help if needed.

[Craig]

I took it to a good Merc shop here in town because I was frustrated He calls Wed. and says "He can't get it to align" Said the spot where it's perfect is above the front mount stud! He could start investigating, but that's money. Hell, I can pull engines. So I brought it home. Pulled the back of the motor up and checked the install. Had it right. One fiber washer and spring per side. Coupler wasn't screwed up, ears on transom bracket were OK. Looks like the front L-brackets might be bent down some. They're not gussetted, and one mounting bolt was loose when I pulled the motor originally. After talking to Randy at Performance Marine and Larry at Larry's Speed & Marine, the only thing we can figure is the slight tilt down in the front is raising the motor just enough in the back to throw things off. I'm going to replace the l-brackets and mounts at this point. This would explain why the drive was a mother to get off originally if it was in a bind situation.

[DogHouse]

Damn Craig, what have you been doing to that poor boat... didn't anyone tell you that it wasn't designed for offshore racing?!?!
Time for some trick billet mounts!

[gnarley]

Could it be that the gimble bearing might not be seated correctly or the inner race got cocked at an angle and when installing the shaft to allign the shaft is now off due to bearing allignment?
I know I had this happen when I put a new bearing in last year and was reinstalling the motor. I cussed and screamed for several days until I took a real good look at the bearing allignment which somehow wasn't straight. I took the bearing back out and rotated the inner race to see it rotate off center, then 1 pop with a hammer and it was straight again and it all went right back together!
This may not be your case but it sure sounds like the bearing is misalligned, you never know.
Good luck I feel your pain