mercruiser stern drive install?

[the_dave85]

i took my stern drive off to fix a water hose and can't figure out how to get the thing back on. it's a mercruiser 140. 70's i think. serial number 3354343. is there a trick i don't know about?

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

gimbal could be misaligned. some shops rent tools to realign the gimbal (have read on here people do it with wood dowel.)<br />control in fwd, gearbox in forward, turn prop using dog and gear to align input shaft splines.

 

[the_dave85]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

I'm nor really sure how a dowel would help. and my prop is free spinning right now. how do i engage it into gear?

 

[Fishermark]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

Click here for more specifics.

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

point 6 on the above link. hold it in gear while you are manhandling the drive with a pair of vice grips hanging from 1 prop blade keeping the dog teeth engaged. the picture is kinda poor but it is telling you to face the linkage straight fwd. a new gasket is important.

 

[hoot]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

several things have to be in place for it to go. shifter tangs have to be straight, shift slide has to fit in the slot, drive shaft has to go thru gimbal and into splines, universal joint must be straight so as not to hang up on the bellows ridges or lip inside drive. rubber ring works better if you put it inside the housing and not over the drive. housing and drive need to be straight with one another. you can push down on the left side of the prop with your foot if the splines aren't lined up. if you didn't bump the gimbal, it should still be in alignment. sometimes you just have to walk away and come back later. AND be sure the water passage o-ring stays in place!! glue that thing in.

 

[the_dave85]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

thanks for all the help guys i finally got that thing in. i needed some washers on the engine mount to line up those holes and oh, the water passage o-ring did fall out on me and i had to do the whole thing over again. that was really annoying. i just didn't read hoots post early enough. thanks though guys you've all been great.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: mercruiser stern drive install?

I am happy you got it back on, and I certainly don't want to rain on your parade, but....<br /><br />If all you did was remove the outdrive to change the water hose, and then had to "add some washers" on the rear engine mount to get it back on, then something is seriously wrong. The rear motor mount is not adjustable. There is a set number and order of parts back there - adding to them will guarantee problems with the alignment and a sure coupler failure. The adjustment is at the front mount.<br /><br />Did you use an alignment tool or simply add washers will it went back on? <br /><br />I just edited this reply - after rereading your post, I notice you didn't actually say you added washers to the REAR engine mount. Even so, where and why are you adding washers? Is the adjustment nut all rusted up and unable to be adjusted - is that why you had to add washers?