Assembly of lower unit after water pump replacement

[PS]

I can't seem to get lower unit to fit up tight so that I can put the bolts back on. It get within .5 inches and seems to be stuck somewhere around the drive shaft. The drive shaft does have the spring loaded pin that could be causing the difficulties. Transom assembly is ser #6798040 I believe this is an Alpha 1 (R drive)? Any thoughts?

 

[alldodge]

I can't seem to get lower unit to fit up tight so that I can put the bolts back on. It get within .5 inches and seems to be stuck somewhere around the drive shaft. The drive shaft does have the spring loaded pin that could be causing the difficulties. Transom assembly is ser #6798040 I believe this is an Alpha 1 (R drive)? Any thoughts?

:welcome: to iboats

Sounds like you need to readjust your engine mounts using the engine alignment tool. This needs to be checked and adjust every time the drive is removed.

Look here for info in DonS adults only section
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...es-outdrives/455000-engine-alignment-how-to-s

 

[PS]

Maybe I did not use the correct wording. I am talking about the spline shaft coming up from the water pump. The shift brass coupling is aligned and I can fill that the spline shaft is aligned. Is the spring loading pin putting that much pressure when trying to reinstall?

 

[PS]

Maybe I did not use the correct wording. I am talking about the spline shaft coming up from the water pump. The shift brass coupling is aligned and I can fill that the spline shaft is aligned. Is the spring loading pin putting that much pressure when trying to reinstall?

 

[ktbarrentine]

Sometimes the O-ring on the spline shaft does not want to make it past the lower seal in the upper housing. Most people follow the advice to leave the O-ring off (it is not needed). (Mercruiser service bulletin 91-24 shows the replacement shafts without the O-ring groove). That is, assuming you are still using the O-ring. May also be a problem where the copper tube enters the water pump housing. Lube it up real good so it slides in.

 

[Bt Doctur]

drop the lower and put a dab of grease in the guide tube rubber grommet, have the lower unit in fwd gear, raise up and turn prop CCW to help align the driveshaft splines

 

[johnzonh]

I ran into this exact thing with my alpha 1. 2 things that can be binding... fwd gear on both the shift and the lower unit... sometimes have to hold the prop against the stop (or the shaft if the prop is off) so it stays there... and what I did was rotate the spline out of the water pump ever so slightly... what happened was when I rotated the spline to seat the impeller ... it caused the gear mesh to be off by a very small amount..enough to make it not get up in there flush. good luck

 

[PS]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The last post was very helpful and my lower unit is back together.