cant get my merc 3.0 to line up

[vroom ZOOM]

Hello

maybe someone here can help me

I have a 2000 bayliner 1950 cl with a merc 3.0 and after taking apart half the boat to just clean a steering pin, I am putting it back together. just put the motor in today morning, and spent the rest of the day trying to get it to line up

. I went from anything from full up to full down, got all sweaty after what must have been at least 500 trips in and out of the boat, tried a BFH, curse words and looking all over the internet, no dice.

The tool goes in the coupler, but REALLY hard. Then I though hmm maybe its the rear mount. I loosened it off and stuck the alignment tool in. I tapped it up down left and right to seat the gimbal bearing, and it got a lot better, slides in with one hand. The problem is is that tightening and loosening the rear mount affects how easy the tool goes in, and the front mount seems quite lopsided, much lower than it used to be, almost bottomed out. the grease marks on the alignment tool are consistently on the top. I said well phewket

and tried to stuff the drive on. it got to about a quarter inch from fully seated, and then all the karate chop kicks and punches could not coax it into position. I ended up getting it off with the crowbar. PLS help because I want to go boating this weekend

.

 

[vroom ZOOM]

well I figured it out, you can say I almost committed a crime, by not putting the spring washer between the motor and engine mount

 

[alldodge]

well I figured it out, you can say I almost committed a crime, by not putting the spring washer between the motor and engine mount

Yep that would do it every time