Engine alignment issue

[davidh86]

Rebuilt two bravo transoms and put two new engines in and alignment is horrible. I used the new merc permalube gimbal bearings and i didn't put the dot at 12 oclock, could that be causing the issue? I placed the slots of the bearing facing away from the drives towards the engines. thanks

 

[Fun Times]

The bearing should have been at 10 o'clock but it's not going affect the engine alignment. You do have to try and center the bearing using the alignment bar tool by tapping the tool around as it moves inwards to the engine coupler.

Also the rear of the engine motor mounts need to be set correctly depending on your engine year and rear motor mount design. Need to know what year you have and did you buy/install any new engine mounted flywheel housings, motor mounts or motor mount bolt hardware?

Try looking in at the coupler to see if it looks off-center also sometimes turning the engine over just a bit might help too.

This could possibly have an effect, Service Bulletin - marinemechanic.com

MCM Rear Engine Mount Design Change - ?

 

[davidh86]

Its a 2001 Monterey 282 with a bravo 3's with new couplers. I installed a gimbal bearing my old boat and the bearing was relativity easy to adjust the bearing using the tool,these bearings have no play in it, strait as a an arrow i cant tilt it in any direction, am i am applying enough force? Oh and one end bolts up using a flywheel housing using a fiber type washer, spring bushing and bolt and the front is just mounts installed using lag bolts with adjustable studs.

 

[Bt Doctur]

You supposed to loosen and clean the front mount at dis-assembly or replace the front mounts.Simply removing and re-installinbg an engine is no gaurantee it will remain the same, Most never do.
The fiber washer only protects the housing from wear when the rear mounts collapse ,the housing never sits on it. Using old style mounts the double wound spring sets the height.
Typically you install and tighten the rear mounts and supporting the motor by the therm lift ring adjust the hoist untill alignment is met.
Adjust front mounts to be sung, release the hoistt and due the final alignment bu adjusting the mounting nuts.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Still sounds to me like the gimbal bearing has not been set to aim properly at the couple. Before sticking the alignment bar in, eyeball the bearing. It is usually pretty easy to see if it is very far off - goal is to have it inline perfectly to the coupler. If it isn't, slide the bar in and if the bearing is too tight for a thump with your hand to move it, use a dead blow hammer or even a 2 pound hammer. Once close enough to get the bar into the coupler, get the hammer out again and give the bar end a solid thump up, down, left and right. That should align it with the coupler making your alignment task a lot easier.