HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

[moefeeney]

I have a 1999 mercruiser 4.3 vortec that has recently been rebuilt using car engine parts, everything that needs to be marine has been switched over or replaced as new. I have a friend that is an auto mechanic doing the work for me because I am a student and can't afford a boat mechanic. The problem is that when the engine is on the hoist it will turn over with no hesitation. the second it is mounted and attached to the drive it struggles to turn over. all electronic connections have been tested and retested, as well as bypassed to make sure they were working, still nothing. then we took the engine out AGAIN and same thing, turns over freely, as well as the drive is easily turned by hand, does this mean that the coupler could be bent(not sure how easy it is t bend a coupler) or does he just need the alignment tool, that I have heard is required but we do not have. please help....
-Brian

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

Say Yes to this, in this order

I took the drive off
I removed and re-installed the motor
I checked/adjusted engine alignment
I re-installed drive

 

[moefeeney]

Re: HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

Ive got one out of four, my friend is an auto mechanic and has no expeirience with boats, unfortunately one of the side effects of having a friend do the work, he is not experienced with removing the drive, I guess my question now is... is the drive removal needed or is there an easier way? if it is needed do we have to reseal the drive? you have to forgive me on the un-knowlege

 

[moefeeney]

Re: HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

oh, the only thing we did was remove the engine and re-install it

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

Shift into full fwd , remove the rams, 6 nuts ,and pull straight back.
Install the engine
Check/Adjust alignment buy tightening the rear mounts first, then using just the front mounts raise or lower the motor as needed to get the bar to slide in.Sometimes you can sling from the front of the motor to make preliminary adjustments to the front mounts.
Re-install drive.
Check pages 56-60
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Install/gas/86016900.pdf

 

[moefeeney]

Re: HELP! mercruiser engine rebuilt/ now hard to turn over

thank you so much, I will show all of this to him in the morning, is there anything else that I should tell him? Is it possible that he couls have bent the coupler trying to put it in without the alignment tool?