ENGINE ALIGNMENT amp COUPLER WEAR

How often does the engine coup

How often does the engine coupler wear out if the engine is aligned properly ?

"Theorectically never.
They s

"Theorectically never.
They should last the life of the engine.
When they don't, its because they have been over torqued, or the rubber cushion material is old and cracked, or the shaft alignment is bad.

Rod"

"Ayuh,.....

I gotta believe

"Ayuh,.....

I gotta believe that Alignment is the #1 Killer of couplers....
Usually because of Rotten Transoms,+ Motor mounts.....
A Distant 2nd might be the Hot Rod boats that don't get Out of the throttle when they launch off a wave.....

I Agree, Couplers rarely just Break,..... It's usually just a Symptom of another Cause...."

I'm the person who asked t

I'm the person who asked the original question regarding the coupler. My baot is 2005 sea ray and the outdrive is being replaced because it was stolen. It's a bravo 3. When trying to install the new outdrive we couldn't get the shaft in. i'm goiing to after sea ray for the repair as the boat only has 160 hrs. on it. trying to build some knowledge before starting the process.

""When trying to install t

""When trying to install the new outdrive we couldn't get the shaft in".

Who is we?

If the reason is alignment, going after SeaRay won't be worth your time. Alignment is a simple process which is actually a maintenance issue and should only take a few minutes to correct. Alignment should be checked and adjusted periodically. If the engine has been serviced properly, as part of the new engine pre-delivery service and again at the 25 hr. service, the servicing dealer should have identified and corrected any alignment problem. I would question the dealer about this.

They sign a pre-delivery service report stating they checked the alignment and adjusted it as necessary. Your gripe should be with your dealer.

Good luck,
Rick"

"Well , good point Rick !!! Fi

"Well , good point Rick !!! First , I refer to we as the mechanic I hired to install the new outdrive and I was helping him at one point to lift and carry the new outdrive. No where in the owners manual does it say that I had to check anything to do with alignment or the coupler before the 200 hr. mark. At 200 hrs. it does say to pull outdrive and check the coupler and the gimball. If the dealer had the responsibility to do this at 25 hrs. then you bring up a great point. The boat was very accessible to them at any time as we keep the boat at the marina where we purchased the new boat. The coupler is worn very bad on the front side ( towards the front of the boat ) indicating the engine was out of alignment being high or low ??? Thoughts ??"

"It sure sounds like the front

"It sure sounds like the front mounts of your engine are low. They may not have been properly set during initial installation.
To be sure about it, you need to use an alignment tool, coat the coupling end with a light film of grease, and see where the coupler splines track the grease. You are looking for differences front to back, and top to bottom.
Adjust accordingly and retest.

Rod"

"This copy of the pre-delivery

"This copy of the pre-delivery inspection report is from Mercruiser's application manual. I am no longer in retail but as of the time I sold my retail business there were signed copies of similar forms required by both the boat manufacturer and the engine manufacturer. This documentation was required to be submitted as part of the warranty registration process. I doubt this has changed in recent years.

Copies of these forms should be in your hull file which should be maintained by both your dealer and SeaRay.
Pre-Delivery Form"">

I hope this information is helpful.

Rick"

"Rick;
That lays it out clear

"Rick;
That lays it out clearly in black and white.
Thanks for the clarification.

If this procedure is followed correctly, there should be no issues with alignment for the first few hundred hours, certainly on a near new boat.

That said, what do you make of jnap's problem?
SeaRay is certainly a well known and reputable boat builder.

Rod"

"Well, first I would look thro

"Well, first I would look through all of my paperwork, you may find your copy of this pre-delivery report in there. The dealer may well have signed off on the alignment, but that doesn't, in any way, mean they actually checked it, especially if the boat comes from SeaRay with the drive already on.

Next I would contact the dealer, in person if possible. Explain the situation, let them know that you are not satisfied and that you feel your boat was not properly prepped prior to you taking delivery of it. Ask what they are going to do to rectify the problem. If you don't get any satisfaction from the service manager, talk to the owner.

If you aren't satisfied by what he offers, then talk to SeaRay customer service.

Although the dealer fell short of his obligation to check the boat thoroughly prior to giving it to you, ultimately it was SeaRay's screw-up and they should take care of it. I don't know where you stand with your factory warranty but they normally make some repairs as "goodwill" even if your warranty period has ended. The goodwill was actually you paying a dealer prep charge for a service that was never performed, but that's besides the point. With the industry as slow as it is currently (SeaRay just closed one of their main factory and is in the process of consolidating several others), goodwill repairs are not done as readily as during good times, but if you push enough, they will give in.

Also, make sure you note this on any customer satisfaction surveys they send you, good or bad. Regardless to what most people think, these surveys are taken very seriously.

I hope it works out for you and keep us informed on your progress.

Rick"