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Locked up Mercruiser and stuck Alpha One

"Andrew, I have re read the sa

"Andrew, I have re read the saga. I was in error there are six nuts which screw on to six studs which extend from the gimbal. I made a visit to where i store everything. When you undid the 6 nut is there a space opened up between the contact face of the leg and the face of the gimbal? On my Bravo 3 this a surface size of say 9 X 8 inches. If there is a space you may try the wedge concept. BUT !!!! the top of my leg/ gimbal interface does not have any interference zone. The port and starbo sides have the change cable, water , gear and speedo. On my Bravo gimbal there is no real integrity past where the lower two studs are located. If you go the way of the wedge it would be one slight tap an each wedge [3 at least] at a time, attempting not to off center the gap if it does open up. The wider the tongue and less severe the angle of the wedge the better. You may have to continue cutting new wedges and increasing the angle to compensate so you do not hit any of what i have listed. Give the other restrictions. The wedge must be a weaker material than the metal of the leg. Can you go to a merc dealer/ wrecker / repairer to look at a leg seperated from the gimbal. Then you will know what you are up against.You want to be certain where you place those wedges. I still say fill up the boot with auto trans oil and let it sit. Then try the wedges. Have assumed the gimbal seal is intact. I hope the problem lies with the gimbal bearing seized on to the shaft. From what i can see it will be a nightmare if it is not. Sorry for my confusion. Still say spend the $5.00 dollars. My project boat is a Wellcraft Excalibur 47, two 496 HO with Bravo 3 X, been to close to a fire. My first Phantom Black."
 
There are only 4 possibilities

There are only 4 possibilities here.


1. engine and gimbal way way out of alignment.

2. drive shaft is frozen in coupler.

3 drive shaft is frozen in gimbal bearing

4 chift control is in reverse not forward.


I will repeat my earlier post.

Pull the engine and beat the shaft out from inside the boat.

It only takes an hour to remove a motor and you could have had it done by now!
 
"Andrew, for what its worth, t

"Andrew, for what its worth, try putting the drive in neutral and see if your prop spins. If it spins then try rocking the outdrive from the bottom as to have some leverage. As you rock it forward and backwards use the hard plastic logging wedges with a "rubber" mallet alternating hits from each side of the outdrive. Make this a 3 man operation and work together. Before the outdrive comes completly off ,put it in forward as the slot at the bottom of the shift will only allow removal in forward gear.If this doesnt work refer to the SELOC Mercruiser Sterndrives Repair manual 1964-91 page10-9&10-10 This worked for me. Dont bang too hard ,the aluminum will break or crack. I wish you the Best! *JIM*"
 
Kghost. point 4. 'shift co

Kghost. point 4. 'shift control is in reverse not forward. ' Would that stop the drive shaft sliding out? I understand everything else you have mentioned. I hope it is your option no. 3.
 
If the shift control is in rev

If the shift control is in reverse the shift linkage will interfere if not stop the drive from moving away from the gimbal housing. The shift liknage will be the cause. That is why they say to put it in forward!

Many a mistake is made by leaving it in nuetral and forcing it apart and then they are left with sloppy shifting due to a damaged shift link. (the stainless steel link arm {with a U shaped end} the goes vertically thru the gimbal housing and the bronze shift arm from the out drive that FITS INTO the U shaped end).
 
"[IMG][url=""]http://i57.photo

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give you an idea where NOT to drive wedges"
 
"Well, it's been almost tw

"Well, it's been almost two weeks since we've worked on it b/c of hectic schedules, but we put a few hours in today. It's still not off, but there is some VERY slow progress.

We managed to wedge a scissor jack in between the gimbal housing and top of the leg. Tightened that to put a steady pressure on leg. We then took a 2x4 and hammered it along the side of the leg near the six bolts holes w/ a 5# sledge. A few swings on each side and then would try to get another turn or so on the scissor jack. It is slow going, but we now have about 1/8" gap at the gasket surface. We do not have any wedges, but w/ the kind of pressure we're applying, I'm not certain they'd even work. We tried some plastic scrapers we had lying around, but one snapped off and we had to dig that out - just added more hassle. I really have no idea how this could be so frozen.

I cut away a big section of the bellow and it was full of grease and from what I could see, the u-joints looked great. It just seems like something else is holding this leg on.

It's shifted into forward at the controls, but we are starting to doubt it at the foot end. It's my understanding that the leg would still break loose, but just not pull all the way off right? I believe there is a "slot" that the cable slides through - that's why it has to be in forward?!? I'm tempted to just cut the damn cable b/c we're planning on running a new one anyway. WOULD THIS HELP???? The 6 bolts are only on a few threads in case this thing decides to break its seal and fly off - didn't want it landing on my toes!! The bottom two bolt holes just look solid w/ corrosion - like it has fused itself w/ the bolts. Tried PB blast and battery terminal cleaner - poked in there w/ a paper clip hoping it would eat through some and loosen it up. Just getting really frustrated and the whole 'chaining it to a tree and driving off' idea is starting to sound mighty nice!!!"
 
"Take some pictures of anythin

"Take some pictures of anything and everything and post so we can see some of the issues here.

You can see the linkage under the gimbal housing.


Here is a pic....



291447.jpg
"
 
"Thanks for the pic. I'll

"Thanks for the pic. I'll look at it later and bring my camera out too.

Fred - I already have the factory service manual - think the CD would be redundant. Unfortunately the service manual's removal instructions don't have tips for stubborn drives, but looks like it will be a handy reference for all other jobs (replacing bellows, bearings, servicing, etc)"
 
"andrew, let's make this e

"andrew, let's make this easy.
put your trim rams back on.
cut a 2X4 to fit where you had your jack.
have your dad trim the drive "up" while you watch the drive slide off.

The only down side of this method is it is possable to break your gimbal ring with too much pressure.
I have a block of wood I keep just for this and can usualy get a stuck drive off by just lifting (snatching) up the drive by hand.


good luck
allan"
 
"Been watching this thread for

"Been watching this thread for weeks !!
When I was a kid (now 65) I had a 1934 Ford V8, side valve with alloy heads. Could not get the heads off, the alloy had grown onto the studs. An old guy told me to pour lemon juice around the studs and leave it over night. Next day the heads came right off. Seems the acid in the lemon juice eats away the alloy powder.
I had even started the engine with the head nuts loose and the heads still didn't move.

I would try the same on the 6 studs that hold the leg on the bell housing. Once alloy grows on they take some shifting.

I've just pulled my 1992 5.7L Bravo for a re power (383cdi stroker going in) and you don't think the back engine mount bolts weren't half tight ! You guys who have done this, will know that the nuts on those bolts are alloy. I had to split them with the Dremel.

"
 
"Andrew. Does the leg lift up

"Andrew. Does the leg lift up if the two rams a removed from the leg or gimbal or both??? That is , it is tilting on the contact pivot points on the gimbal assemb!!! If this is so the drive shaft must be moving through the gimbal bearing/seal and the damper plate. [ Does any one else agree?] You have never clearly said you do have the full pivot travel of the leg! Kghost has sugggested moving the motor forward. I do not have the knowledge. But if the shaft is stuck in the gimbal bearing/seal that would work. Assuming it is not stuck on the damper plate!. Could the motor actually be moved forward, if the spline in stuck in the damper plate???? Cut the change cable and its boot. Can a change cable become seized in the gimbal?? From my limited knowledge It has to be the change cable or the drive shaft holding it. Does any one agree? Could the crown of the leg [the cylinder shaped base closed to the C/V on the drive shaft be seized on to its gimbal housing receiving point? Is this possible??? Water entering between the two surface that you have placed the wedge between or via the drive bellow? What does a new /s,hand drive shaft cost? Is there enough room for a grinder?"
 
"The drive shaft cannot move f

"The drive shaft cannot move forward / aft as the leg is raised / lowered because the the center of the U-joints pivot point is directly in line with the hinge pins.

Like I said above, I reckon the leg has grown onto the studs. Seen it before. Seen a 3/32" hole drilled in from the side of each stud so a acid release agent could be forced in with a syringe. The holes later filled with plastic metal."
 
Just watched Late Line Busines

Just watched Late Line Business. ABC. All bad news. Dusting off the GONE FISHN sign. Chris are you saying that in this case or in all cases there is no travel of the shaft. The acetic acid would disolve the oxide.
 
"Get the torch out and heat th

"Get the torch out and heat the housing where those six studs are. The heat will work faster than the acid in separating a "powder filled" hole; the two working together (alternating) sounds good, too. And put those Rams back on, they create more force, in the desired direction, than anything else you can do."
 
"Chris - EXACTLY!!! All along

"Chris - EXACTLY!!! All along I'm looking at the bolt holes and the bottom two especially seem almost solid. That's why we tried PB Blast and a baking soda mixture to no avail. My dad is gonna buy lemon juice now (only had lime at my house and not sure if it'd work).

Fred - Yes, we have the whole range of motion. As far as we know, it might not be a seized gimbal. BUT, for some reason, the motor won't turn over. If we get this off and it still won't, then we know we have a motor to rebuild. Hoping for a cheaper / easier fix though

Allanova - tried that already - thought we were gonna fry the tilt motor. The 2x4 started crushing & splitting!!

Makomark - The mechanic that came out and looked at it a year or so ago already tried heat - the paint is completely burned off in some areas, but maybe we'll give it another shot w/ the lemon juice.

Gonna snap some pics now...."
 
"in the first photo, looks alm

"in the first photo, looks almost like epoxy around the studs - is that what it is or somemthing you squirted on?"
 
Use the Rust & Lime Remove

Use the Rust & Lime Remover sold for bathroom use. It's a mild acid stronger than lemon juice. Wear rubber gloves and use a dental pick or similar tool to dig out the crud as you dribble the solution around the bolt hole w/a child's liquid medicine syringe.
 
hope that lemmon juice works f

hope that lemmon juice works for you sounds like a good plan to loosen the crap on there...
But if it dont might want to think sawsall if you can get 1/16 gap
perhaps you can replace the studs ...(i am in no way a boat expert)and i dont know if those studs are replaceable. just a thought ....
 
"You have applied the lemon ju

"You have applied the lemon juice. Now remove the wedge and tap the leg back as it should be when assembled. This should fracture and expose more of the oxide to the acid. Re apply ,Let sit, you be the judge. Then use the wedges again.Gain a wider gap , then tap back in. More juice. REPEAR THE PROCESS. More surface area arround the bolts for the acid to react with. I do not know the off center angle before you start fighting the studs and not the oxide? You will now understand why i kept on wanting to know adout the travel of the leg and hence in the driveshaft / gimbal! Beside these 6 studs are there any other surface to surface contacts points on these two section that can corrude up and seize??????"
 
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