DavidW2009
Regular Contributor
I received a new outdrive alignment tool via UPS today. Nice looking tool. Heartland Products.
I tried it out and the tool wouldn't go into the coupling. I had previously raised the front of the engine, playing around before the tool arrived. ( I now suspect there may not have been anything wrong with the original alignment)
But I had measured and recorded where the adjust nuts were before I started. Resetting the nuts, the alignment tool went in with some resistance.
I greased the small end of the too and tried it again, not rotating the tool when removing. There were spline grease marks on the top and none on the bottom, so I raised the front of the engine a quarter turn each side. I kept tweaking it until the spline marks were even all around. The tool slid in easily and removed almost as easy, but I thought I felt something like a bit of a vacuum holding the tool. Is that possible? The coupling splines are pretty much loaded with grease by now.
Next, I try to do a dry run installing the outdrive without gasket or 'O'rings. At approximately 2" from mating with the pivot housing, the drive stops and will not go any further. I rotated the shaft, applied a little pressure while rotating the shafts, cannot make it go in. It's not even engaging the coupling.
It looks like the u-joint yoke is going into the bellows seal okay, but it is hanging on something.
I tried incrementally different elevations of the roll-around crane hoist I'm using. I have an eyebolt screwed into the top dipstick hole.
Obviously, I am missing some technique. I made sure the outdrive was straight and square with the engine. I've tried different ways to turn the u-joints. I've started all over lining things up several times. No cigar. I have read several posts on installing an outdrive and have tried to follow the instructions.
Any suggestions?
I tried it out and the tool wouldn't go into the coupling. I had previously raised the front of the engine, playing around before the tool arrived. ( I now suspect there may not have been anything wrong with the original alignment)
But I had measured and recorded where the adjust nuts were before I started. Resetting the nuts, the alignment tool went in with some resistance.
I greased the small end of the too and tried it again, not rotating the tool when removing. There were spline grease marks on the top and none on the bottom, so I raised the front of the engine a quarter turn each side. I kept tweaking it until the spline marks were even all around. The tool slid in easily and removed almost as easy, but I thought I felt something like a bit of a vacuum holding the tool. Is that possible? The coupling splines are pretty much loaded with grease by now.
Next, I try to do a dry run installing the outdrive without gasket or 'O'rings. At approximately 2" from mating with the pivot housing, the drive stops and will not go any further. I rotated the shaft, applied a little pressure while rotating the shafts, cannot make it go in. It's not even engaging the coupling.
It looks like the u-joint yoke is going into the bellows seal okay, but it is hanging on something.
I tried incrementally different elevations of the roll-around crane hoist I'm using. I have an eyebolt screwed into the top dipstick hole.
Obviously, I am missing some technique. I made sure the outdrive was straight and square with the engine. I've tried different ways to turn the u-joints. I've started all over lining things up several times. No cigar. I have read several posts on installing an outdrive and have tried to follow the instructions.
Any suggestions?
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