Alpha One 1987 3.0 L

[lancaster0321]

Iv got a 87 Mercruiser 3.0 with a alpha 1 out drive, i pulled my out drive off to put a new one on. I checked my alignment and the tool goes in slides in and out very easy, But when i bottom the tool out and try to remove it, its very hard to get out almost like its stuck. i greased the tool like the book says to but still its hard to pull out. So my question is what would cause this. Please help I'm ready to get on the water.

 

[1973 Browning Marine]

Re: Alpha One

Maybe your gimbal bearing is not aligned or has shifted a little. With the alignment tool fully inserted and bottomed out, try carefully tapping the end of alignment tool at 12:00 then 6:00 then 9:00 then 3:00. Do this a few times to see if it is in the orientation of the gimble bearing. You should be able to insert and remove tool fairly easily with two fingers if you are properly aligned. When you remove tool, is there any crud or rust on the part of tool that goes into the engine coupler? (that could cause it to bind) Maybe put some grease directly into engine coupler spines if there is rust. Are you sure the tool is fully bottomed out into the engine coupler. When I first tried to align, I was not fully in with the tool and thought that I had reached alignment but was still off a bit. I aligned the darn thing myself after about two hours of jumping in and out of the boat like a yo-yo lol. If you can get another person to work the tool or do the actual engine mount adjustments a little turn at a time for you, it would make things alot easier. If all is well, you will get it eventually, but can be a pain in the ass. Make sure that the tool surface is not buggered or nicked from someone getting it stuck or forcing it through. (could possibly bind or hangup on gimble bearing inner race at one specific spot) Also, if you can visually see the end of tool bottom out in coupler while someone is pulling it in and out for you, that would help. However, you will have to be really close with adjustments to get the tool in that far. It should also be real smooth when sliding in without any bumps or knocks as it is fully inserted. Just my two cents but figured I would attempt to help you. You will get it! all the best, Tom

 

[scott_s]

Re: Alpha One

coupler spline is aluminum. drive spline steel. on older drives, it's not uncomon for the coupler spline to wear some, and be tight at the base. a couple smacks with a hammer as suggested above should take care of it. solid hits, not taps.

 

[1973 Browning Marine]

Thanks scott_s for backing me up! I just did not want to see him smashing it with a 20 pound sledge or worse. lol Anyway, I guess tapping was the wrong choice of words to use. However, in my particular circumstance, I did not have to beat on it too hard, but then again, I kept going around it four or five times. I just did not want to see the guy damage his gimbal bearing or housing, that is all. I broke my original gimbal housing which was pretty corroded so maybe it was just as well, did not want him to go through that nonsense. I broke my gimbal housing trying to remove a siezed gimbal bearing on the original drive. It was so corroded that I think the bearing and housing became pretty much one piece of dissimilar metals, so it was a lossing battle before it started.lol So what you are saying is that the aluminum splines in the coupler wear more toward the drive side and remain less worn or tighter at the base towards the flywheel side of engine? Never thought of that scenario and definitely makes good sense.

 

[hystat]

the tool goes in slides in and out very easy,

But when i bottom the tool out and try to remove it, its very hard to get out almost like its stuck.

it's stuck because you are misaligned.

sliding it in a fraction of an inch isn't aligning anything - you have to push the tool in to check alignment

if it sticks, then grease it and see where the splines are hitting the tool and adjust the engine to center the tool until it no longer gets stuck.