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Update on my 350

"Bob, Mercruiser has been requ

"Bob, Mercruiser has been requiring this "drive coupler/engine alignment" since day one!

Question: Did you leave the Flywheel Cover attached to the transom unit......, or did you remove it with the engine????? (the rear engine mounts are part of this flywheel cover)
If disconnected and removed with the engine, there is a concern for the appropriate sequence of parts at the junction between the F/C "rear engine mount" and the Inner Transom Plate portion of same! See page # 42!

Doubt that this alone would prevent the engine from turning over, but you must have the sequence correct.

Now that it is installed, does the engine STILL turn over if you were to move it by hand?

."
 
"Try this and get back with th

"Try this and get back with the results
Battery fully charged, cable ends clean and tight.
Short the small lug with the yel/red stripe to the main battery lug, starter motor turns or it dosent.
Short the main battery lug on the stater to ground, should get a fat spark.If not check battery and cables.
No: battery, cables, cable ends, or starter are bad."
 
"I could never, in good consci

"I could never, in good consciousness, recommend to anyone that taking a POS cable to GRND (thus creating a "Fat Spark") even in an "open" engine bay (hatch open) would be a good or safe idea!
thumbs_down.gif

The industry offers us "Ignition Protected" devices of all sorts for our In-Board Marine Engine Bays to eliminate potentially dangerous sparks!
thumbs_up.gif


I'd rather see Bob remove the starter and have it tested on a bench with a proper load test!

BTW, Bob, if the starter should turn out to be bad, consider one of the HTGR or PMGR units. They will kick A$$ over the OEM motors.
They are generally much less expensive as well.

."
 
"Ricardo, We removed my engine

"Ricardo, We removed my engine with the flywheel, housing and another peice that was attached by 3 bolts in a triangular pattern. All 3 pieces were still attached as they were in the boat. We did not remove the fly wheel because that is where we bolted to the engine stand. The housing and other part we did remove. The starter/solenoid is brand spanking new (not to say I didn't get a bad one from the factory).
BT, we have plenty of current to the starter. My helper traced everything back to this 50 amp circuit breaker (red button that doesn't push in). He was going to remove it the other day along with a nuetral safety switch and wire them direct. Hope this info helps, Bob"
 
"Bob, the red button will [b]n

"Bob, the red button will not push IN if it does not require "re-setting". However, this may not indicate that it is OK!

Also, (and if no one has messed with the wiring) the circuit to the instrument panel is protected via this red button circuit breaker.
IOW's, if it was either "tripped" or "Bad", you would likely not have power to your ignition switch at the helm! Hence, no power at all to trigger the starter motor solenoid!
(the starter motor itself will still have power to the main terminal as this circuit is NOT fused!)

The triangular mounted part (as you describe it) will likely be your drive coupler.
What I was referring to earlier, was the connection between the "Flywheel Cover" (bell housing in the automotive world) and the proper sequence of installation parts right at where it connects to the "inner transom plate" (as shown in that drawing on page 42).
If these parts are not installed correctly, you will have misalignment that will not be correctable via the FWD engine mount adjustments!

Now, I have never misaligned one, so I cannot tell you if this "misalignment" is enough to prevent an engine from turning over via the starter motor. It is certainly worth exploring!

."
 
"Ricardo, Our front mounts onl

"Ricardo, Our front mounts only had one nut on each mount. In the diagrams it shows two nuts on each so you can adjust the height. We thought they simply held the motor in place as a car motor mount does. Anyway, I tightened down on the rear 3/4" bolts and the front mounts. I agree that it could be binding up and causing it not to crank. Makes perfect sense to me. I must say that I caused this problem not the motor. Now, how do I fix the problem and get it aligned properly? Thank you, Bob"
 
"Bob, you have a possible two

"Bob, you have a possible two part scenario here.

** 1) being the typical Mercruiser routine engine alignment whereby a special alignment shaft is used to check the alignment of the "Drive Coupler" internal splines. However, you cannot perform this unless you know that the following is OK.
** 2) being where the rear engine mounts attach to the "Inner Transom Plate".... of which is actually of little concern IF the engine had been connected correctly!
THIS connection is a "Pre-Determined" factory setting! There is NO ADJUSTMENT to correct this other than removing the engine.
Again, see page 42!

So....... I'd be looking at that drawing on page 42, and try your best to see if this has been assembled correctly.

And just to be clear, I did not say that this could prevent the engine from turning over..... I only speculated that it may contribute as I have not had this occur to me.

."
 
"Ricardo, On page 42 dealing w

"Ricardo, On page 42 dealing with the rear bolts, mine did not have E-the spacer,F-the fiber washer, nor G-the double-wound lockwasher when we took it apart. Therefore, we did not put those on when installing the engine. They are missing. I will purchase some on Monday and try to install them on Tues. I will post my results. Thank you, Bob"
 
"Bob, M/C has had many part nu

"Bob, M/C has had many part number and model number changes over the years.
I am not savvy enough to be up on all of the changes, so just make sure that you have your year/model number with you.

."
 
"I think you need to pull the

"I think you need to pull the OD, put the missing rear mount parts and double nuts on the front mounts. Align the engine and then install the OD. Beg or borrow an alignment tool."
 
"Ricardo and Guy, I really do

"Ricardo and Guy, I really do appreciate you men helping with knowledge on how to do this. Your diagrams help alot also. Thank you both, Bob
PS- we are pulling the boat on Tuesday for the winter. The engine is completely dry as we did not start it yet (but we tried). I'll read on how to pull the outdrive off so I can do as you (Guy) said. It should be eaiser than pulling the engine to put those parts in. Thanks again, Bob"
 
"How to pull the outdrive off:

"How to pull the outdrive off:

1. shift controll into forward gear.

2. lower outdrive to down position.

3. remove outer trim cyinder cross bar from trim cylinders and allow trim cyclinders to swivel down.
4. remove 6 bolts holding outdrive to gimbal housing.
5 pull outdrive away from boat, Have a piece of 2x6 or something similar to supprt the skeg .

Done!

If you have a great deal of difficulty pulling outdrive away from gimbal housing it may indicate a missalignment of gimbal bearing to coupler......."
 
"Bob, I'm sure that I can

"Bob, I'm sure that I can speak for all here........, you are very welcome for the help!

Bob, perhaps I have misunderstood you! As of now, (I'm thinking) you may still be somewhat unclear on this in-that removing the outdrive circumvents the need to raise the rear of the engine (not necessarily remove it, but disconnect and raise it) as to correct a possible rear engine mount assembly sequence issue!
Have I misunderstood you?
If so, my appologies!
I just want all of us to be on the same page here.


Kghost is correct..... do as he suggests by removing the entire outdrive (upper/lower units) via removing the six "nuts" that hold it to the "Gimbal Bell".
http://www.sterndrives.com/How_to_do_it/AlphaGenII_GimbalHousing.jpg"

Once removed, you must verify that the REAR Engine mounting is correctly installed BEFORE you can proceed with the "Engine Alignment" procedure......., of which is actually a "Drive Coupler" alignment!
Again..... BEFORE you can proceed with "Engine Alignment", the rear mount parts sequence and parts installation must be correctly installed.
http://www.sterndrives.com/How_to_do_it/AlphaGenII_GimbalBearing.jpg"

NOTE: at this time, we are only speculating that they MAY NOT BE!

NEXT, and ONLY next, will be the raising and/or lowering the height of the FRONT Engine mounts as to accommodate the center-line "ANGLE" of the "Drive Coupler Splines" to the center of engine mount and center of Gimbal Bearing..... as per what Mercruiser requires!
In theory, when all reach a true center-line, the drive coupler is aligned. This means that all splines (steel drive shaft and female coupler splines) make optimum contact!
http://www.sterndrives.com/engine_alignment_image.gif"

Also...... I fully agree with Kghost's last comment, which has lead us here in the first place! It's all about correct geometry!

You may have a drive coupler similar to one of these.
http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page80.html

Here is what the alignment tool looks like.
http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page191.html"
 
"Ricardo, Are you're sayin

"Ricardo, Are you're saying I can pull those rear bolts out and have something like a tow motor lift the engine up an inch while I put the two washers and spacer into position and then retighten the bolts? Won't this jar something loose in the outdrive? It would beat taking the entire outdrive off. Thank you, Bob"
 
"Bob, hopefully some of the ot

"Bob, hopefully some of the other guys will either confirm or de-bunk this, but I think you could even do this with a pinch bar of sorts..... possibly without using an engine lift.

The engine is supported pretty much at the center via the FWD engine mounts.
You can easily maneuver the rear of the engine if it were to be disconnected....... they are not all that heavy when supported by the FWD mounts.

All you have to do is gain enough space to examine the sequence of the parts installed.

What I am suggesting is this;
**Loosen the two bolts where the Flywheel Cover joins the Inner Transom Plate (rear engine mounts)
**place an appropriate leverage type bar carefully between the two,
**then gently lift the Flywheel Cover up and off of the Inner Transom Plate some.
**remove bolts and correct the installation (assuming that it needs this)
**lower back down.... tighten bolts.

Remember, you must still perform engine alignment after this is done. This requires that the out drive be removed.

."
 
"Thank you Ricardo, that is sh

"Thank you Ricardo, that is short and to the point, the way I like it! Thank you and I'll keep you posted on this. Thanks again, Bob"
 
"Bob, I should have added that

"Bob, I should have added that since "Engine Alignment" is still required, you may as well get the drive off and the shaft out of your way now before checking the rear mounts/bolts.

This would be a great time to see if anything improves related to turning the engine over!

Ya gotta check this alignment anyway!
I'd say "Get it done"! Then when the drive goes back on..... it can stay for a year until next alignment check!

."
 
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