offset alignment

It helps to have a tiny bit of grease on the horizontal pins of the engine mounts. It's definately a place though where more is not better; too much grease and it won't stay where you put it while you bolt it down.

I wrap an old towel around a crow bar to shift the engine left to right.

Did you run your engine mounts through a wire brush? If they're rusty, it'll make your project that much harder.


I would also consider new isolators if you haven't. They're a PITA too but make a big difference.

BuffaloBFN wrote: It helps to have a tiny bit of grease on the horizontal pins of the engine mounts. It's definately a place though where more is not better; too much grease and it won't stay where you put it while you bolt it down. I wrap an old towel around a crow bar to shift the engine left to right. Did you run your engine mounts through a wire brush? If they're rusty, it'll make your project that much harder. I would also consider new isolators if you haven't. They're a PITA too but make a big difference.

Greg,

Thanks for the reply.

Are you talking about hitting the horizontal pins and the hole they go in with a wire brush? If so, I did not. They don't look too rusty from the outside, but I guess they could be worse on the inside.

What are you prying against with the crow bar?

I hadn't considered new isolators either... wish I would have though now! I might have to hold off until next year on those. They don't look too bad right now, but they are 20 years old and probably could stand to be replaced.

Thanks!
Ryan

behindpropeller wrote: Its a good two person job.

My wife isn't going to be happy to hear that!

I have to wonder if PB blaster is good for rubber. Don't be upset with me Tim.

You have the same year boat as I do so I would expect the engine mounts to be the same or similar. The front is all aluminum except for the base and the rears have a steel trundle. I ran mine through a a wire brush on a grinder. Got 'em cleaned up and then repainted.

I use the crow bar against the base of the engine mount as I didn't want to scratch the new bilge...still scratched the brackets a little even with the towel.

I'm no Eric Levine, but I have had to re-align the BFN a few times. <--mostly because of the mistakes I had already made. LOL

On the isolators, do consider it. They don't cost much except that you already have the engine in place. How did you set it? The engine only has to lifted a tiny bit to get the mounts apart.

Speaking of hard rubber, you wouldn't believe what I went through to r&r the old isolators. I had to use a razor knife to cut the old ones out. They were there for 20 years and wanted to stay!

This post is gonna be easy to hack, but I fiddled and futzed until I got it right. I'm standing by my wine glass on the dash statement even though wine has not been on the boat.

ryanowen wrote: What do you mean about sticking a wrench in? I'm not following how that would work

LMAO!!! I know I'm gonna get hammered so...    

BuffaloBFN wrote: but I have had to re-align the BFN a few times.

Is this because of you pulling the engine to clean the bilge?

BuffaloBFN wrote: On the isolators, do consider it. They don't cost much except that you already have the engine in place. How did you set it? The engine only has to lifted a tiny bit to get the mounts apart.

Cherry picker to get the motor in place. I'm getting kind of anxious to get this thing going again, but I'll re-consider the isolators. Where did you get them?

BuffaloBFN wrote: ryanowen wrote: What do you mean about sticking a wrench in? I'm not following how that would work LMAO!!! I know I'm gonna get hammered so...

8122pbrainard wrote: BuffaloBFN wrote: but I have had to re-align the BFN a few times. Is this because of you pulling the engine to clean the bilge?

Having worked with Mr. Steve Meloon (has since past away) and Art Cozier for nearly 20 years. I learned about precise alignment and what impacts miss or mal-aligned couplers can have on performance and longevity of components.
One thing that I have never been able to do is accurately describe the process to someone that has never done it. One of those things that needs to be witnessed before tackling for the first time.

Also would like to try and understand how to use a wrench instead of a prybar.
Always open to new tactics!!

Fl Inboards wrote: One thing that I have never been able to do is accurately describe the process to someone that has never done it. One of those things that needs to be witnessed before tackling for the first time.

Jody,
Have you ever seen Eric's pictorial thread on alignment? I think it's pretty good. Eric's alignment We've directed many a new person to alignment to the thread and they don't seem to have a problem with it.

hey man
I used a car jack on the side of the motor and it moved in tiny as you want incraments.

Man alive. This thing won't budge sideways for me. I've soaked it with PB. I even tried picking up on it with the cherry picker to take some pressure off the horizontal pins. It was off about 1/4 inch and I've moved it about 1/8 but it won't go any further. Didn't want to have to take it back out, but it looks like I might have to.

Randy_in_Ohio wrote: Where the heck is Eric anyway???... Probably sporting around in my favorite shirt (that he stole from GL!)

He's got my coozie too!

Eric,

I didn't remove the pinch bolts completely, but I did loosen them by tapping them back down. Do they need to come completely out?

The only thing I can think to do next is pull the engine out and remove and clean up these pins.

Greg,

The 3 foot crow bar isn't even moving this thing!

Ryan,
The pinch bolts don't need to come completely out. They simply squeeze the block around the round pin. Sounds like they are really rusted in there but it's common.

Chris is correct, that you really don't need to pull the engine just tilt one end at a time. However, if you already have it hanging from the engine lift, it may be easier.