pachangalpina

One of the guys working for me is doing a project and wants to use one of my old Merc couplers to put a SBC in front of an OMC drive. Are the splines the same? Will this work? He says the coupler that he has with the drive will not bolt to the engine and he thinks the Merc and OMC shafts are the same.

Thanks

Underdog88

Well they share the same alignment tool... must be very close. The splines could be different, but this could be overcome by swapping drive shafts?

GOODT

omc and merc use the same ujoints,gimbel brg the coupler though Im not sure they should work Id let him try it

pachangalpina

Thanks guys. I'll let him give it a shot and see how it works.

fund razor

Why not get an OMC coupler and bolt it to the SBC?

Is the coupler that you are trying to use in that great a shape?

I bought a new OMC coupler about two years ago and I had no trouble finding one and it wasn't very expensive.

Just a thought. If they kind of fit, but it's not perfect it will wear fast anyway. Might want to be fresh.

pachangalpina

Your barking up the wrong tree. I have several couplers sitting on the shelf that are very low hour units and my guy knows they were there. I already suggested that he just buy a new one. He was trying to make an adapter in the machine shop but it would be cheaper for me to give him one of my spares (maybe even buy him a new one). A new coupler of any kind would cost way more than his boat cost. I have to give him credit for working within a budget but I also have doubts as to weather this abortion will ever make it to the water.

I cant say much about making it to the water because of the time my project is taking not to mention the expense.

MOP

The OMC couple bolts onto crank studs just like Merc I don't understand the issue, just install the studs and go for it.

Phil

pachangalpina

Except the boat was originaly rigged with something other than a SBC and not all cranks have the same bolt pattern.

fund razor

Maybe you mean I am "preaching to the choir?"
"Barking up the wrong tree" doesn't make sense.
Whatever.
I was just trying to help.
Sounds like the guy deserves what he gets.

Good luck.

pachangalpina

Not sure that works either. I thought you were suggesting that I get the right coupler and to make sure the coupler that I am using is in good shape. Key word here is I.

I am only concerned with getting an employee's productivity back up to the proper level and to save some grief from parts failure. The couplers that I have mount around the large diameter of the flywheel and all of the OMC units that I have seen mount on the crank studs. If it works, great, he just saved having to buy a new coupler. I just wanted to get some idea before we all wasted a lot of time with non standard parts.