MACDAD260

I had the same problem this year when I re-installed my 502. When the "tool" was slid into the coupler it seemed that the rear of the engine was a little bit low. Last year when I checked the alignment it seemed a little low as well but not as much. I ended up making shims out of 1/8" sheet stock and used a hole saw to make the shims fit around the spring. It brought the engine up to perfect alignment. I also adjusted the front mounts a little, too. After I ran it on the lake for the first time I pulled the drive and re-checked the alignment. It was as near perfect as I have ever seen. I have heard of others using shims to get the rear alignment correct. Maybe the inner transom plate moves down a little over time. I don't know for sure if that is what happened but, I do know that without the shims in the rear the tool did not feel right. Good luck.

Falcon

The loose holes or slots in the inner plate are just to account for different thickness boat transoms. The inner plate is held in vertical alignment with the outer housing by the center tube from the outer housing going into the inner plate. The rear of the engine is supposed to be a fixed height with no adjustment. I have heard of the mounts breaking down and letting the engine sag in the rear. What you may need to do is align the gimbal bearing first to get the tool to hit the coupler in the center. Then try raising or lowering the front of the engine until the tool will slide all the way in.

Checking the alignment on an Alpha or Bravo is also easier with the "ITS" Bravo alignment tool. It should work with any Bravo or Alpha. It has a removable slide for the gimbal bearing to allow use with or without the ITS extension box. If you remove the slide part of the tool you should be able to slip the tool all the way into the coupler and you should then have gap between diameter of the bar and the gimbal bearing. You can then raise or lower the front of the engine until the bar seems centered in the gimbal bearing. It's much easier than trying to look at grease on the end of a standard alignment tool to tell which way the engine alignment has to move.

Good Luck!

SmallPP

Thanks. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to shim it up. I tried every gimbal alignment and front (side) motor mount adjustment possible, and yet the drive only slide on easily when the engine is lifted 2 clicks with a come-a-long. With this many not fitting right, I think the alignment was not right when they tooled up the inner transom plate or the bellhousing.

Clint

SmallPP

Name is SmallPP because my boat is small compared to all the big money boats everybody else here has. 17' Formula, 1983. Bought it for $1000 on eBay, outdrive came in many milk crates. Was my first outdrive rebuild (Alpha1, Gen1) and it went perfect. Solid and silent as a rock. Current power is factory MerCruiser/GM 4.3L V6 4 barrel Q-Junk (works well actually). It is the only one I have seen with a 4.3L V6 in it. Runs almost 55 stock. Most others have 470 or 3.0L 4 cylinder. I have built up a late model GM Vortec 5.7 to install using Dennis Moore's recommendations on heads (Vortec), cam (Crane something, I forgot the number), roller rocker arms, and Edelbrock Air Gap Vortec intake. I also purchased his aluminum exhaust manifolds, but I'm a bit scared of reversion with them (just because of a larger camshaft than stock).

Would love to buy a Formula 242 with twin 350's. One just sold on eBay for $9000. Was going to buy Cuda's in Florida, but I dragged my butt too long and it sold. I see he misses it already, which tells me they are fun boats.

Falcon

I am beginning to wonder if you have the parts assembled correct. The fiber washer is glued on top of the ear on the inner plate. The spiral wound washer is also on top of the inner plate, below the motor mount. The spacer and the larger washer are above the motor mount. Also are you sure that the gimbal bearing is aligned before you try to align the engine? I have installed dozens of Bravo transoms and engines without much trouble unless I was working with plate mounts that were out of alignment.

Tinkerer

I had this attachment made up so that I was absotutely sure that the engines were in alignment.

If the plate doesn't fit flush with the drive opening as shown the engine alignment is off.

The rear mounts can sag and by lowering the front mount the alignment tool will still go in.

I had one engine that for the last few years was just a little off.
I spent 3 hours this year getting it just right.

Falcon

You can also use a digital protractor and compare the transom angle to the front of the crank pulley. It should be a 13 deg difference. When I checked one this way I found that the best angle is actually just shy at 12.7 degrees. I noticed that half a degree more or less wouldn't let the tool go in.

crazyraysplace

I am not sure what you's mean when you say adjust the gimble bearing. Mine just goes inta the housing till it stops against the housing. There is no adjustment. I am having the same problems with the rear mount. 1989 4.3

mtgbiker

are you checking the engine aligment with the rear bolts torqued to factory specs??

Jean-Claude

I actually had the same problem last year with my 2003 fourwinns and a 4.3l mpi, it blew out my coupler and when the tech replaced the engine and did the alignment it was out by almost 3 degrees enough for the front of the engine to be 2 inches higher in the bilge! hence why the coupler blew on a almost brand new boat (about 200hours on it) and it was like that from factory. So proof it does happen.