As part of overhaul we replaced the prop shaft, coupler, and cutlass bearing and also reworked the prop on our H30 with 2GM20F. So after I’m in the water, how do you tell if the alignment has changed? Increased vibration? The archives talk a lot about initial alignment but just say you have to recheck after being in the water a few weeks. So I think that means to start over.
The mechanic said that I would have to loosen the coupling bolts and recheck for a consistent gap between the flange and coupler and recheck centering. He also said that the torqueing the coupler bolts on small engines will pull a slightly misaligned coupler and flange together with no gap, hiding the misalignment and putting load on the tranny and cutless/strut. And it’s way too cold yet to get under the boat to see if the shaft is not centered in the cutless, but I’m not sure I could see that on a 1-in shaft anyway.
Thanks,
Dan
The mechanic said that I would have to loosen the coupling bolts and recheck for a consistent gap between the flange and coupler and recheck centering. He also said that the torqueing the coupler bolts on small engines will pull a slightly misaligned coupler and flange together with no gap, hiding the misalignment and putting load on the tranny and cutless/strut. And it’s way too cold yet to get under the boat to see if the shaft is not centered in the cutless, but I’m not sure I could see that on a 1-in shaft anyway.
Thanks,
Dan