300/440/550 550 engine aligning

[ger87410]

I just removed the engine from the hull for a rebuild, not the mounts.

Is there some trick to make sure the engine's properly aligned in the hull? What should I keep an eye out for? I haven't tightened the 4 mounting bolts and there's a ton of play when it comes to moving the engine around.

In retrospect, I shoulda RTFM. :biggrin:

Thanx guys!!!

 

[Maxumflux]

i just put the 650 back in my x-2 and i didnt think twice about it it fit so snug. i wouldn't worry unless there is wobble when it rests on the mounts.

 

[BU1LD]

You have to make sure that the couplers are flush to each other. The way you check this is to fit a small vernier in there and check, that at each quarter of the rotation is the same distance. If it isn't lined up properly then one side will be larger and the other will be smaller.

Hope that helps...

 

[ger87410]

You have to make sure that the couplers are flush to each other. The way you check this is to fit a small vernier in there and check, that at each quarter of the rotation is the same distance. If it isn't lined up properly then one side will be larger and the other will be smaller.

Hope that helps...

Yes, that's a lot of help.

I used the card method and got it real close, I think. I'll take a caliper to it later.

Thanx!

 

[GSXRchris85]

do not forget ya SHIMS!!!!!

 

[ger87410]

Oddly enough, it didn't have any shims.

The pump does.

 

[motoman96]

the 550sx doesn't use shims like the older js550's. The sx uses a freefloating bearing assenbly on the firewall so theres no need to shim the motor or the pump

 

[GSXRchris85]

do we know if its a SX or a JS?

 

[professor961]

I ran into an X2 that needed shimmed straight up, so needless to say all ski's need checked for coupler alignment when installing the engine.
Get a manual. Read the how-to. It saves money time and again by just buying a manual. And get shims for corn sake.
These three pictures show an alignment tool I've used for years. Never heard of calipers being used - you use feeler gauges.
The band clamp and piece of machine stock are mounted on the engine coupler, and with the engine in place the feeler gauges are used to determine straight and true at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. The shimming is straight up first, then left right, then tweaked for as close to true as possible.

Hope this helps. Prof

 

[ger87410]

She's an old PP JS. 1988 I think.

Prof: That's what the manual said, but feeler gauges didn't sound right to me. The caliper method sounds about the same and I bet would yield identical results.