Engine alignment tool

[jwick86]

Time to put the motor back in the XP and need to align the motor. Saw on on SBT for $150.00 to buy it. Anyone have and luck with it or have an idea to install correctly? This will be my first install on a ski but I have the mechanical ability to put this is and get it done correctly.

 

[nswillin]

Hey wick. You can use the tool if you want. When I put my engine back in I just made sure all the shims were put back where they were before. Put everything back together, put the drive shaft on, put motor mounts on but leave them kinda loose. Bump the starter and it will align itself, then torque mounts down and your done. Never had a problem with it. Good luck.

Ryan

 

[Dennis]

Alignment

I'm not so sure I agree with your alignment method Ryan. I can see where it might align the engine if it is too far left or right but I can't see where it would correct a engine that is too high or too low.
DAWG

 

[sporsterjoel]

If you can get the tool and do it i would and it works on all models:cheers:. Improper alinment can rob your top speed and cause cavitation.

 

[nswillin]

As long as your putting the same engine back in and putting the shims in exactly the way the came out up or down will not be a problem. Most improper alignments come from the engine sitting in there sideways a little. I've never had one out of alignment doing it this way.

I did also did state you can use the tool if you want and I offered an alternative.

 

[Dennis]

Alignment

I hear you Ryan. Your method will work ASSUMING the engine isn't too high or low to begin with. I've seen alot of older skis' with the engines too low that have the factory shims. I'm not sure if this happens because of a sagging engine mounting plate or if the hull changes over time. Engine alignment, even with the tool, is not an exact science. I've aligned many a engine by just "eyeballing" up thru the back of the ski (pump and drive shaft out) and aligning the engine PTO to the thru hull fitting. Seems to work.
DAWG

 

[jwick86]

I've never put a motor back in a jet ski, snowmobiles many of times. My only problem is I got the ski from a friend who took the motor out. I have everything but the shims. I'll keep your idea in mind if I ever pull the motor myself. Thanks for all the help.

 

[kustomkarl]

You will need the old shims or replace them with new ones to have a proper fit... Ask the last owner first before you buy them. I bet they are in his tool box.

Karl

 

[jwick86]

Are there suppose to be shims between the bracket that mounts to the motor and the mounts that are bolted to the hull? I have shims under the mounts that are bolted to the hull. The motor just got unbolted from the mounts in the hull.

 

[scooper77515]

I have a 96 XP and a 97 Challenger, and one is one way, the other is the other way.

The XP has the shims between the floor and the mount, and the Challenger has the shims between the mount and the engine block (my preference). That way I can pull the motor mounts and block all at once and the shims stay put. The XP was a little more of a hassle because the shims slide around while you are trying to get the bolts into the mounts.

I also did the "align by sight/then bump over to straighten" method, but I was able to keep my original shims in their original locations, because they were between the hull and mount, and I pulled the motor off the mounts, leaving the mounts in the hull.

 

[jwick86]

My shims are in the stock locations between the hull and the mount. I do not know if there are suppose to be shims between the mount and the motor plates. If this is correct I can put in by eye and bump the starter? Are those the only shims I should have?

 

[scooper77515]

Those should be the only shims. I have found them in EITHER/OR location, never BOTH.

So if they are still in the same place they were originally, you should be fine.

 

[jwick86]

Excellent. That makes life much easier. The mounts were never taken off the hull. Thanks for all the help, replies and idea's.

 

[scooper77515]

If the mounts were never taken off and the shims are still where they were, you will be fine.

That is how my Challenger was when I swapped motors.