Engine alignment without tool idea - mag light

[Jtamaro]

Hi Guys,
I wanted to do an engine alignment check after replacing the carbon seal but didn’t have access to an engine alignment tool.
I looked at options to make something but found a solution that worked really well for me that I had in the garage.

I inserted a small medium sized USA mag light into the PTO shaft, (you have to remove the cone of the torch). it’s a very neat fit so you have to really get it in there, take out your spark plugs and turn the engine over to confirm you have the mag light in running very true (no runout) and then use the light as a guide to align the engine. I later inserted the carbon seal to close up the gap so I could really see the run out.

 

[mikidymac]

No reason to align for the carbon seal.
Also you aren’t aligning to the carbon seal, you are aligning to the pump and more specifically the bulkhead the pump bolts to.

I love the creativity and wish there was an easier way but this unfortunately doesn’t align the engine to pump.

 

[Jtamaro]

No reason to align for the carbon seal.
Also you aren’t aligning to the carbon seal, you are aligning to the pump and more specifically the bulkhead the pump bolts to.

I love the creativity and wish there was an easier way but this unfortunately doesn’t align the engine to pump.

You do have a valid point, figured if it was aligned at the shaft hole it should be reasonably close.
I didn’t find any binding cranking by hand.
If I had the alignment tool I would use that method first and foremost

 

[mikidymac]

Like I said I love the creativity and hope it works. Great job.