Ride plate gore and misalignment

[illru]

Pulled my ride plate do to its gasket being mostly gone. When I got it off I found the forward edge of the plate had been filed down with a purpose.

Thinking it was do to some sort of bottom strike damage I scored a good used ride plate with gasket to replace it. Well I go to install new one and find that the pump is about 3/8 of a inch to close to the bow for it to fit. This would explain the gore on the old ride plate.

Working theory is that someone pulled the power head and pump and fail to mount the ride plate before reinstall the pump. SO they just ground down the plate to make it fit.

For anyone that has pulled the Merc power head, would following work?

1. Loosening the pump and power head nuts to drop pump a little.
2. Lube Tunnel Grommet with soupy water.
3. Wiggle power head 3/8 inch to the stern.
4. Mount new ride plate
5. Torque nuts.
6. profit?

Any gotchas?

Thanks for reading

 

[illru]

Update:

Wiggling the power head did not work, had to lift it out. The only gotcha was the need for a thin wall 17mm socket for the four pump housing nuts. Mind you oil hoses, I lost most of my oil to the bilge when they got bumped from their tie off. (I'm replacing that carpet now.)

But dropping down the pump a little and pushing it around till the new ride plate fit worked out great.

I would recommend two people when putting the head back in. Also readjust the trail jack to the angle of the motor. The expansion chamber side of the motor hangs down more.