Hi, I have purchased a BD1005 with the 7 degree down angle transmission. I am now fabricating the new engine beds. As I do this it seems to me that the alignment with the down angle transmission is going to be very tricky since moving the engine forward or backward will take it off the center axis of the prop shaft. So it seems that I need 1. to determine the exact fore and aft position of the engine and then, 2. determine the height and angle of the new beds at this position.
Is this correct? Is a down angle transmission more difficult to align than a straight transmission? Any tricks to aligning the down angle?
Also, how much can I expect the rubber engine mounts to compress with the weight of the engine?
I apologise for the late reply. You are quite correct, the down angle transmission installation is always more involved than when a standard transmission is used. As you move the engine forward you will dramatically change the relationship from the output coupling of the transmission and the shaft coupling.
I suggest that you make a lightweight plywood jig using the flexible mounts that came with your engine. This will allow you to build your engine beds correctly. If you already have good engine beds and are just replacing one engine for an old one, you should not have too much trouble as once the engine is in place, the alignment will become reasonably obvious. It generally doesnt take any more time to align the engine once you have reached this point of your installation.
The compression of the mounts on the Beta 28 (BD1005) is only about 1mm. I suggest that you fit the flex mounts to the engine on the pallet and then take your measurements. Stanley