Universal M25 oil pan

[jerzyjoe]

I would like to drop the oil pan and replace the gasket. I am sure the gasket is 35 years old and needs to be replaced. I would like to accomplish this without removing the engine. The boat is a CD 31 and there appears to be sufficient clearance under the engine. Has anyone attempted this?

Thank you
Joe

[tjr818]

Joe,
I have done this on several old cars, but never on a boat. I find it hard to believe that there is enough room to drop the pan and replace the gasket. There are all sorts of engine parts the extend well below the engine block, usually with in an inch or so of the bottom of the pan. Unless there is room below the pan equal to the depth of the pan I doubt it can be done.
Good luck, I would love to hear how this turns out.

[Steve Laume]

You might be able to do it by raising the engine up off of the mounts without actually removing it. Still a lot of work but not nearly as much as actually removing the engine.

I replace the gasket and the oil pan when I had the engine out of Raven. I was troubled by the sight of an engine in the machanic's shop that was being rebuilt because the pan had rusted and dumped all the oil. When I priced out the pan and gasket from Universal they were $240 and $70. When I went to my Kabota tractor dealer they were $70 and $15. The old pan still looked good but I felt it was worth changing it at the tractor parts price, Steve.

[Chrisa006]

I was speaking with someone about some work they did on their engine and he said he put a deflated soccer ball under the engine then inflated it to lift the engine. I thought it was ingenious.

[mgphl52]

When raising the engine please be sure to disconnect the drive shaft Otherwise you may mangle the stuffing box and/or even tweak the the drive shaft! Neither of which you want to do...

[jen1722terry]

Good advice about the drive shaft. But not sure you need to.

Our 31 had the original M25, since removed and sold. I recall there was about 3 inches clearance below the bottom of the oil pan. This may be enough to drop the pan and swap out the gasket, without actually removing the pan from under the engine. You may need a mirror and some flex-couples for your socket wrench, and torque wrench.

If you have to lift up the engine, it can be a bit tricky, as it sits pretty far back in the compartment on the 31. Do-able with a chain fall or long lever and blocks, but not for the faint of heart

We also echo Steve L.’s comment about tractor supply parts. You can save a great deal over the Westerbeke prices for the same parts. We also saved a few hundred $$ by buying a new generator at a
Generator supply shop. Same with pumps and other expensive stuff.

Lastly, we had the front valve cover gasket start to leak. Maybe consider switching out that one also. Other members can advise you on how to remove/reinstall the raw water pump on this job.

Good luck and do let the other M-25 owners know how you made out.

Jenn & Terry

[Capt Hook]

Would you actually have to drop the pan below all downward protruding parts or could you drop it a couple inches and wiggle the old and new gasket around the protruding parts? Assuming you don’t want to change the pan too.

[Capt Hook]

Good advice about the drive shaft. But not sure you need to.

Our 31 had the original M25, since removed and sold. I recall there was about 3 inches clearance below the bottom of the oil pan. This may be enough to drop the pan and swap out the gasket, without actually removing the pan from under the engine. You may need a mirror and some flex-couples for your socket wrench, and torque wrench.

If you have to lift up the engine, it can be a bit tricky, as it sits pretty far back in the compartment on the 31. Do-able with a chain fall or long lever and blocks, but not for the faint of heart

We also echo Steve L.’s comment about tractor supply parts. You can save a great deal over the Westerbeke prices for the same parts. We also saved a few hundred $$ by buying a new generator at a
Generator supply shop. Same with pumps and other expensive stuff.

Lastly, we had the front valve cover gasket start to leak. Maybe consider switching out that one also. Other members can advise you on how to remove/reinstall the raw water pump on this job.

Good luck and do let the other M-25 owners know how you made out.

Jenn & Terry

Terry,

Do you know the Kubota engine number that corresponds to the M25?

[jen1722terry]

Hey Captain,

Not sure if you got my reply to your earlier pm. Anyhow, our circa 1984 U M25 was a D-850.

Hope this helps

Terry

[Capt Hook]

Hey Captain,

Not sure if you got my reply to your earlier pm. Anyhow, our circa 1984 U M25 was a D-850.

Hope this helps

Terry

Terry,

Hadn’t seen your PM.
Thanks for the info.

[jerzyjoe]

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. As long as no engine parts fall out when I drop the pan, I believe this is doable. If I can get the oil pan out, I will replace it. If no, replacing just the gasket will be fine. And I will definitely contact Kobota for the parts.

I will be sure to update you all with the results of this project. But it stands behind getting my electronics and rpm gauge back on line.

Thanks again to all.
Joe