I am glad to report that "Puffin" is now at her home slip in Lincoln Harbor, NJ. Everything went well except one very large problem. The yard called me after the launch and told me that one of my engine mounts on my Universal 25 is shot (port side forward mount)and needs immediate replacement - and that all 4 might as well be replaced at the same time. Said that it requires disconnecting the engine from the shaft and lifting it and installing the new mounts. It is 8-9 hours of expensive labpor plus the parts which are not too expensive. I took her home anyway and fortunately we were able to sail virtually all of the way - making 7.7 kts through water at times. Any ideas or help? Is this something that a relative novice could attempot - maybe with some help? or a miracle?
As always - any help and experience would be greatly appreciated.
Michael Soloway
CD31 CD#60 "Puffin"
m@msoloway.com
New Engine Mounts for CD31? Ouch!
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
John R.
Re: New Engine Mounts for CD31? Ouch!
My suggestion to you is if you have no experience in these matters and do not fully understand engine alignment procedures then you would be wise to delegate these matters to a professional. Theoretically you could do it but you have to have all the correct tools, a complete and thorough understanding of engine alignment and proper mount installation.
If you find it too costly to hire someone you might locate someone with experience that can assist you but make very certain they are experienced.
If you find it too costly to hire someone you might locate someone with experience that can assist you but make very certain they are experienced.
Michael Soloway` wrote: I am glad to report that "Puffin" is now at her home slip in Lincoln Harbor, NJ. Everything went well except one very large problem. The yard called me after the launch and told me that one of my engine mounts on my Universal 25 is shot (port side forward mount)and needs immediate replacement - and that all 4 might as well be replaced at the same time. Said that it requires disconnecting the engine from the shaft and lifting it and installing the new mounts. It is 8-9 hours of expensive labpor plus the parts which are not too expensive. I took her home anyway and fortunately we were able to sail virtually all of the way - making 7.7 kts through water at times. Any ideas or help? Is this something that a relative novice could attempot - maybe with some help? or a miracle?
As always - any help and experience would be greatly appreciated.
Michael Soloway
CD31 CD#60 "Puffin"
-
Tom
Re: New Engine Mounts for CD31? Ouch!
Actually bolting in place the new engine mounts is pretty straightforward if you're handy with tools at all. The tricky part, as John noted is aligning the engine after the new mounts are in. This is not a fun job because everything is hard to get to, but it doesn't require any great know how. Getting frozen bolts loose and things like that are what take the fun out of it, but it doesn't take any special know how to wrestle with a big nut in the dark with a board poking you in the ribs. It's just awkward and sweaty work. However once the new mounts are in it does take know how to align the engine. This is not a job for a first time amateur. You want to do this or have this done correctly. If you want to cut costs you might do the grunt work youself and then hire the experts to do the final alignment for you while you observe carefully. There are a few tricks that help in getting the old mounts out and new ones in, so if you decide to do this part of it, write again and we can give you more specific information.
PS. Are you sure it's the port forward one that is bad? Usually it's the starboard forward one that goes bad first because the raw water pump drips on it when it goes bad, but since you have to lift the whole motor to replace one you might as well do all of them while it's up. As you noted the labor is the major cost here not the mounts themselves, so since you've got to do the labor regardless it makes sense to do them all while the engine is up. And while you're at it why not fix the muffler problem that Zeida taked about last week while you're at it. The muffler platform tends to eat the port rear engine mount.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
PS. Are you sure it's the port forward one that is bad? Usually it's the starboard forward one that goes bad first because the raw water pump drips on it when it goes bad, but since you have to lift the whole motor to replace one you might as well do all of them while it's up. As you noted the labor is the major cost here not the mounts themselves, so since you've got to do the labor regardless it makes sense to do them all while the engine is up. And while you're at it why not fix the muffler problem that Zeida taked about last week while you're at it. The muffler platform tends to eat the port rear engine mount.
Michael Soloway` wrote: I am glad to report that "Puffin" is now at her home slip in Lincoln Harbor, NJ. Everything went well except one very large problem. The yard called me after the launch and told me that one of my engine mounts on my Universal 25 is shot (port side forward mount)and needs immediate replacement - and that all 4 might as well be replaced at the same time. Said that it requires disconnecting the engine from the shaft and lifting it and installing the new mounts. It is 8-9 hours of expensive labpor plus the parts which are not too expensive. I took her home anyway and fortunately we were able to sail virtually all of the way - making 7.7 kts through water at times. Any ideas or help? Is this something that a relative novice could attempot - maybe with some help? or a miracle?
As always - any help and experience would be greatly appreciated.
Michael Soloway
CD31 CD#60 "Puffin"
TomCambria@mindspring.com
-
Michael Soloway
Re: New Engine Mounts for CD31? Ouch!
It really is the starboard mount. You are absolutely correct and I had thought that it would be the port forward and my old leaking raw water pump has taken it's toll on it, but you can see the rubber is completely gone on the starboard mount. I replaced the raw water pump this year with a 4 hole Oberdorfer and it is dry and seems to be working beautifully. I will ponder how much labor I can do this week because I have spent all of my labor time for this season preparing the boat. How critical is this problem? Can I sail for a while with it or should I panic and have it resolved immediately. The yard said that I am risking breaking another one loose and that then some serious damage can occur. If I had time to take care of this over the next month or so and still able to sail locally - that would be helpful but I do not want to end up in trouble. Comments??
m@msoloway.com
m@msoloway.com
-
Brian W.
Re: New Engine Mounts for CD31? Ouch!
Michael,
The yard is correct in that you could do damage by not replacing it. the remaining mounts are now carying additional load. any additional shake then puts stress on the shaft (and should the other mounts wear the shaft becomes the only real "mount"). load on the shaft can wear the cutless bearing and break the transmission. ask me how I know. two broken transmissions in a row were finally diagnosed to a bad motor mount (the rubber in the mount looked fine - it was the thread in the bed that was stripped - with the weight of the engine on it, this wasn't discovered until the engine was hauled).
since you'll need to replace them eventually, you might was well do it now, to prevent the chance it leads to anymore damage. then the bills could really start adding up.
Brian W.
Can I sail for a while with it or should I panic and have it resolved immediately. The yard said that I am risking breaking another one loose and that then some serious damage can occur. If I had time to take care of this over the next month or so and still able to sail locally - that would be helpful but I do not want to end up in trouble. Comments??
The yard is correct in that you could do damage by not replacing it. the remaining mounts are now carying additional load. any additional shake then puts stress on the shaft (and should the other mounts wear the shaft becomes the only real "mount"). load on the shaft can wear the cutless bearing and break the transmission. ask me how I know. two broken transmissions in a row were finally diagnosed to a bad motor mount (the rubber in the mount looked fine - it was the thread in the bed that was stripped - with the weight of the engine on it, this wasn't discovered until the engine was hauled).
since you'll need to replace them eventually, you might was well do it now, to prevent the chance it leads to anymore damage. then the bills could really start adding up.
Brian W.
Can I sail for a while with it or should I panic and have it resolved immediately. The yard said that I am risking breaking another one loose and that then some serious damage can occur. If I had time to take care of this over the next month or so and still able to sail locally - that would be helpful but I do not want to end up in trouble. Comments??