Engine mounts

[Bill Wyatt]

I would like suggestions on reaching and adjusting the starboard engine mount on a CD33.



wwyatt1001@aol.com

[Al Levesque]

I would like suggestions on reaching and adjusting the starboard engine mount on a CD33.

Grow long skinny and super strong double-jointed arms, and have a short wrench

Interestingly enough, we had some work done by a reputable yard and they missed securing that mount.

Someone earlier mentioned opening the side of the wet locker to widen the engine compartment.

I hope you get other suggestions.

Al



albert.levesque@cwixmail.com

[Ryan Turner]

I recently messed around with my engine mounts on Zenobia (CD33 hull no. 100). From what I could tell there wasn't much adjusting that could be done on the aft mounts other than up and down. When I investigated my mounts I found that the forward mount was broken. Of course I had to replace it. When I did I found that the forward mount can be adjusted side-to-side AND up-and-down. It looked to me that most of the engine alignment was done using the forward mount and not the aft mounts. For what it's worth.

Ryan Turner



rdtec@aol.com

[Chris Reinke]

Bill - I recently sheered my shaft coupling plate and had to replace the transmission on my Universal M-30. The repair required me to remove the top engine mount nuts and raise the engine. I raised the motor by placing a 4x4 across the companionway opening and using various blocks and winches. If your problem is in reaching the top engine mount nuts then I would recommend the use of a deep socket driver, long extension and either a wobble extension (it is an extension bar where the square driver tip is slightly rounded to allow the socket to shift from side to side) or universal joint drive. Either of these two tools will allow you to get the socket driver square on the nut. Trying to get a good bite on the nut with a straight extension is almost impossible, and you will never be able to get it tightened sufficiently down without it.

If your problem is accessing either of the two bolts which hold the mount to the hull stringer then you may need an additional tool. I had a hard time getting an open end or box wrench around the rear nut below the stringer. I used a plumbers wrench which has a spring guided cam mechanism for grasping pipe nuts. The head of the wrench has a thin profile and could get below the stringer where the box wrench was to fat. The rear engine nuts (on my M-30 CD330) are all tightened down on the mount bolts and the bolts for the mount plate to the stringer are also tightened as much as possible. The rear mount can be shifted slightly from side to side prior to tightening if needed for alignment. In my case I did not move the mounts to avoid having to realign the motor/shaft. The front mount has a height adjustment by raising or lowering the lower nut (easily accessible with an open end wrench). The top nut is then secured tightly down against the mounting bracket to hold the height level. The front mount can also be shifted from side to side to facilitate engine alignment if needed.

Hope this helps. I was able to raise my motor, install a new transmission and secure the motor back in about 5 hours. The greatest amount of time was spent trying to get my body into the space behind the motor to gain access to the transmission and bell housing bolts. If you are just tightening your engine mounts then you should be able to get the job done in about 10 minutes.

One word of caution - your shaft alignment is critical. If you are unsure of how to check your alignment you may wish to get a professional to give it a quick look.

I would like suggestions on reaching and adjusting the starboard engine mount on a CD33.

[M. R. Bober]

Our CD330 has a Universal M-30 with a port mount nut with is occluded from above and blocked horizontally. I found a solution less drastic than the sawzall. If memory serves me correctly the nut is a 15/16". I was going to buy a box end rachet wrench, but for some reason that size is skipped in most hardware catalogs (???). I found a professional tool supply which had that size at ~$35.
A less expensive option proved to be a 15/16" crowsfoot. If you don't know this tool, it looks like the end of a crescent wrench (no handle) and is machined to fit a rachet handle or extension. I found that I could gain good purchase and swing about 20 degrees. You will need to reset the crowsfoot on the nut after each swing, but it works!! This is the only crowsfoot that I own, and it is kept on board.
Hope this helps.
"Shaft"



thebobers@erols.com