Tropic Cat
26th May 2010, 02:45 PM
Engine Removal and installation
Yanmar Marine Engine Manuals (http://www.cascadeengine.com/cec2/content2/build.asp?url=YPManuals&fldr1=Manuals&fldr2=Yanmar&fldr3=Marine)
One of my very few peeves about the Catalac 8M has to do with the inboard diesel engine placement. On my boat the Yanmar 1GM10 was placed so far forward in the engine compartment that the front of the engine is just 3 inches (75cm) from the rear bulkhead. Unfortunately, the Yanmar water pump, external oil lines, oil filter, thermostat.. etc..are all located on the front of the engine and are not easily accessible for maintenance.
For years, I've figured out long, time consuming ways to perform normal maintenance on my diesels. It's been frustrating to say the least. Finally, an overly warm engine and leaking oil lines in my starboard engine, were the catalyst for me to pull the engine and fix things properly, besides, I had never removed a boat diesel engine before and I always enjoy learning new things.
I did not make this decision lightly as the operation of removing an engine from a sailboat is serious enough to send shudders down the spine of any prudent Captain. Furthermore, I hadn't even worked on an engine since college days (many decades ago) until I bought Catalpa. However, the Yanmar website said my engine and transmission only weigh 97 kilos (about 200 lbs). I figured I could handle that.
Figuring how to lift it out
My Yanmar diesels are accessed from my forward cockpit lockers. Considering the engine removal, it appeared I needed a hoist of some kind, attached to a cross beam. The lift out appeared to be straight up. An inexpensive hoist was purchased at a local hardware store for $14.00 (10 euros). After considering all options for a lifting point, I couldn't figure any reason why my boom wouldn't do. I dropped the boom into the cockpit and moved the reefing tie points to a point on the boom directly above where I'd have to attach the hoist. Using it as an attachment point, I then moved my topping lift to this point on the boom, leaving the boom end completely free of any supporting lines, and attached the hoist to this point. I then used the topping lift to raise the boom into position and two dock lines were attached at the boom end, which were tied off to rear cleats, in order to position the lifting point directly over the engine. This made the boom rigid, (as in unmoving) with the hoist positioned right where I wanted it.
With a lot of help from the Cape Dory posse in our marina, I managed to loosen the Yanmar's engine mounts. close the cooling water seacock, shut off the fuel and removed all fuel lines, water lines and engine control cables from the 1GM10. As we began to lift the engine, there was an unanticipated surprise. Each of the 4 engine mounts literally came apart during the hoisting of the engine off the engine bed. Fortunately, that was the one and only 'lifting out' issue as that inexpensive little hoist easily lifted the engine completely out of the engine space through the cockpit locker. I then loosened those docklines at the boom end, and swung the boom over my cockpit floor and gently lowered the engine onto a piece of plywood I placed there to protect the fiberglass. The operation was completed in less than 2 hours. So much for the horror stories of engine removal. On Catalac 8M's this is as easy as rolling out of bed in the morning.
Maintenance
I replaced the water pump, as well as 2 external oil lines. A note of caution. These oil lines are attached with banjo connections and hollow bolts, using copper washers to seal them. I discovered two critical points (the hard way) that people must be aware. First, these hollow bolts do stretch over time and have to be replaced. And second, those copper seal washers can not be reused. If someday you find yourself in my position, use new washers! I also replaced the oil filter bracket, oil filter, the high pressure injector fuel line. Cleaned the injector housing of carbon.
Lastly, I cleaned the water cooling system using a household drain cleaner called 'Snow-Bol'. I put an entire liter of this in the engine and watched as over a 20 minute period, it bubbled out. I used a garden hose to wash away the chemical and debris that dribbled out of the engine and hit the cockpit floor. It was simply amazing how much black gunk came out of the engine water jacket. At the end of this operation I used the hose to flush the chemical out of the engine and was gratified to see amazing water flow through the engine.
Putting it back where I found it
I bought 4 very expensive Yanmar replacement engine mounts and reversed the operation. The engine went back into the boat as easy as anyone could hope, leaving me with the task of alignment to the propeller shaft. This is probably the easiest engine alignment I've ever heard of. All 4 mounts were at their lowest adjustment setting and I discovered that the engine bed had been perfectly installed in the boat. There was perfect alignment vertically and just some minor lateral movement of the engine completed the prop shaft alignment. The entire alignment procedure took less than 15 minutes.
Now, for those of you who think this was error free, I feel it's only fair to mention that those Yanmar engine mounts have different rubber hardness for front mounts than rear mounts. When I installed the engine, I put the stiffer mounts in the rear. I discovered 3 days later, that was wrong. I had put them in backward. Not only that, but the oil leak I repaired.... turned out not to be repaired after all. I had reused the sealing washers and bolts, which was also a mistake. The following weekend I got to pull the engine out of the boat again. Used the new parts for the oil lines and reversed the engine mounts. This time around the engine was on my cockpit floor in just 1 hour. I think if I have to do it again I can shave 15 minutes off my best time.
I challenge any monohull guy with an inboard to beat my engine removal time!!
Rick in Florida
Yanmar Marine Engine Manuals (http://www.cascadeengine.com/cec2/content2/build.asp?url=YPManuals&fldr1=Manuals&fldr2=Yanmar&fldr3=Marine)
One of my very few peeves about the Catalac 8M has to do with the inboard diesel engine placement. On my boat the Yanmar 1GM10 was placed so far forward in the engine compartment that the front of the engine is just 3 inches (75cm) from the rear bulkhead. Unfortunately, the Yanmar water pump, external oil lines, oil filter, thermostat.. etc..are all located on the front of the engine and are not easily accessible for maintenance.
For years, I've figured out long, time consuming ways to perform normal maintenance on my diesels. It's been frustrating to say the least. Finally, an overly warm engine and leaking oil lines in my starboard engine, were the catalyst for me to pull the engine and fix things properly, besides, I had never removed a boat diesel engine before and I always enjoy learning new things.
I did not make this decision lightly as the operation of removing an engine from a sailboat is serious enough to send shudders down the spine of any prudent Captain. Furthermore, I hadn't even worked on an engine since college days (many decades ago) until I bought Catalpa. However, the Yanmar website said my engine and transmission only weigh 97 kilos (about 200 lbs). I figured I could handle that.
Figuring how to lift it out
My Yanmar diesels are accessed from my forward cockpit lockers. Considering the engine removal, it appeared I needed a hoist of some kind, attached to a cross beam. The lift out appeared to be straight up. An inexpensive hoist was purchased at a local hardware store for $14.00 (10 euros). After considering all options for a lifting point, I couldn't figure any reason why my boom wouldn't do. I dropped the boom into the cockpit and moved the reefing tie points to a point on the boom directly above where I'd have to attach the hoist. Using it as an attachment point, I then moved my topping lift to this point on the boom, leaving the boom end completely free of any supporting lines, and attached the hoist to this point. I then used the topping lift to raise the boom into position and two dock lines were attached at the boom end, which were tied off to rear cleats, in order to position the lifting point directly over the engine. This made the boom rigid, (as in unmoving) with the hoist positioned right where I wanted it.
With a lot of help from the Cape Dory posse in our marina, I managed to loosen the Yanmar's engine mounts. close the cooling water seacock, shut off the fuel and removed all fuel lines, water lines and engine control cables from the 1GM10. As we began to lift the engine, there was an unanticipated surprise. Each of the 4 engine mounts literally came apart during the hoisting of the engine off the engine bed. Fortunately, that was the one and only 'lifting out' issue as that inexpensive little hoist easily lifted the engine completely out of the engine space through the cockpit locker. I then loosened those docklines at the boom end, and swung the boom over my cockpit floor and gently lowered the engine onto a piece of plywood I placed there to protect the fiberglass. The operation was completed in less than 2 hours. So much for the horror stories of engine removal. On Catalac 8M's this is as easy as rolling out of bed in the morning.
Maintenance
I replaced the water pump, as well as 2 external oil lines. A note of caution. These oil lines are attached with banjo connections and hollow bolts, using copper washers to seal them. I discovered two critical points (the hard way) that people must be aware. First, these hollow bolts do stretch over time and have to be replaced. And second, those copper seal washers can not be reused. If someday you find yourself in my position, use new washers! I also replaced the oil filter bracket, oil filter, the high pressure injector fuel line. Cleaned the injector housing of carbon.
Lastly, I cleaned the water cooling system using a household drain cleaner called 'Snow-Bol'. I put an entire liter of this in the engine and watched as over a 20 minute period, it bubbled out. I used a garden hose to wash away the chemical and debris that dribbled out of the engine and hit the cockpit floor. It was simply amazing how much black gunk came out of the engine water jacket. At the end of this operation I used the hose to flush the chemical out of the engine and was gratified to see amazing water flow through the engine.
Putting it back where I found it
I bought 4 very expensive Yanmar replacement engine mounts and reversed the operation. The engine went back into the boat as easy as anyone could hope, leaving me with the task of alignment to the propeller shaft. This is probably the easiest engine alignment I've ever heard of. All 4 mounts were at their lowest adjustment setting and I discovered that the engine bed had been perfectly installed in the boat. There was perfect alignment vertically and just some minor lateral movement of the engine completed the prop shaft alignment. The entire alignment procedure took less than 15 minutes.
Now, for those of you who think this was error free, I feel it's only fair to mention that those Yanmar engine mounts have different rubber hardness for front mounts than rear mounts. When I installed the engine, I put the stiffer mounts in the rear. I discovered 3 days later, that was wrong. I had put them in backward. Not only that, but the oil leak I repaired.... turned out not to be repaired after all. I had reused the sealing washers and bolts, which was also a mistake. The following weekend I got to pull the engine out of the boat again. Used the new parts for the oil lines and reversed the engine mounts. This time around the engine was on my cockpit floor in just 1 hour. I think if I have to do it again I can shave 15 minutes off my best time.
I challenge any monohull guy with an inboard to beat my engine removal time!!
Rick in Florida