Wansworth
Well-known member
She says I am not fit to captain a yacht ,I will have to start jogging,how awfully middle class
Engine installation
- Thread starter Wansworth
- Start date
Wansworth
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Don’t think that will cut much ice
Wansworth
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Blueboatman
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DownWest
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I must have missed something in this saga... You mean you don't have a paid crew?? That really is middle classShe says I am not fit to captain a yacht ,I will have to start jogging,how awfully middle class
As for the sympathy card, prob used that up, plus a bit, with your recent enforced sofa time.
Wansworth
Well-known member
She still loves meI must have missed something in this saga... You mean you don't have a paid crew?? That really is middle class
As for the sympathy card, prob used that up, plus a bit, with your recent enforced sofa time.
greeny
Well-known member
Just tell her, "love me, love my boat"She still loves me
DownWest
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That might just test the relationship and definition of love...
LittleSister
Well-known member
Yes this installation had side panels even so the owner took five minutes putting back the dipstick
That means nothing, It's a new engine and he's not used to it. These things tend to have a bit of a 'knack' to them.
My own dipstick usually takes me a couple of tries at least. The dipstick is actually very accessible (on side of engine, which is accessed from above by a lifting large panel in cockpit sole), but the dipstick is rather long and unwieldy, and the hole in the tube small and somewhat obscured by a bit of engine protruding above it. It takes a couple of goes because it seems so easy, but every time I have to reposition myself to see properly and hold the dipstick steadier. I've pondered cutting a bit of plastic pipe in half lengthways, and attaching one end of it to the top of the dipstick, so that it guides the end of the dipstick into its, er, destination.
You might also benefit from a light in the engine bay - easily organised - to be able to see what you're doing without having to faff bout with torches.
LittleSister
Well-known member
Having looked again at the broker's photo of the engine in this boat it looks like there's relatively generous space (as these things go in small boats) to either side of the engine. I can't see from the photo how much space you have above it (Limited height above might, among other things, have made it more challenging for the owner to get the dipstick into its tube.)
Having reviewed that photo and the Vetus engine manual, the only thing that looks meaningfully problematic is the fuel filter on the back of the engine, and that can relatively easily be moved somewhere better. (A few plumbing fittings, flexible pipework, and a bracket to hang it from.) Even without moving it, it doesn't seem to me to be a reason to dismiss this boat. An irritation/inconvenience, to my mind, rather than a deal-breaker.
Oil and coolant filler openings are at the top, front of the engine.
Oil filter is on the stbd. side, c2/3 of the way back, which should be reasonably accessible (as these things go) from the front of the engine, and presumably also via the opening side panels you mention.
Oil dipstick is on the stbd, side of the engine, c1/3 of way back, and presumably reachable from the front, and not need to access via side panels.
Fuel filter on the back of the engine is a nuisance, but it should be easily movable to somewhere more accessible. (Vetus sell an optional extra to reposition both oil and fuel filters on front of engine, but you could probably do the same for less money.)
Raw water pump is at front stbd. of engine, albeit facing backwards. It looks to be easily reachable from front of engine (but would help to have a mirror to see what you're doing), and/or via side panels.
Having reviewed that photo and the Vetus engine manual, the only thing that looks meaningfully problematic is the fuel filter on the back of the engine, and that can relatively easily be moved somewhere better. (A few plumbing fittings, flexible pipework, and a bracket to hang it from.) Even without moving it, it doesn't seem to me to be a reason to dismiss this boat. An irritation/inconvenience, to my mind, rather than a deal-breaker.
Oil and coolant filler openings are at the top, front of the engine.
Oil filter is on the stbd. side, c2/3 of the way back, which should be reasonably accessible (as these things go) from the front of the engine, and presumably also via the opening side panels you mention.
Oil dipstick is on the stbd, side of the engine, c1/3 of way back, and presumably reachable from the front, and not need to access via side panels.
Fuel filter on the back of the engine is a nuisance, but it should be easily movable to somewhere more accessible. (Vetus sell an optional extra to reposition both oil and fuel filters on front of engine, but you could probably do the same for less money.)
Raw water pump is at front stbd. of engine, albeit facing backwards. It looks to be easily reachable from front of engine (but would help to have a mirror to see what you're doing), and/or via side panels.
Wansworth
Well-known member
From on site inspection I managed to lay down on stub bunk alongside engine with visual of oil filter,secondary fuel filter,the first is mounted on port side independent ofthe engine the water pump as you say faces aft,personally I found it possibly impossible to change the filters and impeller fro my position ,but I think by dismantling the surrounding panelling and the bunk structure I should be able to face the side of the engine to effect changes.Interestingly the owner intimated in fact he employed a mechanic to do the engine maintenance that’s why he had trouble with dip stick
Blueboatman
Well-known member
Just use a light and a mirror glued to the overhead , it’s-not-an-issue
LittleSister
Well-known member
I think the oil filter and the raw water pump (impeller) and dipstick will be easier to access from the front of the engine than from the side. Bear in mind that when you change a filter you want to have some leverage on it - i.e. you access it from its side. Being face on to the filter it is not an advantage (indeed, is a disadvantage) unless you have a lot of elbow room. You should just be able to reach down the side of the engine to the filter.
I think that the engine mounted (secondary) fuel filter at the rear is the only thing you would routinely need to access via the side panels, and, as I said, that can fairly easily be moved elsewhere.
laika
Well-known member
I'm sure a "good" engineer will advise you when you're overlooking key factors in your choice of new engine. Unfortunately I suspect there's more than a few not-so-good ones which will say "yeah we can do that" take your money and shove it in in the way that's easiest for them without worry about how it's going to be maintained. I bought my boat with a busted engine. It was my first boat, and I was naive. I did a whole bunch of research and decided to replace the old Volvo with a Yanmar. The local engineers said "yeah that'll fit just fine, we can do that". It wasn't a bad choice from many points of view: I'm glad I didn't oversize the engine (I've never needed more power where the problem wasn't really a fouled bottom and prop) , it's been faultlessly reliable....but they didn't say "Don't you think you should consider which is the service side sir?". They also installed it such that I can hardly swing the alternator to adjust the belt. On the upside the Yanmar has two oil filling points so at least I can deal with the oil from the top but the oil filter is a bit fiddly, the priming pump requires me knowing where to grope but the throttle, emergency stop and coolant drain involve a trip through the cockpit locker.
Next time I'll know what I'm doing...
Next time I'll know what I'm doing...
LittleSister
Well-known member
Anyway, never mind fripperies like engines, what was the rest of the boat like?
Wansworth
Well-known member
Apart from the engine,as you ask,I t was in excellent shape and everything welllooked after.The owner is a yacht master and anal about paperwork and engine manuals but the boat was not over complicated with gizmos thank god as Iusually have brain cut off looking at dials and switches.If wedid buy it I would seriously consider rails from the cockpit to the shrouds asthe handrails are on the deck and ok if your crawling
Wansworth
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My last boat presented a challenge impeller wise and that was looking at it front on
LittleSister
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My last boat presented a challenge impeller wise and that was looking at it front on
Blueboatman
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On the old gm yanmars you quickly learn the water pump work around -which is to kinda rotate the whole pump mounting 180 degrees and then work on it.My last boat presented a challenge impeller wise and that was looking at it front on
You might need to work on accessing the Mrs’ seat of approval and fiscal forbearance before wondering about motors and impellers though by the sound of things
jwfrary
Well-known member
In my experiance it doesn't matter how big the engineroom is, there's will still be a component that needs changing that's an absolute flipping b*r****d to get to! I can remember being suspended upside down down the edge of a crankcase to get a leaky hose tightened up, and the worst one was dealing with a leaky sump gasket on a big v16 which involved unbolting the carden shaft and jacking the engine up on its mounts so I could squeeze under the frame and then get the thing unbolted cleaned up and resealed. So it doesn't get better with size all the time!
Theres various ways you can improve things with remote oil filter mounts which are pretty ubiquitous. etc.
Replace the water pump nuts with thumbscrews then it's fairly easy to get them out even backwards on this size of engine with some practice.
The bigger engines it's way easier to take the pump off and get the thing in the vice where you can get to it!
Theres various ways you can improve things with remote oil filter mounts which are pretty ubiquitous. etc.
Replace the water pump nuts with thumbscrews then it's fairly easy to get them out even backwards on this size of engine with some practice.
The bigger engines it's way easier to take the pump off and get the thing in the vice where you can get to it!
