Installing a replacement inboard engine Your DIY Experienceds please

[Thistle]

I replaced a BMW D7 with a brand new, third-hand (really!) Beta 10 from eBay in a Jaguar 23. I was able to check out the seller and the story of the engine so was very happy with the purchase. Yard helped by lifting engines to and from the deck (on the hard, using a fork-lift.) Mainsheet and a fence-post across the hatch to move engines between deck and cabin. Fitting was no great problem. Worst bit was persuading myself that the new engine would fit and lowering/extending bearers to make sure that it did. Alignment was a bit awkward but not that difficult, particularly as I added a flexible coupling at the same time.

Now I've got an engine that starts when I turn the key: well worth the work.

 

[pvb]

I totally agree and I have not had a chance to test the MD11 fitted although I know its an MD11 cause the manuals are present and recordings in the logbook.
Owner has not been near it in quite a few years
Factoring in a £5k engine the price im paying still leaves me well under £10k overall.

If the owner hasn't touched it in years, it's possible the engine may not be serviceable now. For £10K you should be able buy a Longbow which has already had the engine replaced, without any of the delay and unexpected costs involved in replacing an engine yourself.

 

[chrishelen]

I replaced a perfectly good petter mini six for a clapped out old volvo 2001 a while back, nightmare job as everything was on the other side, exhaust and things. To cap it all the volvo had a 8deg angled down gearbox which I hadn't noticed when I did the calculation for the new engine beds. I would not hesitate to do a engine change again, I learned a lot.

 

[Arcady]

If it is a boat you really want, is in generally good order, suitably cheap and you intend to keep it a long while, then it is actually ideal to find one with a u/s engine.

That way you get the boat you are looking for with a brand new engine into the bargain. You will also know a lot about the boat when you have finished.

Absolutely agree.

FWIW you can follow the trials and tribulations of a typical engine replacement here: https://fjordms33.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/out-with-the-old/

 

[superheat6k]

I replaced the horrible Albin petrol (AKA fire waiting to light) engine on my 26' Van De Stadt with a Yanmar YSB8.

Whereas I did this myself, I learnt quite a lot and realise the instal is probably about the same cost as the engine itself.

Think about ...

1 Available space - will it fit in all 3 dimensions. Will anything be fouled.
2 Mount positions and strength
3 Alignment and adjustment
4 Electrical connections
5 Coupling up to the shaft - I had to convert imperial to metric
6 Exhaust run - water lock, silencer, etc
7 Cooling Water supply
8 Service access
9 Access to the bolts just to tighten the thing in place.
10 Control linkages - Throttle, gearbox, stop cable, etc

Better to have thought about all of these before you start, rather than being faced with very difficult conundrums once the engine is being lowered into the boat.

 

[LittleSister]

Go for it, but remember that you need a supply of drinks, chocolate and pies in your boat before you start… (and I sold the old one for £850)

That's a lot of money for an old pie!

 

[alahol2]

This was my experience... http://www.troppo.co.uk/engine.htm
I'd never done anything like it before but it all went relatively smoothly with advice from Beta and other club members.
Jeez, it was more than 10 years ago now. Still running as well as when new.

 

[michael_w]

I replaced a knackered Volvo 2003, it had motored to the moon and back, with a 31hp Westerbeke 35 D Three. It's a marinized Mitsubishi.

My choice was dictated by a number of factors.

My boat has slightly offset engine bearers, stern tube and P bracket, this enables the shaft to be drawn past the skeg and when motoring, she tracks with no corrective helm, provided it's a LH prop. A standard mechanical gear box would not do as most of them are RH. So it's a hydraulic box. Unfortunately the only down angle box, a ZF is too wide to fit in the space, a straight PRM 150 would have to do, even though this meant that the engine would be near it's maximum inclination.

A very short engine bay meant that only a 3 cylinder engine will fit. I didn't fancy the Beta/Nanni as they wring 27hp out of 990cc by revving to 3500 RPM. The Mitsubishi is 1300cc and 3,000 RPM. I have pitched the Maxprop so the engine's WOT is 2700 RPM.

Also, as we were planning on an Atlantic Circuit, I wanted good spares availability, what I didn't want was to call up for a thirble-gribly only to be told. 'No, the factory is closed for the next six weeks as it's our annual holiday' . What I got was ' Of course sir, it will be FedExed to you and you will get it tomorrow' when I ordered a replacement heat exchanger. Incidentally, this is the only major repair after 2,000 hours use.

A new shaft was fitted as the old one was badly pitted by crevice corrosion, The exhaust was a different size form the old Volvo and cutting through the near indestructable bulkheads was the hardest task of the whole job!