tillergirl
Well-known member
Shifted the engine back today to knock out the final keel bolt, which was renewed ten years ago when I re-engined. Nut undid quite easily; got it flush with top of stud amd gave the bolts a few clouts with a large club hammer and drift. Less than ten blows and I shifted it; undid the nut and one more blow drove the bolt flush with the top of the (wooden) floor. I was then able with a heavy push (no hammer) to shift it another inch before driving it out with the long drift and about three hammer blows.
Do we think that was too loose?
The bolt was in good condition, no wear over the ten years; the cotton and mastic under the bottom head seemed to have done its job but the the top half of the bolt was damp with that smell of underengine bilges - ie the bilge water is getting into top of the bolt presumably because the joint between the wooden floor and the keelson is not watertight. Made that way, do you think?
As a precautionary note to others, one of the engine mounts (9 yrs and 10 months old) had had a divorce between the top and bottom so I was running on three mounts. Before I said the time at the Volvo dealers, the helpful chap there estimated usual life of the rear mounts as 10 to 15 years! The fronts which are Metalastic have a life expectancy of 20 years.
Do we think that was too loose?
The bolt was in good condition, no wear over the ten years; the cotton and mastic under the bottom head seemed to have done its job but the the top half of the bolt was damp with that smell of underengine bilges - ie the bilge water is getting into top of the bolt presumably because the joint between the wooden floor and the keelson is not watertight. Made that way, do you think?
As a precautionary note to others, one of the engine mounts (9 yrs and 10 months old) had had a divorce between the top and bottom so I was running on three mounts. Before I said the time at the Volvo dealers, the helpful chap there estimated usual life of the rear mounts as 10 to 15 years! The fronts which are Metalastic have a life expectancy of 20 years.
