Lifting a Volvo Penta D2-55 just enough...

[MagicalArmchair]

Morning all,

I am replacing the diaphragm of my Volvo Penta Saildrive from my D2-55 and rather than supporting the back of the engine and wiggling it forwards (as it says to do in the guide) , I'd much prefer to lift the engine just enough to take the weight so I can slide it forwards onto a frame I have made to give me enough access to retrieve the saildrive from the stbd side engine access hatch. I'll need to move it forwards far more than the 3cms recommended as access isn't great to the back of the engine (probably a couple of feet I think).

I have dyneema halyards and a manual lever chain hoist. What I want to do is remove the steps, run the halyard from the top of the mast, through a block on the boom to guide it (so it will not be carrying all the weight, just the sideways force on the boom). From there I want to connect the chain hoist from the end of the halyard to the engine to then start cranking. The dry weight of the engine with the gearbox is about 250kg, so quite heavy, but nowhere near the breaking load of even normal braid on braid haylards.

Question: Should I string a chain between these two points to lift the engine or should I just lift on the back lifting point by the exhaust elbow (as that is the part that will be unsupported once the rear mount is undone).

Two lifting points:

Frame ready to slide engine on to:

 

[Martin_J]

Looks like a good plan. I can only add that to reduce friction, I used a double layer of those cheap thin white chopping boards underneath to reduce friction.

Mine was only an MD2040 so a bit lighter, but with some weight taken up with the lifting point, chopping boards (with wedge shaped wooden marina chocks in pairs in between the boards giving an adjustable height) the engine slid easily.

Remember to support the forward (engine facing) end of the saildrive leg as they're separated because the leg is likely only supported at the rear. There is likely to be a hole each side of the front of the leg into which you can insert 10mm dia rods on support blocks.

My lifting was wooden frame, a loop of dyneema and a stick that I inserted into the loop and wound round and round like a tourniquet.

A bit late to suggest now but one thing I had done the year before was to replace all the hoses with ones that were each about 3" longer. This meant I had no hoses to disconnect whilst sliding the engine forward.

Removing the prop (and draining the saildrive oil) will both make it lighter and easier to lift up through the hole.

 

[Martin_J]

Arrowed here are the two threaded rods I used to support the front of the leg as the engine was slid forward.

I seem to think they were 8mm dia with duct tape wrapped around the ends

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Interesting, thank you @MartinJ, why do you need to support the leg once the engine is slid forward? I've been watching (over and over) the below, and he only supports it when refitting.

 

[Dilemma]

This is a job I have to do with my D2-40 in the not too distant future, but my thoughts are to use a couple of inflatable fenders placed between the engine sump and the bottom of the boat.

 

[fisherman]

Looks like a good plan. I can only add that to reduce friction, I used a double layer of those cheap thin white chopping boards underneath to reduce friction.
My lifting was wooden frame, a loop of dyneema and a stick that I inserted into the loop and wound round and round like a tourniquet.

HDPE is used on beach boats here, frictionless keel on shingle.
This engine seems to be 253kg. be careful with the Spanish Windlass above, letting go of the stick can have have multiple consequences, dropped engine and no teeth.
I think if you only use one lifting point it will tip sideways too much, maybe.
We once lifted a six cyl Ford with a strongback, 8x3 or so, across above, with a trolley jack on it and chain over it

 

[Martin_J]

This engine seems to be 253kg. be careful with the Spanish Windlass above, letting go of the stick can have have multiple consequences, dropped engine and no teeth.

Good advice.. tbh I think that was just used to lift an extra millimetre or so, to help with pushing the wedges together under the chopping boards. It was the boards that then took the weight.

I bought some cheap chopping boards last week for another project and they had a dimpled surface - not good for sliding one over the other. Get the smooth surface ones if you want to slide an engine on them.

 

[Martin_J]

Interesting, thank you @MartinJ, why do you need to support the leg once the engine is slid forward? I've been watching (over and over) the below, and he only supports it when refitting.

I think you might have found the answer now.. It supports the forward side of the leg which will keep the splined shaft closer to the angle it is at whilst engaged with the engine.

Without it the leg would drop a bit.

Then using the same height supports when you come to put the engine back, you'll know what leg position is expected for the engine.