Pulling out an inboard engine

[Ribtecer]

Looking for advice please, I'm getting ready to lift out an inboard engine for a little maintenance, water pump, belts, oil filters etc. etc., and a clean up and paint.

Engine is a Cummings 2ltr 150hp QSD with a Mercruiser Alpha One leg,

I have done loads of work on outboards big and small but never an inboard. I have however had Landrover Tdi engines out and back in with no problems but there is a lot going on with this Cummings and space and accessibility is very tight.

I am hoping all the cables that seem to attach low down will lift up with the engine and can be disconnected as it rises and the connectors become visible and workable.

My biggest concern at this point is the hydraulic steering ram/mechanism inside the engine bay which is connected to the leg and piped to a pump on the engine. I'm thinking pull that out as well and keep it all connected, but again space is very tight.

Any advice would be very welcome with regards to what I should do and what I should expect to go wrong.

Many thanks

 

[QBhoy]

Looking for advice please, I'm getting ready to lift out an inboard engine for a little maintenance, water pump, belts, oil filters etc. etc., and a clean up and paint.

Engine is a Cummings 2ltr 150hp QSD with a Mercruiser Alpha One leg,

I have done loads of work on outboards big and small but never an inboard. I have however had Landrover Tdi engines out and back in with no problems but there is a lot going on with this Cummings and space and accessibility is very tight.

I am hoping all the cables that seem to attach low down will lift up with the engine and can be disconnected as it rises and the connectors become visible and workable.

My biggest concern at this point is the hydraulic steering ram/mechanism inside the engine bay which is connected to the leg and piped to a pump on the engine. I'm thinking pull that out as well and keep it all connected, but again space is very tight.

Any advice would be very welcome with regards to what I should do and what I should expect to go wrong.

Many thanks

Hi. Must be really tight for access. There nothing else surrounding that can be removed for access ? Normally an in situ job, for what you want to do.
But if you need to remove it…you can leave the steering ram where it is. Just undo the pipe fittings to it. That would be the norm anyway.

 

[Ribtecer]

Hi. Must be really tight for access. There nothing else surrounding that can be removed for access ? Normally an in situ job, for what you want to do.
But if you need to remove it…you can leave the steering ram where it is. Just undo the pipe fittings to it. That would be the norm anyway.

Thank you, will it self bleed when I turn the steering wheel from side to side?

Again, thanks for your advice.

 

[rbcoomer]

Take phone pictures of the areas you can't see or access easily. They can be really useful to avoid missing anything that might get caught up as you lift out. Phone cameras are usually quite good at close up, wide angle pictures like under & behind engines!

 

[Mr Googler]

unbolt the steering pump from the engine and leave it in the boat. That’s what I did. It’s sitting on the battery box left side of the photo (different engines obviously)

 

[spannerman]

If its a late Mercruiser then the connections on the hydraulic cylinder are quick release. One is male the other female which means you then plug the two hoses together so it doesn’t bleed oil everywhere. It will self bleed when you start the engine abd go lock to lock a couple of times. First thing is to remove the drive and put it in forward gear before you pull it off, two long vertical bolts at the rear of the engine, remember how the spacer and sleeve are fitted, hoses cables, and exhaust, I usually remove the entire gearshift quadrant, just 3 bolts as it gets both the shift cables out of the way.
Check or replace any bilge pumps while the engine is out. Also a good time to do the cam belt and water pump if its done the hours. PM if you need any advice.

 

[Ribtecer]

Thank you so much for the assistance, the bilge pump is one of the main reasons its got to come out.

Cam belt is high on the agenda as well.

It's a 2010 Mercruiser, is that late or early?

Whole boat is 2010, nice boat that deserves some love, once I've got it the way I want it I can keep it that way.

It spends the summer in a stack, winter at home under cover. It's a keeper ???

 

[QBhoy]

unbolt the steering pump from the engine and leave it in the boat. That’s what I did. It’s sitting on the battery box left side of the photo (different engines obviously)
View attachment 144253

Looks like the steering cooler there.

 

[Mr Googler]

Looks like the steering cooler there.

That too

 

[QBhoy]

Thank you, will it self bleed when I turn the steering wheel from side to side?

Again, thanks for your advice.

It will bleed no probs, when back together.

 

[spannerman]

If the hoses attach to the cylinder with unions that have flats for a spanner they are the early style, later style has a round collar that pulls back to release the fitting.

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

I have found a cheapy phone attached endoscope (£20 - £50) on Amazon etc. to be enourmously useful for exploring inaccessible areas of the engine in a confined space. e.g.; https://amzn.eu/d/a9wG6Ew

 

[Ribtecer]

If the hoses attach to the cylinder with unions that have flats for a spanner they are the early style, later style has a round collar that pulls back to release the fitting.

This is why I asked the question, I knew someone here would help.

They are the round collar type, many thanks. I'd have had the whole lot out. I haven't actually disconnected them yet, but are you saying one is male and the other is female and they connect together?

Many thanks again.

 

[spannerman]

Yes, you will see what they look like when you unplug them, the two hoses will then plug to each other instead of to the cylinder. The exhaust is easiest to split where the bend attaches to the turbo, just loosen the clamping ring and wriggle it free.

 

[Ribtecer]

Thanks all, took it out today, whilst it wasn't straightforward, it was doable.

Now for some basic maintenance and back in for 2023, out again in October time for more major works.

Hope it restarts.

 

[Ribtecer]

Hi All

A bit of help/advice please.

So having got the engine out, I had to wait for a few weeks for the parts I needed, giving me plenty of time for a proper clean up and paint job.

Last Friday we got the engine back in and running - fantastic!!!

However, I've now fitted the leg, (Mercruiser - Alpha One) and it won't come out of gear, What have I done?

I am now ready to re-remove the leg and see what I've missed re the lever that come out up from the leg and that receptacle that has the slot to receive the lever. But before I do any thing unnecessary I thought I might ask here 1st in case I'm missing something.

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[spannerman]

Thats where your problem is,its easy for it to twist out of alignment when fitting the drive. I always look with a mirror to make sure before I tighten everything up.

 

[Ribtecer]

Thank you spannerman

I pushed it on quick to stop oil coming out of that ball bearing valve.

I think I'll sacrifice a bit of oil, slow down and make sure it's aligned.

Thanks again.

 

[volvopaul]

unbolt the steering pump from the engine and leave it in the boat. That’s what I did. It’s sitting on the battery box left side of the photo (different engines obviously)
View attachment 144253

Showing off a bit there aren’t we Paul

 

[Mr Googler]

Showing off a bit there aren’t we Paul

do It right or don’t do it at all…..you taught me that