ROUNDED OFF ENGINE MOUNT NUTS

[STEVEWARD]

I'm taking my sabb 10 gg out to change the block, i don't think the engine has been out for years & have come across three out of the six nuts rounded off. Any good advice, bearing in mind limited work space & boat is in the harbour but aground at low tide.
Cheers

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[boatless]

If you can't get a 'nut splitter' onto them, a good quality set of cold chisels are remarkably effective, once you've found the best angle. (Start at 90 degrees to the flat to get a groove started, then whack at about 30 degrees to get it turning)

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[bobt]

If nuts are Metric (likely on boat of European origin)
try to Knock the corresponding imperial size socket onto the nut
imperial sizes are slightly smaller across flats than the metric sizes and you might get enough grip to start the nuts turning.
Oh I probably dont need to tell you to soak them in WD40 before even attempting to turn them.
Plan B would be to try and Get a small set of stillsons (pipe wrench) on the nuts.
If both fail then you are back to the hammer and chisel

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[30boat]

When I took my old Bukh out probably for the first time in over 20 years one or two of the nuts were welded with rust.I cut them of with an industrial reciprocal saw fitted with a metal cutting blade.It took very little time and effort.I'm sure you can hire one for an afternoon quite cheaply.

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[cameocrew]

I would attack with angle grinder with metal cutting disk going tru nut and stud. Replacement of the mountings on an old installment is a good thing anyhow
and may save hours of hammering and sore knuckles.

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[rich]

Can you undo the mounting bolts that hold the mounting to the engine bed. or undo the mounting braket from the engine, hope this makes sence,just bake from pub. good luck.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Getting rusted nuts off

Use a small sharp cold chisel and small lump hammer

When I was in my prime as E/O at sea I found it took just 3/4 really good blows to cut through 16mm nuts not quite as far as the thread. You then tap the chisel at a suitable angle to turn the nut off and the thread is untouched.
This method was far quicker and easier on big pipe flanges with say 8 nuts and bolts so if the stores had plenty of nuts in stock we never used to bother undoing the nuts but just chiselled them off.

If you file flats on the nuts and really force a ring spanner on it is very easy to shear the bolt (or bust the spanner if it is a China special) if the nut is really rusted on even with 16mm bolts so watch out if you adopt this technique



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[jimbouy]

How rounded off are they?

I always had great success on my old mini by using "Snap On" type sockets which grip on the flats rather than the corners.

I Always kept a 1/2 inch one handy, which seemed to fit anything on that car. Coupled with easing oil and an impact driver.



<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[TonyBrooks]

These are called Flank Drive sockets and are now available from most motor factors. If you look at the "points" they are in fact "waves" and the correct sized ones tend to be a rattling good fit untill you start turning them.

Tony Brooks

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[steve28]

They sometimes used a stud with a coachbolt thread on one end and a normal thread at the other so if you just try and undo them maybe they will just unwind from the beds !



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[gjeffery]

My concern when cutting the nuts with a chisel, and heavy hammer, would be possible damage to the engine bearers. On my boat, these appear to be 6mm mild steel, drilled and tapped for the mounts, and set in resin.

Some years ago, I bought a Sykes Pikavant Hydraulic Nut Splitter, (from a motor factots) and have found this investment well justified by the rare occasions when I have needed it.

Reassembling, we have used Coppaslip industrially, in wet and acidic conditions, amd find during maintenance, that this is effectoive in preventing nuts seizing.

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[northener]

If space too limited for other methods - can you cut the rubbers to get the engine out the work at the nuts.
Probably a silly idea - and expensive!

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[brianhumber]

good point ,depends on the quality of installation.

You were lucky to have a HO so largesse with the Copperslip, mine limited it to a few tins every year and to be fair, Coppersliping pipeline flange joint bolts not really cost effective, quicker as I said to chisel em off.

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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Steve,

I would agree with Jimbouy, I carry a set of 'Metrinch' they fit imperial and metric, also grip the flat not the corners, have got me (and others) out of trouble a few times now.

Avagoodweekend.......



<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.