motion30
Guru
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2010
- Messages
- 1,216
If you are planning a haulout and will do this repair at that time, consider using a forklift or a truck mounted HIAB crane to lift your engine. Trivial lift for either of those options.
Taking an engine out is no big deal and far better than cutting the boat hull.
Simply remove all excess furniture from the saloon and place sheets/tarpaulins to protect the saloon, remove g/box and alternators etc, no need to take off the heads etc, drain all fluids. Make a frame out of scaffolding and lift the engine with a block and tackle to saloon level and chock it with solid planks below. Then use a forklift with and long lifting bar, attach engine and gently ease it out.
Once the tanks are removed clean the bilges and repaint ready for the engine return.
If they engine's too large to remove then lift the engine to saloon floor level and repair it in situ.
It depends on what configuration the boat is whether or not a forklift can even get into the salon to lift the motor. With my sundeck there is absolutely no access for a forklift to get to the engine. To remove the engine there is a soft patch in the flybridge deck on the port side to take the engine out the top. However the lift has to be very tall to get to it and I would have to remove the hardtop which I won’t do. So I used a beam and moved the engine over to the other side. As to replacing the fuel tank, my back went out right after I pulled the engine. I had 9 procedures on it last year and have about given up on getting it fixed so I decided to not try to replace the fuel tank, mine isn’t leaking but I just wanted to replace it proactively. Instead I just cleaned up the engine room, painted, replaced wiring, replaced hoses, redid the bonding system, etc. i could not have done the work with the engine in place so it worked out ok after all. I took out one transducer and one through hull and glassed them closed. Also was able to replace the head in the aft cabin with a new Marine Elegance since I was able to get to the hoses.
As to repairing a fuel tank, why would you consider that. My new tank was going to be 210 gallons and cost about $2500. If I had the tank replaced by a marina it would cost about $10,000. Why would I spend 3/4 of the cost and still have an old tank that will leak somewhere else at some time in the future and then I pay another $7500 to remove and replace again??? That makes no sense at all, if you pull the tank out then put a new one in. Even if you do the work yourself you don’t want to be doing it a second, or third time. It is a lot of work. Besides a new tank will enhance the value of your boat, or at least make it much more attractive to buyers. Telling the buyers that you repaired a leaking tank would subtract value to me because I would be thinking about the next leak.
Not sure who you are asking a question to. But my boat has 3208t cats. I only had to remove the tailpipe to get access behind the engines
As to repairing a fuel tank, why would you consider that. My new tank was going to be 210 gallons and cost about $2500. If I had the tank replaced by a marina it would cost about $10,000. Why would I spend 3/4 of the cost and still have an old tank that will leak somewhere else at some time in the future and then I pay another $7500 to remove and replace again??? That makes no sense at all, if you pull the tank out then put a new one in. Even if you do the work yourself you don’t want to be doing it a second, or third time. It is a lot of work. Besides a new tank will enhance the value of your boat, or at least make it much more attractive to buyers. Telling the buyers that you repaired a leaking tank would subtract value to me because I would be thinking about the next leak.
So here are some shots of stringers and gas tanks. Tanks are sitting right on the outside fiberglass.
Thanks, love the 3208's. Easy to work on and dependable. My question was to MYNantucket as to what gas engines he was running.
With manifolds, risers, heat exchanger, etc I'm pretty sure a marine 454 is just shy of 1000 lbs, assuming iron heads, iron intake manifold and cast iron exhaust bits. Trans is probably another 150-ish.
Yes, you will have to pull it and stack it over the other one to get to the tank, but once you have the crane built it is pretty easy.