Engine Bay Makeover - Rewiring - Including Engine Removal!

[blahman]

Hi all,

My father and I started our battle to have a sane electrical system aboard our new W32 yesterday. Before you see the pictures, know that this is how we bought the boat - none of it is my doing!

We're planning to install a new DC panel, all new wiring (everywhere), new T-105 batts, alternator/regulator, high amp battery charger, battery monitor and all of the tid bits that accompany them. Pretty much every wire you see in the pictures is coming out.

Seeing as the engines in W32s make it nearly impossible for normal humans to service the after bulkhead, we opted to pull the engine. It needs sandblasted, painted, and all new sensors anyway (and a new instrument cluster). Those're just excuses though, really I just want it out of the way. While we're in deconstruct mode, we're going to pull our fuel tanks and give them a good cleaning - (and I want to get behind them to mount some cleats...muahahah).

After it's all out, I'm going to spend some time with epoxy filling in random bolt holes and sealing the wood bulkhead (which seems in iffy shape...hope we don't have to pull THAT out!), then repaint the entire engine from top to bottom. Not to mention the electric stuff. Simple...

QUESTION!

Since I have a waterlift muffler, do I have to have the lifting loop? Can't I just drop straight to the waterlift box (with a vented loop, of course), and on up to the exhaust thru-hull? If I have to keep it, that galvanized junk is on the replacement list, too.

The old instrument cluster!


Engine, looking down from deck.


Looking forward from after end of engine bay.


Stbd, looking forward from after end of engine bay. The small red dacron line made off around the motor mount/sea cock is the battery tie down. It was made off through a hole in the main bulkhead, to a wrench acting as a mooring bar. I was too amazed to take a picture of that part...


Back of distribution panel.


Looking forward from after end of engine bay at stbd side of aft bulkhead.


Shows the cluster of insanity we're up against. The previous owner said "it's like a spastic spider got loose in there" - roight, that is.


Engine free! Clean time (actually, I've started weed whacking and done a prelim cleanup of the bay, but forgot to take pictures of that part. Damn Mosquitos.


Me guiding the engine over to the dock. No, that's not my gut. The engine was surprisingly simple to pull - it all came off without a hitch whatsoever.


The boat is a 1976 Westsail 32. This is the second engine - we think it has 1000 hours or thereabouts. It runs splendidly and we do not plan to rebuild at this time, though we're going to replace common seals, the thermostat, a few other things (sensors as mentioned above) and clean it out really well. Plus the painting.

Stay tuned - I'll post more as we progress.

Fair leads,
Aaron N.