How Many Hours Labor to Repower ?

[witzgall]

Hi;

Our new to us Wauquiez Pretorien is coming home via truck next week. We hired an engine guy to look at the engine during survey, and he found a defective fuel pump. The engine did not start for survey. The owner replaced the fuel pump and spent some time trying to get it started the next day, but was unable to. This is a Volvo 2003 engine.

I got a quote for a new Beta and Volvo replacements. On both, the yard estimated 40 hours to remove and replace the saildrive and engine. This is without looking at the boat - and he told me it was only a rough estimate.

If we go the repower route, I am leaning towards the Volvo D1-30 replacement for a few reasons. It comes with a 100A alternator standard. The new saildrive can have it's oil changed from within the boat. It is $1800 cheaper, and it has a NMEA2000 interface standard. I looked up some parts costs, and it does not seem to be as steep as the older engines, and it is a Perkins block, so I can go that route for the internals if needed. Finally, there are several Pretorien owners that have repowered with this engine and are happy - they report that it just needs the engine mounts shimmed, otherwise, it is a drop in replacement.

With the discount we go because the engine would not run, it would cost approx an additional $6k to put this in. Seems like smart $$$ to me?

Thoughts?

Chris

[S&S]

The figure given at the yard near us (S. Lake Michigan) is $5k for an "average" install.

Suffice it to say, installing our new Beta 75 has been anything but "average".

[Boracay]

From memory it took me over 300 hours to put my John Deere 4045D in, but that was a complete rebuild of everything.

So if your boatyard is quoting 40 hours, and the rate is OK it might not be too bad.

I'd suggest wearing old clothes, working with the yard as a gopher and general hand and buying a slab of beer for the workers if all goes well.

[Bash]

a big factor to consider is whether you have to change the engine mounts. if you do, will the existing stringers require modification? such work can double the amount of labor involved in a repower.

[b-rad]

I am an auto tech by trade, so I have a little bit of experience with my hands. I took out my engine/trans Cleaned the engine room, did some wiring, replaced some fuel lines reinstalled and alligned the engine and it took me about 8-10 hours. My engine came out with very little disassembly of the cabin (almost none) That was without new mounts, new exhuast setup, new cooling water setup, new engine panel wiring new shaft ect. Id say 40 hrs would be a minimum for a professional job.

[osirissail]

There are several serious considerations in installing a new/different engine in a sailboat. One of the major ones is the "footprint" of the new engine and whether it matches the older removed engine. If the "stringers" upon which the engine mounts sit do not match with the new engine then serious labor is involved in getting everything to accommodate the new engine. Next is the overall size of the new engine and whether it will fit and allow sufficient overhead clearance; fore and aft clearance; and align properly with the propeller shaft system and exhaust system.
- - If the new engine is a sail-drive unit then removing and installing the new sail-drive and sealing and aligning it is also involves some serious work that has to be done correctly.
- - Then there is the check-out and getting everything aligned and operating correctly. I once spent 2 days just trying to find out why a brand new Beta engine would not run more than a few minutes before it quit. Finally found a defective pin inside a brand new connector in the instrument harness.
- - So the 40 hours estimate is in my opinion rather on the low side. Make sure you understand what it will cost you for "un-expected" complications during the whole process.