Engine Moved What Next?

[Sandero]

I was out for a first shakedown sail and saw the sky go real gray and so I turned around and head back to the morning hoping to beat the down pour. I didn't I got pelted with torrential rail and very high winds. The AP was acting up.. must be something with the compass so I had to take over the helm at time since I was trying to stay in the channel. YIKES When it rains it pours. I going downwind and that was better for the high winds but there was an accidental gybe and one of the full batten came out and I was concerned it might come all the way out from the sailing flogging when I took it down. Roller furling worked fine.

When I did being to take the sail down the sky opened up and one of the screws on the sailtrack gate was missing so the slugs were coming out and I had the pull the sail forward to stop that.. The batten was working its way out and I managed to grab it before Davy Jones.

I made it to the morning but when I went forward to grab it.. in the high winds, completely drenched.. the bow blew off and turned between the mooring lines and the dinghy. YIKES Your guess it... painter wrapped around the prop. Not how I expected to be moored. When the winds let up a bit I was able to get the mooring lines .. I had to cut the dinghy painter... and do an another one ... So the boat finally was on the mooring properly and I went below to wait for the rain to stop. It did. I thought the engine was sound weird. I was right. I look at it and it has move after about 1/2" I assume the prop was spinning and did a big wrap which forced the entire prop, shaft and engine aft. There were no leaks.

I have no idea how to get the engine back where it belongs. I have a call into a diver to remove the dinghy painter wraps on the shaft. I suspect that will be done on Monday.

Questions:

Once removed it I run the engine in forward will the prop push it forward back where it was?

How do I get the engine where it was before?

Will the engine need to be realigned?

I think the engine mounts need to be replaced and was intending to do this this Spring. Must I do it now? (seems like a good idea)

Can this "project" be done on the morning?

If not, should I motor to the yard or have the boat towed? (1.5 miles)

Could this work possibly be covered by insurance?

Thanks for your help!

[Tia Bu]

The engine needs to be realigned, I suspect. You may need some motor mounts replaced. I nearly always do all my own mechanical work, but I recently paid a mechanic to do that job, on the advice of several people.

His diagnosis- the previous owner or the delivery captain had perhaps had an experience similar to yours and didn't recognize that the engine had been pulled out of alignment. After I ran it a hundred more hours, it broke an engine bracket.

It cost several hundred dollars to have the mechanic do it. I suspect it would cost only the price of any broken motor mounts to do it yourself. I don't see why it couldn't be done on the mooring.

Interesting how common that story is for people picking up or leaving a mooring.

[Stu Jackson]

May be you may have learned that going downwind with a main up is maybe to the best sail plan?

Anyway, check it out at the mooring first. Does it run? Vibrations? Visuals? Hard to tell from here.

Good luck, nice story except for the hiccup.

[donradcliffe]

Sounds like a mighty fine shakedown sail. It would probably have turned out better if you had a crew.

The damage from wrapping a line around the prop can range from none to signficant. When the diver has removed the line, check for obvious damage to the motor mounts, coupling, etc. If you don't see anything obvious, then start the engine and put it in reverse gear. Listen for bad sounds, and look to see if there is a wobble in the shaft. Shift briefly into forward (remember you are on a mooring) and see how far the engine moves. If all looks OK, then motor around for a bit.

Replacing motor mounts involves uncoupling the shaft and lifting the engine. Depending on access, that can be done with halyards, jacks, and/or levers. Replacing all of them will take several hours, and it can be done in the water.

Once you have replaced the mounts, the engine needs to be realigned. That MUST be done in the water, and you use feeler guages on the coupling. You can also do it before replacing the mounts to see if the shaft is bent--just move the coupling a part a little bit and guage the gap every 90 degrees, then rotate the shaft 180 degrees in relation to the engine and guage again. You want the differences to be less than 0.005 inches for a typical 4" coupling.

Insurance would probably cover it, but the cost might be close to or less than your deductible unless the shaft is bent.

[Sandero]

Thanks for the bad news ;-).

I'll report back when I the diver has removed the wrap and yes a crew would have made a world of difference or light winds and no rain. I probably should have anchored or pick up a free mooring without a dink... and moved when things quieted down. Stupid behavior... bad seamanship.

I'll have yard do it the work. They can tow it in, But I'd like to save the expense.

Nothing look noticeably wrong after the the engine... But the belts to the compressor were whacked and I see that it had moved aft.

[Custom30]

Did this job on the hook in the Keys this winter.

If the engine has moved, don't start it until you check:

The exhaust hose----is it crimped from being compressed.

Linkage

Fuel and oil lines

Coolant lines

If it has moved even the slightest bit, the shaft angle has changed. Running it may cause the hose part to wear quickly, and you don't want that kind of water in the boat if it wears through..

Disconnect the coupler, use come-along and bottle jack(s) to slowly and carefully get it on the new mounts, checking the above things along the way. If the mounts you buy are identical, it should be easy to re-align.

'

[transmitterdan]

You need to look carefully at the engine mounts. Did a mount break or did the mounts pull out of the stringers or did a stringer break. I have seen engine mounts that were not through bolted but just screwed to the stringers with lag bolts. These can pull out and require a new way to fasten the motor mount.

[Sandero]

Wrap cleared... no apparent damage below the water line... no leaking from the dripless shaft seal.

Removed port forward mount. Bolt has sheared. I suspect the others did as well. New mounts ordered.

Plan:

disconnect shaft at transmission at coupling
support engine block on wedges
set up brace to support block and tackle to suspend/ lift engine. It has only 2" vertical clearance... more than enough to slide in and bolt down mounts
replace port forward mount
remove port aft mount
replace port aft mount
remove stbd aft mount
replace stbd aft mount
remove stbd forward mount
replace stbd forward mount
position motor to over bolt holes and insert mount bolts
tow boat to boat yard to have shaft connected and aligned
attach alternator and belts
attach compressor and belts
test run, check for vibrationss

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Wrap cleared... no apparent damage below the water line... no leaking from the dripless shaft seal.

Removed port forward mount. Bolt has sheared. I suspect the others did as well. New mounts ordered.

Plan:

disconnect shaft at transmission at coupling
support engine block on wedges
set up brace to support block and tackle to suspend/ lift engine. It has only 2" vertical clearance... more than enough to slide in and bolt down mounts
replace port forward mount
remove port aft mount
replace port aft mount
remove stbd aft mount
replace stbd aft mount
remove stbd forward mount
replace stbd forward mount
position motor to over bolt holes and insert mount bolts
tow boat to boat yard to have shaft connected and aligned
attach alternator and belts
attach compressor and belts
test run, check for vibrationss

Good luck with it guy.

[Custom30]

Remember to disconnect all linkageand exhaust before raising and moving the engine.

If they weren't kinked or damaged in the original move it would be a shame to hurt them when you jack the motor around.

'

[Cheechako]

align the shaft/engine coupling in the water.

[donradcliffe]

As mentioned, make sure you disconnect anything like the exhaust which is too rigid to flex when you lift the motor.

Avoid supporting the motor on the oil pan if you can--it can compress the gasket and cause leaks.

I'd think about lifting one end of the engine at a time and replacing the two mounts on that end--loosen the other end mounts so that the motor will pivot, but not sway around.

Take a bit of time and read up on aligning the engine yourself--its less difficult than the other stuff you are contemplating. Good luck!

[DeepFrz]

I wish you the best of luck Sandero.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

...
I'd think about lifting one end of the engine at a time and replacing the two mounts on that end--loosen the other end mounts so that the motor will pivot, but not sway around.

Take a bit of time and read up on aligning the engine yourself--its less difficult than the other stuff you are contemplating. Good luck!

I did that when I replaced my rear engine mounts. took the nuts of the studs on the front and tilted the engine up. IMO only way to do it if you cant pull directly upwards on the engine and especially if on a mooring where the boat may be subject to rocking.

Mount replacement was easy, realignment was a PITA, but not impossible - especially when having to do it in a position a contortionist would be proud of!

[Sandero]

Update:
Removed all the mounts... had to of course removed the brackets from the engine. Access was very difficult.. 4 mounts took 8 hrs or more including installing the ones. Did not hoist the engine but use a crow bar to lever it up and so forth. Actually not very difficult

All the old mounts were broken.. 2 had sheared bolts!

Next up alignment. Eyeballed the engine position lifted with the crow bar raised or lowered the nuts... shaft coupling is reasonably aligned enough for the 4 bolts to attach. Stopped work and did not attempt the alignment.

I'll clean an paint the engine and then give it a go or have the mechanic finish.... and dog the bolts down on all the mounts.

Should be good to go in a week...