What do you do if you throw a rod?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

How handy are you? Consider a jetski motor. For a diesel, here is a new 26hp perkins for $2200. also 300lbs..
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.a...atname=engines

Initially this looks like a great deal until you start adding the costs to marinize the engine, then maybe not as good. Figure heat exchangers, water pump">raw water pump, manifolds, exhaust elbow and more; plus mounts, brackets and adapters to attach it all. Could easily double the price plus the hours of time and at the end of the day you end up with a jury rigged boat engine that took a lot of work and maybe saved a grand over buying an engine all ready to go.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

so you picked up 300lbs from the dinghy yourself and lifted onto your boat.
a video or it didn't happen.

What part of using a halyard don't you understand?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

What part of using a halyard don't you understand?

Couple of years ago, a 70 year old friend hoisted his 500 lb. mooring off the bottom of the bay and onto his deck so he could bring it in for cleaning and refitting. He's 5'4" and weighs 137 lb. soaking wet. It can be done.

Our club has a hoist, and we did use it to take my old engine out and put the new one in -- but only because it was handy. It wasn't the only solution in the world.

[Cpt Dave]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm buying the boat with a friend of mine. We are both mechanics and would most likely be putting in the new engine or fixing it ourselves. I still need too see the engine to see what the damage is. If the the rest of the internals of the engine did not go down with the rod, we will just fix it ourselves. Having worked on cars for many years, I still don't have any experience working on boat engines.

I know there are different components on a marine engine, but for the most part if it's an internal combustion, it still sucks-squeezes-bangs and blows like the rest of them.

[Kettlewell]

If you're a mechanic I would take a look at rebuilding the engine you've got, or at least assessing what you have there. You will find small marine diesels to be incredibly easy to work on, and you won't encounter anything you aren't familiar with. They are usually the same engines as used in tractors, fork lifts, or other power equipment, so you can often obtain parts and assistance from industrial shops. It's very helpful to figure out what industrial equipment uses the same engine--can save a lot of money over purchasing marine.

By the way, just because somebody says you've "thrown a rod" doesn't necessarily mean they know what they are talking about. On the other hand, they may very well have gotten water into the engine, causing a waterlock and then threw a rod. Who knows until you take a look?

[Cheechako]

The piston went bad in my 3GM30 Yanmar in St Thomas. It was quite a simple engine to work on, and Yanmars sells the complete cylinder kit as I remember, rod already assembled on the piston etc. We just did the one cyl as the engine had little hours on it.

[janice142]

Originally Posted by Teknav

If you engine is "busted", it is a good idea to look for another; do not repair it. Get a new or a slightly used one. Mauritz

One thing to consider is if you buy the same engine that works/runs, you'll have all the bits and bobs for spare parts off your current power plant. Just a thought....

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by janice142

One thing to consider is if you buy the same engine that works/runs, you'll have all the bits and bobs for spare parts off your current power plant. Just a thought....

That's a really good point -- 1 part broken; 999 perfectly good. Or they might be sold to help pay for the new engine.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

so you picked up 300lbs from the dinghy yourself and lifted onto your boat.
a video or it didn't happen.

Heh. I've taken engines in and out many times. Here's a pic from La Paz, Mexico of my Cal 36 getting a rod replaced. You can see the hoisting tackle above. Sorry no hoisting video. This is the simple way I do it.

Main halyard to the end of the boom. Block slung under boom with two lines on the sling to winches to drag it fore and aft. Some tethers port and starboard to control boom swing - or some crew to help. A line thru the block to a winch to hoist the engine. Easy! I can adjust the position by millimeters. The engine came aboard in one piece on it's pallet. All the trial fitting of hoses and such was done there. A small tackle can control the angle of the engine. Sometimes the transmission and flywheel are removed to make the package smaller.

I work slowly, thoughtfully, methodically. Suffered only one little scratch in the varnish of the companionway when some bolt head got past the mat placed there.

Helps that I prefer well-designed boats that have relatively easy engine access in favor of silly layouts and useless furniture below.

[Teknav]

Lifting the engine out by yourself for repairs, should not be attempted. Leave this job to a pro; not worth risking a hernia in addition to boat damage. Mauritz

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

so you picked up 300lbs from the dinghy yourself and lifted onto your boat.
a video or it didn't happen.

I likewise have no video, but have done this a few times myself. Just takes some forethought and mechanical advantage

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

True, but a 37' boat ought to have about a 10kw motor. I am thinking ME0913, and they run about $700. Then you want a good gen4 controller and that's another $500 to $800. The battery bank ought to be at least 48v and a minimum of 100ah, with twice as much preferred, so $1000 in batts for a modest setup, twice as much if you want to get medieval about it. 72v would be better for a boat over 35'. Without a marine transmission, a thrust bearing is needed... a bit over $100 for bearing alone and you make the housing, or about $300 for a ready to rock unit. Then while you don't need a mechanical reverse because the motor can run in reverse (some can't do that for long because the fan only blows one way) you still usually need between 1.5/1 to 3/1 reduction via gearbox, chain and sprocket, or belt. Add a 48v smart charger, DC/DC converter, 400w of solar and a windcharger, and maybe a small portable generator, and you have a bit more invested in electric propulsion than your $400 figure. Around 3k, typically, for a DIY type person. Still cheaper than a new Beta and indeed, less maintenance, but not $400, even for just the motor.

Very informative post. A good overview of everything required, and idea of approximate cost (for above system)

The $700 me0913 is 12kw continuous 30kw peak. I was quoting a smaller motor which is 20hp peak. Normally on a sailboat I would imagine you wouldn't need to motor at peak thrust for more than a very short burst, as it takes little power to efficiently move 80% hull speed or slower in calm conditions, and if there is wind you sail. So for me, I would be looking in the 4kw continuous (10kw peak) range.

Since most 20hp diesels normally run at less than their rating most of the time, it would only be fair to compare the me0913 to a 40hp diesel since it can output that much power for short periods. In either case, this is just the motor, and you need many other parts.

Also keep in mind with that kind of battery bank, you can run electric ovens, stoves, and even a welder (for quick repairs don't go welding for hours on end) as well as just about anything.

You can also charge the batteries off the prop when sailing with the right controller setup, and days of solar panels in the the anchorage in the sun don't need to go to waste.

When I have been motoring at 3 knots with no battery drain (off solar) it is pretty nice.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Very informative post. A good overview of everything required, and idea of approximate cost (for above system)

The $700 me0913 is 12kw continuous 30kw peak. I was quoting a smaller motor which is 20hp peak. Normally on a sailboat I would imagine you wouldn't need to motor at peak thrust for more than a very short burst, as it takes little power to efficiently move 80% hull speed or slower in calm conditions, and if there is wind you sail. So for me, I would be looking in the 4kw continuous (10kw peak) range.

Since most 20hp diesels normally run at less than their rating most of the time, it would only be fair to compare the me0913 to a 40hp diesel since it can output that much power for short periods. In either case, this is just the motor, and you need many other parts.

Also keep in mind with that kind of battery bank, you can run electric ovens, stoves, and even a welder (for quick repairs don't go welding for hours on end) as well as just about anything.

You can also charge the batteries off the prop when sailing with the right controller setup, and days of solar panels in the the anchorage in the sun don't need to go to waste.

When I have been motoring at 3 knots with no battery drain (off solar) it is pretty nice.

Oh ok. Thunderstruck rates the ME0913 motor at 10.5kw continuous, which is about 14HP. (Thunderstruck says 10HP for some reason) I should have checked the Mars site, or actually whoever took over from Mars.

I agree that there are advantages to having a huge battery bank. Big electrical loads for short duration is one of them. Microwave? Yeah.

yeah I know you can charge batts from the motor via regen, but my impression from guys who have done this is that it takes several days of hard sailing to recharge a bank depleted by a half day slow motoring or an hour at fast cruise. What sort of results have you got with regen charging? Just curious, because I will be converting anyway.