Cuda
01-09-2002, 06:11 PM
Wow, swapping engines is just like the construction business, (which I am in), the only thing you can be sure of, is that it will take longer and cost more! redface.gif
I had to swap oudrives, which entailed another transom assemble, had to change to 4 inch risers. When I got the outdrive, several parts were missing or didn't fit. Luckily the mech took the outdrive apart, and found it didn't have a water pump in it.(guess they had a different way of cooling). Then the fuel fill hose was right up against the exhaust manifolds, so we have to rerout it. Then yesterday, the engine was finally installed, and when they went to put the outdrive on, they found that one of the ears that stick out (some kind of thrust support) was bent and the outdrive wouldn't go on. He didn't want to try to bend it back, in case he broke it,(I don't blame him), so today my dad and I went down and bent it back with an iron block, a wedge and a goodly sized ball peen hammer. You know the saying, "don't force it, use a bigger hammer!" I am glad we got it back in shape, otherwise the engine and transom assembly would have had to come back out, not to mention the gimbal would have to be purchased too, and I am already probably three times over budget!(sounds like a goverment project doesn't it). Now I am quite sure that the engine box won't fit back on due to the high rise intake. I figure I will have to build a new box, but I was kind of planning on building it into a sundeck type anyway.
On the good side, the mech said he had fired up the engine before he installed it and it sounded very good. I sure hope the performance warrants all this time and money I have put in it.
If I had to do it all over again, I believe I should have just bought a boat that was powered the way I wanted it in the first place. biggrin.gif
Shouldn't be long now. Now I just have to deal with the prop issues. I was also thinking of putting FWC on it before I put it in salt water. I don't think the aluminum intake would last long in the salt environment.
Of course the weather dropped into the 30's last night, and the wind will probably howl until May!
I had to swap oudrives, which entailed another transom assemble, had to change to 4 inch risers. When I got the outdrive, several parts were missing or didn't fit. Luckily the mech took the outdrive apart, and found it didn't have a water pump in it.(guess they had a different way of cooling). Then the fuel fill hose was right up against the exhaust manifolds, so we have to rerout it. Then yesterday, the engine was finally installed, and when they went to put the outdrive on, they found that one of the ears that stick out (some kind of thrust support) was bent and the outdrive wouldn't go on. He didn't want to try to bend it back, in case he broke it,(I don't blame him), so today my dad and I went down and bent it back with an iron block, a wedge and a goodly sized ball peen hammer. You know the saying, "don't force it, use a bigger hammer!" I am glad we got it back in shape, otherwise the engine and transom assembly would have had to come back out, not to mention the gimbal would have to be purchased too, and I am already probably three times over budget!(sounds like a goverment project doesn't it). Now I am quite sure that the engine box won't fit back on due to the high rise intake. I figure I will have to build a new box, but I was kind of planning on building it into a sundeck type anyway.
On the good side, the mech said he had fired up the engine before he installed it and it sounded very good. I sure hope the performance warrants all this time and money I have put in it.
If I had to do it all over again, I believe I should have just bought a boat that was powered the way I wanted it in the first place. biggrin.gif
Shouldn't be long now. Now I just have to deal with the prop issues. I was also thinking of putting FWC on it before I put it in salt water. I don't think the aluminum intake would last long in the salt environment.
Of course the weather dropped into the 30's last night, and the wind will probably howl until May!