Air 22 Dwight-Can U Help Me W/525 Install?

[Carl C]

You had posted some links that are already helpful.

[Air 22]

You had posted some links that are already helpful. The ITS alignment tool is not too far from home so I will go get that for $135. Now my main concerns are the motor mounts that I will need and how to beef up the stringers. My stringer spacing is 29" or a bit less (measured between the inner surfaces). If yours is the same can you tell me just what motor mount parts I will need to order? I think you said you used the Dana off-shore mount kit # MM-0038. Looking at pics of that kit I'm not sure how it works. I will address the exhaust when I get to it. I'm hoping my CMI Q&Q adapters will work with the 525's CMIs. How should I beef up the stringers? Should I glass in wood on the outboard side of the stringers to make them super thick? Should I sandwich them with aluminum plates? How would I do that? What did you do? I would appreciate any help. You could call me at 248-330-0048 if that is easier for you. Advice from others who have put blue motors in the newer 22Cs with the wider stringer spacing like mine would be very welcome. It looks like I will take the plunge and put the motor in now.

Carl...I had my Striger and Transom work done at highley recommended fiberglass shop...I would start with asking around your area who does that kind of work..get 5-6 rec's from previous customers. Meet the owner, see the shop and employee's...its may take a little time to find the right place. Your not going to let just anyone work on ur boat. Once you have found a reputable shop start asking questions based on your situation. Call me for the rest...I pm'd you my #....

[Carl C]

Carl...I had my Striger and Transom work done at highley recommended fiberglass shop...I would start with asking around your area who does that kind of work..get 5-6 rec's from previous customers. Meet the owner, see the shop and employee's...its may take a little time to find the right place. Your not going to let just anyone work on ur boat. Once you have found a reputable shop start asking questions based on your situation. Call me for the rest...I pm'd you my #....

Thanks. I will be calling. I need to do the work myself. Shops are busy this time of year and I don't know of any nearby that I trust. I already have the Donzi factory reinforcing kit installed. I'm thinking of putting one more layer of glass mat across the engine room floor. Not sure what to do with the stringers. Maybe glass some wood against them. I will search some threads here. I will probably call tomorrow. If I'm going to do this job now I must move quickly and get it done in a month or so.

[Air 22]

Carl...dont be under the gun with this project..or your gonna loose alot of sleep and worse possibly make a mistake. Take your time...have a plan, do your research and execute. See the entire picture. Make checklists and USE them...DO NOT RUSH or you could end up with NO boat for the season.

There are many experienced folks on the board...use them..ask questions..
Several points of view are valuable...I went with Poodle's advice and my mechanic's advice for engine mounts etc. There is no one and only way...You decide the way you want to go and proceed.

Measure 3 times...then cut!

[BlownCrewCab]

I don't know what mounts you have now, But if you can do offshore style Plate mounts with L Brackets on the stringers then you'll Have Allot more integrity by the stringers actually being bolted together, as Opposed to a flexible foot mount. Alignment is harder, but your boat and yourself will love you for it. and it'll take real beating and not even flinch. If I was having stringer problems I wouldn't do it any other way.

[yeller]

Carl, I know it has to be tough looking at that new motor, but I'd suggest you oil the 525 up and store it until fall. Do the stringer work over the winter.

[Mr X]

Carl, I know it has to be tough looking at that new motor, but I'd suggest you oil the 525 up and store it until fall. Do the stringer work over the winter.

I sure do agree........Carl there is a lot to this project, the glass work alone is
a project in itself. There is much more to it than just beefing up the stringers, Take your time, do it right.

[Carl C]

I will not rush it but I think it is better to do this now then to start glass work in my minimally heated garage in November. I will have 6 weeks to complete the install before I start missing out on boating on the Great Lakes. In other words if I'm on the water and have the bugs worked out by the end of May I will be happy . Then starts prop testing.

I am totally new to IOs. I will have to follow the engine removal instuctions in my Mercruiser manual. I think I figured out how to get the motor out with my cherry picker by removing the trailer wheels and lowering the trailer to the floor.

Before starting I will fix and water test the issue with the 496 which I think is just the heat exchanger. Motor started and ran fine and was filled with anti-freeze so there is no damage to the motor.

Another reason to do this now is to get that 496 and CMIs on the market to help off-set the cost of the 525 which was 20g. The interest rate on the $ I borrowed will shoot up in December and I'll have to shuffle that debt around.

Dwight, Mr. X, I will do the job right. I'm not going to try to throw the motor in on a week-end. 6 weeks should be plenty of time to do it right.

My main concern now is what to do to the stringers and how to mount the engine.

Blown Crew Cab, here are the links that Dwight posted. Are the mounts in the first link the "off-shore style plate mounts" that you speak of? http://www.donzi.net/forums/showpost...8&postcount=38

There is a certain Teal 22C on Lake Oakland that I am going to take utmost pleasure in spanking...

[CJmike]

Carl,
As a guy who has a Donzi apart in pieces as the boating season is fast approaching. My advise would be to wait until next fall. If you would have told me last October that my boat would still apart come mid April I would have looked at you like you were nuts. But after the first 12 million things popped up I only have a few items left to tackle before it might be back in the water. At this point I am hoping I have it done in time for memorial day weekend. I would not rip into a boat now that I wanted to use this summer.
Mike

[Carl C]

Carl,
As a guy who has a Donzi apart in pieces as the boating season is fast approaching. My advise would be to wait until next fall. If you would have told me last October that my boat would still apart come mid April I would have looked at you like you were nuts. But after the first 12 million things popped up I only have a few items left to tackle before it might be back in the water. At this point I am hoping I have it done in time for memorial day weekend. I would not rip into a boat now that I wanted to use this summer.
Mike

I will see. Right now I'm trying to find out just what I am getting into but I think that if I get going now that it will be better to do it this year for the reasons listed above. The motor is pretty much "plug-n-play" since it is a mercruiser engine. The only major obsticles I forsee are with the motor mounts and exhaust. I hope to get lucky on the exhaust. If not I will order the correct tails for a couple more thousand. Once I get the motor out and engine room stripped I will figure out the reinforcing. I have lots of time since I only work week-ends. I can do this and do it right!

Blown Crew Cab, Could you verify my engine mount question please? Thanks.

[BlownCrewCab]

Those Danas are nice, Thats not exactly what I was talking about though. Let me see if I can dig up a pic or link...BRB

[BlownCrewCab]

http://www.danamarineproducts.com/Pr...5-7824a5d66e44

This is close to the plate mount I had in mind, But the one I was thinking of straddled under the motor, Had pads that bolted to your existing motor mount holes in the block and the whole thing mounted to the stringers with L Brackets, which tied the port and Stb stringers together.

[Carl C]

http://www.danamarineproducts.com/Pr...5-7824a5d66e44

This is close to the plate mount I had in mind, But the one I was thinking of straddled under the motor, Had pads that bolted to your existing motor mount holes in the block and the whole thing mounted to the stringers with L Brackets, which tied the port and Stb stringers together.

I like that but my stringers are too widely spaced. Now if I glassed 2x4s or 2x6s to the inner side of my stringers I would be within their range and it would solve my stringer strengthening issue. I would need extra long bolts to through bolt the L- brackets. How does that sound to you? Glass in 2x4s or 2x6s ripped down to proper height to the inner side of the stringers, cover with glass cloth and resin and another layer of glass cloth or mat and resin over the whole thing, extending onto the inner transom to help strenthen the stringer to transom joint. Does that sound like a good plan to you?

[Trueser]

I like that but my stringers are too widely spaced. Now if I glassed 2x4s or 2x6s to the inner side of my stringers I would be within their range and it would solve my stringer strengthening issue. I would need extra long bolts to through bolt the L- brackets. How does that sound to you? Glass in 2x4s or 2x6s ripped down to proper height to the inner side of the stringers, cover with glass cloth and resin and another layer of glass cloth or mat and resin over the whole thing, extending onto the inner transom to help strenthen the stringer to transom joint. Does that sound like a good plan to you?

Carl,
Take it back to Tom and get it done rite. Or take it where Air 22 has his done.

I would not attempt this on your own.

[mrfixxall]

http://www.danamarineproducts.com/Pr...5-7824a5d66e44

This is close to the plate mount I had in mind, But the one I was thinking of straddled under the motor, Had pads that bolted to your existing motor mount holes in the block and the whole thing mounted to the stringers with L Brackets, which tied the port and Stb stringers together.

Is this the plate your refering to? it bolts to the stock castings on the block.