Replace engine mount boat in water

[ronc]

I responded to a previous post on this subject but thought starting a new thread created more visibility. I have one engine mount, 1977 that is rusted from leak at water pump hose fitting. A4 is attached to a V drive. I need to replace this one mount and have not done this type of work or aligned shafts and engines before. Should I leave it to the mechanic? If so, I would love a good reference for one in Baltimore. I do basic engine work but not sure of this type of work and what if anything I can do with the boat in the water.

[Don Moyer]

Will Sibley is listed in the "Good Guys" section of the Forum as being from Shady Side MD, but he has also done work in the Baltimore area, so you might give him a call. You can also email him here.

Don

[Kurt]

Another Engine Mount Question

I too have an engine mount, C&C style, V-Drive, that is badly rusted. It is the port side mount that is by the V-Drive. It has been rusted ever since I bought the boat 1.5 years ago. I keep it painted, but it has deteriorated to about half the thickness of the other mounts. I know I need to replace it, but want to get through the summer first. Is this a dangerous situation? What would happen if one mount by the lighter tranny end of the engine broke? As a precaution, I plan on using some JB Weld and attaching a small square of steel on the underside of this mount just as added strength. Has anyone here had an engine mount break before?

[castinemarine]

I have just replaced my A4 with a MMI rebuild. The stbd aft mount was wasted away by rust from years of water leakage from the raw water pump above that mount. I had a tough time doing the realignment in the water but it was possible, you need to be able to disconnect the Shaft coupling and Exhaust piping in order to lift the engine high enough to get the old mount off (rust may inhibit/prohibit this, I had to break this away and replace the engine mounts and bed plates on my C+C 35) and out. The hardest part of this was realigning the engine which isn't necessarily hard but time consuming and not something to cut corners on as you can cause all manner of other problems if you get this wrong. I would advise letting the professionals take this on or at least get more advise early and often and I emphasize doing this at every stage of the project. I would also strongly recomend doing it on th hard! Best of Luck!

[Don Moyer]

Kurt,

In case you decide to replace your mount, you could consider our C&C type engine mount in our online catalog. We have the mounts made of all stainless steel especially for the water pump corner of the engine so they won't rust out in case the water pump leaks on them.

Don

[Kurt]

I'll keep a close eye on my mount for now as every couple weeks it sheds a couple more flakes of rusted metal - hopefully it will get me through the summer at least without incident - I'll look at reinforcing it too. I know of a good A4 mechanic, so I'll order the C&C style mount and have them do it - I've done enough fairly hard, time consuming stuff on this motor, but this one does sound like one for the professional, non-shade tree mechanic.

[msmith10]

I agree that realigning the drive train is time-consuming but it's not really technically difficult-- just tedious. I don't know why it would be any easier doing it on the hard, and the mechanic at my marina actually recommended that it be done in the water as the alignment may change slightly with the boat in vs out of the water.

[jhwelch]

I like doing my aligning when hauled out -- I can jam a piece of wood
in the propeller aperature when it is time to tighten up the 3
bolts from the coupling to the back of the motor. And I can
grab the propeller and wiggle it to see that it is more or less
straight in the cutlass bearing.

This is one job I do not like, as my engine bolts to a hard pan; there
are no mounts. So alignment means using a come-a-long to pull
the motor up, pry the engine into a new position or install a shim,
drop it down, tighten things up, and see how much closer it is.

-jonathan