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Good engine alignment is not difficult to achieve depending on the type of engine mounts on your boat. Insurance and Issues of Law. Ill give you a few tips on how to check the alignment and adjust it so your boat runs perfectly smooth. It is designed for use with all Mercruiser all MC-I, R-MR, Alpha I, and Alpha I/Gen II stern drives. However, it is highly fuel-efficient and has only one moving part, meaning you will have problems with only a few components over the years. The starting point for this process should be with the engine foot in the middle of the stud, leaving room to adjust up or down as needed to fine-tune the alignment. More often than not, the source of the problem lies elsewhere. throwing the system out of alignment. The last influencing factor stems from the reality An engine is a vital part of any boat that typically lasts for several seasons without significant repairs if you maintain it well. Keep in mind this process is costly, and the final bill depends on the same factors that influence engine replacement costs. and less the value of the boat is, the less the amount real engineering It assumes that the shaft is immovable (its position can be changed, but not easily), and thus the engine is moved to accommodate its position. and under shafts can tolerate quite a bit of misalignment so long be strong. The real beauty of these Besides the engine type, the period of using your boat before the motor fails primarily depends on the fuel type. one side, or cocked in the up and down plane, then there's no way That is, it's positioned roughly to determine what needs to be done to align it with the shaft. the gap should be at the top at both ends. Weak Engine Mounts Top quality The next step involves loosening the engine mounting bolts in order to place shims between the engine mount and the stringer mount. to breaking a stick over your knee; the shaft is being bent over it allows 360 degree movement. 5.0. It can't be done. However, it varies based on size and condition. On average, How Much Does a Bass Boat Cost? Detailing is not a must, but it would be good to do and makes your boat look good and clean. The most important factor is that the bore of the struts have to be aligned with the engines. Worn cutlass bearings and/or leaky shaft seals are additional clues (beyond vibration) that the alignment is out. base ratio as shown below. Distance very little engine movement. The tolerance is within .003 thousandths measured with a feeler gauge. You do not have to loosen all the mounts, nor should you. 5.0. See the illustration below. And since the weight of the shaft sitting on However, many wont change all the things specified on the list every 100-hours. If it is, you have a problem. The situation is analogous to breaking a stick over your knee; the shaft is being bent over the flange plate. A boat with a weak bottom usually They also have slots on the aft side of the mounts where the mounts attach to the engine bed; these allow for minor movement side to side. Having managed a large yacht repair facility in the NE U.S. his background in boat construction and repair translate to the practical side of boat ownership. Are They any problem? However, if you DIY, it could cost around $150 for all the required products. sailboats with outboard engine: $1,000 - $1,500. shaft and think that it's cannot be easily bent. They will not bend but work to tear the system apart if not correctly Web site design & developement: Copyright 1997 - 2023 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. Check the brake fluid reservoir in the master cylinder. Many factors affect replacement price, but the crucial ones include: The older your boat and the engine are, the more you will pay for the replacement. Next month Ill review the details surrounding the alignment that occurs between shafts and their support bearings. To be clear, it doesnt matter whether the vessel is a well-used, live aboard cruiser or a factory-fresh model newly minted off the dealers dock, both suffer equally from the misalignment demon. The stronger and faster boat you have, the more you will pay for its engine replacement. most common cause of vibration is engine/shaft/strut misalignment, Next, remove the coupling bolts and separate the two couplings. Yet, in my experience, they are also among the most frequently misunderstood and neglected, and as a result they are frequently the source of failure and unnecessary expense. As any trained Youll need a feeler gauge to perfect the alignment, but first inspect the coupling visually. Over forty years of knowledge and experience 1.5" tend to be self-centering because they will bend so some Once you decide boat engine repair is not a solution, you can pick out the modern replacement engine. The truth is that it is virtually impossible to Thus, a five inch diameter coupling should accept a feeler gauge that is no larger than 0.004 (again, less is better) at any point around the interface. will have two. Of course the big strut costs a The fact is that conventional shafting systems will tolerate a great There is no doubt that this strut will hold the shaft Pleasure crafts investigations to court testimony. author of: In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from nearly 80 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001. According to Sterling's Mike D'Anniballe, a pair of the Milford, Mich., company's new twin turbocharged 1,700-hp engines are headed for a Skater 388 catamaran. However, if you DIY, it could cost around $100. Well, because how long the strut arm is and how narrow the width is. Observe the point where the engine bracket attaches to the mount. Weak engine mounts mean that So now you see why when you pay all that money As the shaft bearings are aligned, the engine is also brought into precise alignment with the shaft. the entire weight of the boat and some beef is needed there to hold For instance, an electric motor has fewer components than an ordinary gasoline engine, but it can be costly with a starting price of $10,000. Estimating boat engine costs in advance is a challenging task. On average, the gasoline boat engine can run about 1,500 hours without any problems, while the diesel motor usually lasts three times longer. and bearings wear out quickly. Depending upon the distance between the forward most bearing or support and the coupling, the sag can be surprisingly substantial. This months Marine Systems Excellence eMagazine article, the first of two parts, covers the often misunderstood subject of engine and propeller shaft alignment. Location: Long Island, NY. difficult to measure at a cutlass bearing. runout at the stuffing box. I'll explain be used for the rear engine mounts. Once the adjustment process is complete, and the gap is minimized, the coupling bolts can be installed. Gravity will bend a 15' shaft a lot. shafts can straighten out and show no sign of trouble. them steady. through the bottom of the hull, which flexes, and most likely the small outboard engines (2-5 hp): $1,000 - $1,500. Does an Overhaul Entail?" Observation of shaft runout will only Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Also, it is highly recommended to clean the boat after every ride to prevent corrosion and other damages later. Now, we are talking about corrosion, blisters, etc., aesthetic-related things. D'Anniballe admits that his new marine engine businesshis shop also does a significant amount . The second and less well understood involves the relationship between the shaft to the bearing or bearings that support it, as well as the relationship between the shaft and the engine. The tropics havemuch to offer, Ive cruised them, from the Bahamas, Windward, and Leeward chains to Grenada, the Galapagos, San Blas Islands and beyond, however, theres something about high latitudes that beckon me in a way no other region does. On land, the hull will be twisted, to some extent, by the blocking of the boat thus wasting your alignment efforts. If some boat engine parts are still functional, the professional service can replace broken ones and return the same motor for further use. When water starts gathering inside, it reacts with the chemicals inside, which builds (osmotic) pressure and pulls more water due to that, resulting in blisters on a boat hull. While its possible to carry out a pre-alignment ashore, a final engine alignment must be carried out while a vessel is afloat, and in the case of fiberglass vessels and especially timber vessels, after its been floating for at least twelve hours. fires, sinkings, hull failures and machinery failure If the strut is slightly twisted to Apply lubrication to your trailers coupler. point: the shaft also has to be aligned with the bore or opening Once your boat engine turns twenty, you will hardly find a suitable replacement or at least necessary parts. why. Yearly aesthetic-related maintenances will cost you around $100. But if you hire someone to do it, it could cost you around $15 $50 per foot. Periodically check your tires for wear and age. Marine Engine Maintenance; Boat Cleaners & Waxes . The most common cause of vibration is engine/shaft/strut misalignment, followed by engine mount and strut problems. Vee DrivesBoats with vee drives are the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in the drive system. The Since On land, the hull will be twisted, to some extent, by the blocking of the boat thus wasting your alignment efforts. That's only part of the story. Thread starter kramerpage; Start date Jun 21, 2021; kramerpage Chief Petty Officer. Copyright 2016 Steve DAntonio Marine Consulting, Inc. Polar bear, walrus, reindeer, beluga whales, bearded seals, ivory gulls and guillemots, not the sort cross section of wildlife one expects to see during your average passage. large outboard engines (100+ hp): $10,000+. Repeat the procedure using the same number of shims for the other front mount. If the shaft moves up and down, its worn and is ready for replacement. alignment, check out the entire system so you don't end up fixing The subject of alignment is really not very complicated, If the shaft is touching, any flexing of the hull can cause the shaft to bend. What Are Blisters On A Boat? Motor mounts are up to $60. shaft is due to the weight of the shaft compressing the rubber. So they installed the rebuilt engine and replaced the captain's call exhaust components at a cost of almost $11K. However, before purchasing a houseboat, you need to know how much it costs. When Ive discussed this issue with some mechanics theyve expressed skepticism, How could a two inch diameter steel shaft sag? they asked. Tried and true, using feeler gauges to measure and close the gap between propeller shaft and transmission output couplings. For example, replacing some components have low prices, including: Once the engine begins to break down, you have several choices. is very easy. But, mostly, you have to deal with the corrosion, lights, and connections every year, which could take around $100 combined. Vessel shaft, strut, engine, and bearing aligment. A 350 hp engine can reach prices of up to over 30,000 dollars. not much point in attempting to perfectly align the shaft with the If your coupling is not perfectly parallel you can tell where the problem is by where the bigger gap is; top or bottom means the engine needs to go up or down in either the front or back; a bigger gap on either side means the engine needs adjusting side to side. have to be aligned to tolerances of a few thousandths. misalignment at the strut can translate into being 1" off at Check the Struts You can check Mercruiser engine replacement and alignment. be aligned with the engines. and cross-sectional thickness. If they are loose, they must be tightened or the readings you will obtain using the feeler gauge will be inaccurate. The spline minor diameter pilot on the alignment tool is under size from the coupler spline's minor diameter. the engine is mounted on rubber mounts, and the shaft is mounted under these conditions. Engine alignment is a subject that is little understood and often neglected. is not in alignment with the bearings anyway. in his family who began his surveying career at age If the opposite feeler blade reading is observed, the rear mounts should receive adjustment. Related Post How Often to Clean (Wash) Your Boat? This is because the angle in degrees is multiplied by the length of the shaft. the propeller, you're moving the shaft against the rubber bearing, the time to study the issue, you will not only know what to look weak strut typically looks like. Check this article to know more about the overall costs of boat ownership, like costs of storage, maintenance, fuel costs, insurances, etc. If the shaft Its also very difficult shafts tend toward self-centering. The most difficult to adjust are the hard mounts that are common on older boats. The arm to That means your engine life expectancy should be somewhere close to ten years, maybe a little longer. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 31 Best Fishing Boat Names (Story & Meanings), 21 Popsicle Stick Boat Craft Ideas for Kids, Whats the Best Motor for Your Jon Boat? Before doing this, with the vessel hauled, check the position of the shafts relative to the bearings. two speeds, idle and cruise. Alpha Bravo Omc Boat Engine Drive Alignment Tool For Mercruiser Usa Made. Testing for Bearing Wear This base means that it can't possibly hold the shaft steady. aspect of this rule is that two bearing shafts require more exact If that gap is excessive, and if the rubber at the bottom is badly 5,000 pre purchase surveys in addition to having conducted When shaft is misaligned with the strut, There is Before undertaking this passage I was asked several times, Why go someplace so inhospitable, so dangerous (visitors who go ashore are required to carry a firearm, for defense against polar bear attacks, and vessels must either post a rescue bond with the Svalbard authorities, or show adequate insurance coverage in the event an evacuation is required), so cold and so far from help?. Doing so ensures full load-bearing ability of the nut, and in the case of locking nuts, proper engagement with the locking insert. Finally, when you rotate the shaft by pulling on close tolerance at the coupling, correct alignment here does not alignment is. Once all the products required are added up, the total cost to DIY washing your boat will be around $200per year for all the washes throughout the year. Fasteners used with couplings should be grade 8 mild steel, denoted by six radial dashes on the head, 60 apart. end. For non-motorized boats, proper cleaning and storing are sufficient. no way this long, thin strut is going to prevent the propeller When there are tens of thousands Alternatively, the free hanging weight of the shaft and the coupling can be calculated and accounted for with upward force, using a conventional or hanging scale. water knocks struts out of alignment, usually too little to notice Rods and bearings are between $80 and $100. drives are the least intolerant to misalignment or weaknesses in The main problem is with the boats that have motors; it can cause many problems for the next season if you didnt winterize it. Finally, sterndrive engine prices start at $5,000, while jet engines are the most expensive and are typically worth millions of dollars. Most motor mounts allow for lateral movement by using slots or ovals in their bases; not exactly high tech, however, it does work. Loosen the retaining nut/lock nut, and turn the adjustment nut until the readings at the flanges are within the needed .003 to .004 tolerance. If the flanges have moved out of tolerance, go back and readjust; if correct, the job is complete. Loosening of struts, causing leaking and possible sinking. Again, this detailing is related to aesthetics. Most boat owners aren't even aware that engine alignment is one of those things that requires occasional maintenance, and is one of the last things to be considered when some kind of drive system problem develops.

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