Tips for dropping in an A-4?

[taylor_sf]

That's a really good point. I'm pretty anxious to get it all hooked up and going and take the boat out for a spin (might not even sail ), but it's good to keep in mind that I should have it running sooner than later. (It last ran Saturday. I hope to have it running again by Thursday.)

I just dropped it into the cabin, but the old engine mounts were shot. So I'm hoping to get new ones tomorrow and set it up.

And the mechanic said that he only gives a full warranty on the engines he installs himself (at a fee of 50% of the cost of the engine). However, he also said that if I had any trouble he would not charge me to come look at it and fix it (and that he had spare parts he could use).

[CalebD]

I can understand you being anxious to get your "new" engine all set up and wanting to try it out. I think you need to take a deep breath though.
You will not be able to clean up the area under the oil pan once the new engine is in AND there is really no point putting a new engine in if the stringers/engine bed are not rock solid.
I am also curious about the warranty this mechanic is offering. Is he the one who rebuilt the engine?
If you have already run the engine (hopefully Rotella T 30w or 15W-40 oil in it) then you have splashed oil around the gearbox. If you are at all worried about the cylinders as Denise has suggested then simply squirting an ounce or two of Marvel Mystery Oil (rust inhibitor) into the spark plug holes is not a bad idea at all. Then turn the engine over briefly or use the hand crank to turn the flywheel a few turns to help spread the MMO around.
Swapping one A4 for another should be a straightforward proposition but do take the time to make sure you have done everything you need to before that engine goes back into what is usually a pretty tight engine compartment.

I'm still waiting to hear what kind of boat you have and what year?

[taylor_sf]

Sorry, it's a '73 Ericson 29.

And yes, the mechanic ran it for me before I purchased it. He was the one who rebuilt it.

The stringers seem solid. The compartment is pretty clean. The PO had the old engine out shortly before it filled with salt water. I'm going to wipe it down before moving the new engine to the engine compartment. I'm not going to rush things if I run into anything that isn't finished. But I've checked the exahust, and I'm looking around. Things look to be in relatively good shape.

[tommays]

My tip would be that for the most part everything is as screwed up as the old motor and it's a bit pointless to go 1/2 way new

The electric is generally the most screwed up part unless it is fairly recent

[downeast450]

I did this a couple of years ago. Starting with the old engine in place I took lots of pictures for reference.

I should have replaced the exhaust at the same time! O-well! That is done now. I did clean and paint everything with the engine out. I added a fw heat exchanger so locating and installing that got consideration with the engine out of the way. My boat, an I-28, has a fg engine bed and was sound as were the mounts. I used a couple of pieces of angle iron to act as rails to slide the rebuilt into position. Blocking and jacks helped. I did it alone.

Alignment was a concern but once I had the rebuilt back on its undisturbed engine mounts I checked it with a "trick" used around here. Three bolts secure the shaft coupling to the transmission flange. I took three small pieces of paper and placed them against the transmission flange between the bolt holes. I rotated the shaft and waited for one of the scraps of paper (the surfaces were clean and dry) to fall out because of an alignment issue. I repeated this "test" several times and all three pieces were firmly held in place by the coupling. Satisfied that things were fairly close I tightened things up and have had no problems.

Good luck.

Down

[Capt Len]

I bet you can get better accuracy with a feeler gauge .

[PorFin]

Originally Posted by taylor_sf

The compartment is pretty clean.

Taylor,

I'm in full agreement with others who recommend attending to your engine spaces before you install the new motor.

"Pretty clean" is good; spotless is better. Think about it. You are never again going to have the relatively unfettered access to this area (unless you pull the motor again.) "Pretty clean" today means "getting grungy" not too long in the future. If you start from spotless, then grungy is much, much further down the road.

[SloopJonB]

It also gives you the opportunity to reconfigure things for easier access - inaccessible fuel filters, rerouting wiring & hoses so they are neat and out of the way etc. etc.

When the boat was built all those were done to be fast & cheap in nearly all cases - serviceability was seldom considered.

Your time is now.

By the way, if you have to add some steel angle to reinforce your mounts & so forth, pay the $2 and use stainless so you don't end up with a bunch of rust in a few years. If you're as OCD as me, sand it smooth & polish it before installing it.

[FDR14127]

Moyer is your friend, things to do before you slide it in there:
Electronic ignition kit
Retrofit alternator with Moyer's beefier one, (Hey, VW canceled Motorola in frustration).
Fit the oil change kit to the pan fitting on the engine's port side
rig her with Moyer's electric fuel pump kit
Consider fitting new trick motor mounts that have fresh rubber to keep her quiet
Check the exhaust elbow, probably ought to be new
Buy some Marvel Mystery oil to add to the go juice and keep her valve guides happy
Any money left?,put the oil filter kit on...
Hire the engine guy that has the laser alignment kit to help slide her in
Enjoy the smooth quiet of an A4 loved and happy....
Oh and another thing, just about everyone around here adds the plastic coupling to the shaft which helps mitigate the alignment problem and protect the engine assemble in case of grounding, line wraps and the like.

[SloopJonB]

All good advice. $$$ though. I estimated the best part of a boat buck for all that.

If it was my boat I certainly do it while changing the engine though.