bertram31.com

Hey Guys,

I searched the site, but could not find a post on the order of work for removal of gas engines. Can someone give me a checklist/order of work for prepping my gas engines for removal please? My objective is to have everything disconnected so the yard can simply unbolt the engine mounts and remove the 454's. Having never been through this before, I'm just looking to tap into some of the experience here before I start disconnecting things.

Also, what is the typical time frame to get the 454's prepped for removal? Is it multi-day, full day, 1/2 day, etc?

Thanks in advance.

John Vietor

Been a while but here are some of the basics not in order:
Disconnect fuel source for engine. Make sure it is capped so critters don't get in the fuel line or cause spillage.
Disconnect water supply.
Disconnect batteries and get the cables out of the way. Depending on battery and tray location move them out of the way of the engine mounts/bolts.
Disconnect shaft couplers. If you have dripless seals the water supply will have to be removed as well.
Disconnect transmission shift cable and throttle cable.
Disconnect wire harness if applicable.
Disconnect exhaust at the mixers.

After all that there should not be too much left other than bolting on the engine leveler to the lift points and unbolting the motor mounts.

I forgot to mention bring a hack saw. If you are going diesel you will be modifying your exhaust double outlets to a single so you can just cut the flexible pipe after the mixer. Much easier than trying to pry it off.
Also depending on your coupler condition you could do this in a day without a problem. If they are rusted together that is a whole notha animal. You will want to pull couplers off the shafts as well and have them cleaned up. Again, that could be a painful process depending on condition.

If I'm upgrading from 1-3/8" to 1-1/2" shafts, will the couplers be throw aways regardless of condition?

John,

Your shaft couplers may have trade-in value...

Looks like the disconnect process is covered.

Check if your engines still have the lifting eyes on them, mine had their original L brackets with round eyes in them which we used as the lifting point.....first to get the engines off the mounts by hooking up and raising them slightly, then we set 2"x4"s underneath the engines side to side on top of the engine beds, set back the engines back down then brought the chain round the engines and hooked on at the top L brackets so as to raise out.

We used short pieces of 2"x4"s either side of the engines, along the exhaust manifolds, and also a couple under the oil pans to protect them from any 'squeeze' when raising out.

If not alreadyyou may want to check exactly what the yard has on hand to raise the engines out with respect to equipment chain / straps etc.
I used one of the yards 1 1/2 ton electric hoists which was on their fixed small lift to raise the engines out.

A couple of moving blankets in case things get close at the gunnels / flybridge overhand / cabin bulkhead were also reassuring to me, though fortunately not needed!

The house brow sits directly over the lifting point on the engines and is subject to chain damage when lifting the engine. To protect the brow, take a section of 2" PVC pipe, cut an 1 3/4" slot out of it, and snap the pipe over the brow...

Thanks guys! This is EXACTLY the kind of heads up info I was hoping for.

John

As you rip every thing, if it is metal, sort it and re-cycle. It will pay for some thing.