2020 Repower

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 16th, '18, 20:33

carl i am very much aware how fresh (with heat exchanger)and raw water cooled gas engine work.However we have oil coolers, transmission oil coolers, power steering fluid coolers all on the raw water side to consider in addition to the exhaust risers. i never mention fires we only had four over a 20 year period all gas.i think we are missing the main subject and that is "the opportunist" buying a slightly used modern diesel for the same price as gas.compare a gas boat heads up with diesel BTW i have no idea what your talking about with the term diesel smell OH YEA the smoking oil slinking detroits i really was not considering ancient diesel in this discussion, like who is going to put a 6-71 in a Bertram!!!!!!

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Sep 17th, '18, 05:29

Bob,

I think you are right. Spend a couple bucks on my 454s to keep that starboard side in good working order, replace block if necessary, buy some time and wait for the right opportunity for RTOs to come along.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 17th, '18, 07:43

that's what i would do with your present blocks.i left Oakdale Yacht due to conditions beyond my control. Ken the head diesel mechanic also left we probably had 15 Mercruiser, crusaders stacked up. cost about $1200.00 for a complete Mercruiser 454/330hp. using your carb, and accessories but your problem of running hot does not mean you need a new motor.could be a simple impeller in the raw water pump. you know the old adage "good comes to those that wait" well i could not agree more with waiting for an RTO.they come up all the time.

pschauss · Post by **pschauss** » Sep 17th, '18, 08:31

I have been following this thread with interest because my boat has the original 454s from 1978. The hour meters showed 1400 and 1800 hours but were not working so I don’t know how many hours are actually on the engines. The pile of receipts that the previous owner’s daughter gave me showed a lot of mechanical work done but no indication of internal work on the engines.

I have put about 10 hours on the engines since the boat went in the water at the end of June. The engines don’t smoke and have not used any oil so far. Water temperatures and oil pressures look ok so I am keeping an eye on things and hoping I can get a few more seasons before major work. It’s good to know that I will have some reasonable options.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 17th, '18, 10:14

Bob-

Saying a 31 Bertram with gas engines is destined to self destruct is a rationalization not information.
Yes, gas motors having ignition systems are considerably more prone to ignition problems then diesel motors not having an ignition system.
But a good system kept up with is pretty darn dependable and far from a hair jerker.

Salt water in exhaust system is both a problem for gas and diesel.
I have seen more then a fair share of diesel shower heads with holes at inner jacket allowing water to flow back...
some creating very expensive repairs.

One area being overlooked is upkeep and service.

Upkeep should be minimal, filters, oil and belts.

Diesel motors are expensive as they are built robustly, but that also means replacement parts and repairs can be robust.

Does anybody want to share what it cost if a turbo goes?
If an injector pump goes?
Cracked head?
Injector tip blows off...

Cost to have service tech to come to boat, diagnosis, remove. Return with rebuild or replaced unit.

Intercooler housing? Just reworked a used one for a friend trying to hit a tournament, new was $3200 and on back order for weeks.

Maybe just an issue in Staten Island, Jersey and area around my dad in Florida, but algae growing in fuel is an issue for some and a diesel specific issue.

Not looking to shine a harsh light on diesel, but their are some inherent issues that come with them and I like to weigh them in the consideration process.

If I knew a 30-40k conversion would be the end all of my boating problems, I'd do it in a heartbeat, even if I had to take out a loan. First thing I know it wouldn't do is give me more time to use the boat and that IS my biggest issue.

Pete- if motors running warm, that is an issue that rarely gets better on its own. Actually it usually gets worse leading to overheating and that creates a whole new set of problems.
Warm can be simple as valve not opened 100% (done that), bad impeller, worn pump housing, slipping belt, risers clogged, kinked hose or timing being off to name a few. I'd check into it before simple becomes involved. My .02.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Sep 17th, '18, 11:57

Carl,

Good points, with regard to running hot and steam.....I've developed a relationship with the mechanic over my 8 years of ownership, he serviced the boat for the person I bought it from. It's been a known problem from day one and he knows whats going on with it and the surveyor pointed it out, 3200 hours 8 years ago I think, impellar is good, I guess I should ask what needs to be done and I haven't. It's just been on the back burner since I didn't know the direction I am heading in.

With regards to diesels I do have concerns with maintenance costs, I have concerns with everything else that can of worms will open, bulkhead, stringers, engine mounts, struts, rudders and shelf etc. I also worry that running the boat once or twice a week from May through November the motor is going to rot from the inside long before I ever see hours in the 10s of thousands. I have concerns that the added noise, vibration and smell will not be greeted well by the family. I really like the idea of have an extended range for an occasional canyon trip or to run out to Montauk in the fall or the rendezvous in Greenport or a vacation on Block Island. I want the torque and all the other performance benefits of diesels and the rest of the running gear will need to be addressed at some point even if I go with gas motors.

We (Shannon and I) already ruled out selling and replacing with a bigger boat, we don't need a bigger cabin and I like to drift over small areas in the bay and inlet fishing, it's hard enough in 31. That being said a 25/28/30 Contender is not something the family is interested in, I certainly would be. We haven't ruled out finding another 31, but as John said I am so invested it would have to be a completely finished boat the way I want it. I'm not sure I see a big advantage spending decent money on 502s over just getting my starboard motor in order and not worry about burning a bunch of fuel and staying local...Being able to sit around and wait for RTOs and have a good running boat in the mean time is the most likely route.

The gas v Diesel article Thudd posted was a good reread for me too....

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Sep 17th, '18, 14:34

Nowhere in my boat, not even in my bilge, there is any diesel smell. At rest or while cruising.
If I closed your eyes and asked you to tell me what propulsion this boat is, you would never be able to tell.
It shouldnt be any worry for you, or your family.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 17th, '18, 18:07

Yannis wrote:Nowhere in my boat, not even in my bilge, there is any diesel smell. At rest or while cruising.
If I closed your eyes and asked you to tell me what propulsion this boat is, you would never be able to tell.
It shouldnt be any worry for you, or your family.

You might be 100% correct or you have gotten used to it.

I can say for certain my shop has a very distinct machine shop odor. I absolutely cannot smell it at all when I am here. I do not smell it coming into the shop in the mornings nor do smell it during the day or when I am leaving.
However, by the time I am 4 or 5 blocks away from the shop, I can start to detect it on my clothes.
By the time I get home...I know I am in great need of a shower and my clothes need to go into the hamper down in the laundry room.

Kinda like when someones boat smells like a holding tank.
If friendly with them I'll mention maybe consider checking vent and hose, as clogged vents cause stink and old hose will let odor though. If I get a no, it doesn't smell in here...I agree with them.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 17th, '18, 18:45

PeterPalmieri wrote:Carl,

It's been a known problem from day one and he knows whats going on with it and the surveyor pointed it out, 3200 hours 8 years ago I think, impellar is good, I guess I should ask what needs to be done and I haven't.

I bought my boat with starboard running 195-200, lots of steam, especially in early am when damp. Owner said it was normal, always ran like that since he installed motors 1o years earlier. Yeah...I understood and didn't care. 200 is hot and wrong, plus when I pushed the temp rose higher. I did not like that..if I needed to push to get in, out of the way or just move quick...I do not want to worry about overheating and then losing motor. It took me a good few weeks to figure it out. I checked impellers, pump housing, belt, hoses, heat exchanger, checked thermostat, changed thermostat, drilled holes in thermostat, removed thermostat, looked for broken blades in coolers swapped gauges and sensors. Funny, but I found lots of issues on the port motor and got that one down a few degrees but Starboard stayed high. Till I finally came across a 90 degree fitting with little smaller ID connecting two hoses. Other side was a straight run, so I pulled it out and ran a single hose in its place and that was that...190 deg, if I pushed...190 deg.

Guy that had before me ran it that way for years...most likely I could have done the same.

I'm in the same boat...save a few bucks while keeping these motors humming. The longer I wait the more I save the better the chance at finding a deal I can afford. Whether it be motors, gas or diesel or another boat. Till then I fish, use boat and enjoy.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Sep 17th, '18, 20:05

Carl

I have to say, when I put the Cummins Remans in I was expecting smoke and diesel fumes. Really don't get much of any of that. I am careful not spill diesel fuel, if I do, clean it up and believe it or not liquid fabric softner gets rid of the diesel oil smell from the bilge.

Keep the filters clean, get your fuel from a reliable source and really not much trouble with smell or bugs in the fuel. In fact my racors stay clean as a whistle. Only pulled water from them once about the 2nd year after the repower. Was not more than 3 or 4 oz a side removed. After that nothing.

Routine stuff does cost more. What 13 quarts of oil per side vs 6, oil filters for the Cummins are more than reasonable. Not as cheap as gassers but really not much more. You need to do some of your own work. Last year I blew a Trans Cooler, due to time, I had the diesel mechanic handle it. Yes cost me more than if I did it myself. This year I replaced the other side, got the cooler from Lenco and save a couple of hundred. Cooler was easy to change. Hardest part was getting the dam fittings out of the old cooler.

Just like gassers, have the mechanic do it, it is $125 an hour plus parts. Diesel $125 plus parts. Yes injector pumps and turbos are not cheap. Hopefully they last longer than 500 hours.

In fact that is one reason I went with the 270's. Fresh water cooled after cooler ont the turbo. No salt less maintenance, longer life.

Cruise is pretty good, was out yesterday, cruise at 2200 was 24 knots. Not a speed demon but plenty fast. At 1900 RPMS I was cruising at 20 knots. Loafing along so to speak.

Yes they have their plus's and minuses, but I have come to appreciate the difference.

As far as noise, that is why they make sounddown. Which I still have to put in. But at 1900 you still don't have the turbo whine, so they are no louder than the big blocks were. Now kick that Turbo in and it is another story.

Hopefully next year, some family health issues are behind us and then I will add the sound down. I will let you know how well it works then.

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Sep 17th, '18, 21:16

Carl,

The key word here is “contact”.
Whenever I’m in the boat, or cruise, I simply have very little contact with engine or engine fluids. I may open the hatch to look around or even pull the oil stick and check the oil level, or grab a torchlight and look for water in the filters, but that’s about it.
I do not lean over the engine trying to play the mechanic or start opening valves and screws messing up with anything internal.

If I were to service the engine myself and get dirty, then of course my clothes would get some oil and diesel stains and smell, but that is simply not happening. I also wear disposable gloves so not even my hands smell of diesel.

Also, at least in the 28, there is no stationwagon effect. I dont know what would happen if I had a fb enclosure, but I don’t. Nothing like the s.wagon effect you get in sailboats or, say, boats like the Blackfin which is allegedly suffering from this.
Especially in sailboats, this fume goes inside the cabin and impregnates the materials (cushions, curtains etc) so you get that diesel smell even inside. Not in the 28.
And, as Tony says, when I put diesel I pay attention not to spill it all over the place, but even those few drops that might spill they get away with a thorough sweeping with paper cloth, or with seawater and the sun. There is never diesel in the bilge, why should there be any in the first place?

As far as noise, two things:
first, up at the bridge you don't really hear anything, whether the turbo is turning or not. And there is nobody inside the cabin of course at cruise, why should anyone be there in the first place, they are outside on the deck on my thick, plush cushions enjoying the cruise, or up with me on the bridge.
Second, these Yanmars work and sound like sewing machines, so quiet, that even when I removed parts of the engine room insulation to install new cables and/or tubes, I never replaced it. Nobody notices any difference.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 18th, '18, 06:37

Tony-
Provided your Diesel mechanic is local you are right about the $125 or thereabouts.

Had Foley do monthly service on Cat generator we had rented for the shop...filters, oil and travel time was a $1100 bill.

I was thinking more of when mechanic is not quite so local and your paying traveling fees on top of labor.
Cummins shines here as there is pretty good support around here.

Yanmar- from what i hear they are pricey on service...but at least the guys in our area is good now.
Last guy was horrible and he fought hard to keep others out.

Smell, noise, vibration and turbo whine is not an issue for me and mine. For me its a plus.
I have some friends wives that do find it objectionable...but again, I'm fine with that.

And the smoke from Cummins is not that bad to pretty good. A friend with Volvos was another story.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Sep 18th, '18, 21:16

Carl

The diesel guy is only 15 minute drive to my boat. So not too bad. But $125 an hour gets charged from the time they leave the shop until they return no matter were you are. I have not been wrapped with travel charges yet by them but with a total 30 minute travel time it could be lost in the hours charged.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 19th, '18, 07:17

Tony-
15 min or a half hour isn't so bad.
Thinking of when dad called for service on his Steyrs. Johnson and Towers only guy certified on them was in Egg Harbor. 2 hours and change each way with traffic...then arrives at boat without a laptop. I guess dad would not have been charged if he told him to go back but he wanted boat serviced so he got started while I ran home and grabbed my laptop with the Steyr software installed.
In a case like that the cost really jumps, especially if they need to come back to finish or they need a part they do not have with them or...

Good local service and part availability can turn a good deal on motors or whatever into an ok deal or a bad deal.

John F. · Post by **John F.** » Sep 19th, '18, 08:29

Carl/Tony-

in my view/experience, there are a lot of mechanics that can work on gas motors, so they charge less. And they're all familiar with the base motors we're generally talking about (BB GMs). There are not that many diesel mechanics, and even less good ones that are really familiar with what you may have (Cummins, Yanmar, DD, Cat) so they charge more. Everything about having gas engines is cheaper, except the fuel. And the safety issue--when I read about this last, most boat fires were in diesels, not gas. Really. That said, I'm keeping my DDs until I can't, and then I'm going with Cummins.

John

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 19th, '18, 09:41

Fires I know about on diesels had to do with dry turbos with bad insulation, dry turbos with oily residue soaked insulation, turbos being sprayed when an oil or fuel line let go and bad seals in turbos leaking oil.
What I got from that...turbos, make sure they are on your maintenance checklist.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Sep 19th, '18, 21:41

John

Down were I am, $125 is the standard hourly charge at all the Marina's. Gas, Diesel or any other work on the boat.

There are some mobile mechanics around that might hit you for 90 or 100 an hour but they do not do diesels. From what I have heard from some guys the outboard Mechanics get $125 an hour.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 20th, '18, 14:51

i guest some of us should take note and appreciate your self talents i for one never paid a mechanic in my life outboard, gas inboard,race boats, diesel and at home never paid a plumber, electrician, tile, concrete, stonemasons, painters, however, i pay a landscaper to the cut lawn starting this year.in addition to high-performance machine work on the Corvette motors over the years. i am not sure in this day and age why people don`t use the internet to make repairs on their boats and purchase tools with the money they saved.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Sep 20th, '18, 18:13

Bob,

Some people have talents outside of mechanical skills. I go back to my uncle who is brilliant, but cannot grasp how to use a screwdriver for anything other they prying a lid open. He is so smart he learned early on that he is much better off paying to have things done the right way.

Then some things you want done right the first time around...plus if you watch a professional do it right, you learn how to do it the right way.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Sep 20th, '18, 20:56

Bob

If you hired an electrician to do work on your house, I would never hire you to do electrical work on mine.

But every man needs to know their limits. I know mine. I do a lot of my own plumbing, some electrical etc. However, there are times you need to go outside. Sometimes because the job you are facing is just a pain in the !@@. Then it is worth what ever they want to charge.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 21st, '18, 08:30

tony you would laugh if i told you 90% of the electrical work and 100% of the extensive plumbing was done by my son so he could "brown nose" his mother into making him one of his favorite meals.so much custom work like no visible receptacles in the kitchen granite backsplash or granite island. enormous patience to router out the reveal under the bottom of cabinets and install plugmold with outlet every 4" and no switches or outlets in granite. all the plumbing is done in cast iron "no hub" silent when any water is used upstairs. molding is from Vermont we would acquire the excess from the mansions we did, usually one or two 5 million dollars plus homes every couple of years my son did.actually his specialty with a bowling alley, swimming pool, sauna in the 14' high basement. so he worked with the best of the best. sometimes it would take me an entire day to miter one piece of molding in the kitchen along with only one cabinet a day screwed and glue with no visible screws installed with a laser.this is how you build your Bertram and repower with the same care and patients.repower is not rocket science unless you want it to be like mount a laser on rudder and shoot thru automotive freeze out plug mounted in struct,that dot is centerline of shaft or you might say centerline of transmission output flange.here is a good example of patients.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 21st, '18, 09:02

tony how about mitering 11" crown with an exact fit on ceiling 18' long all must work together. cabinets must be perfect no tolerance between ceiling and then miter on a 45-degree cabinet.the same procedure doing 31 Bertram interior.

Harry Woods · Post by **Harry Woods** » Sep 21st, '18, 09:39

Hey Peter,
Give me a call on my cell at 516-749-3660.
Harry

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Sep 21st, '18, 14:58

I can't thank everyone enough, I've had a half dozen guys reach out offline and discuss things. It's super helpful....

neil · Post by **neil** » Sep 21st, '18, 15:17

Peter save a few dollars and go with Cummings 270s by the time they need mant your boys will be able to do it,ask me how I know,you will never regret it . Bob lico thanks for hiring a gardener it keeps guys like me in business

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Sep 21st, '18, 16:13

the repower subject comes up quite often and somebody always mentions you need to see what your mechanic/marina sells or users BULLS-IT read my lips there is no Yanmar other then the Toyota truck engine marinizes with some help from BMW.the distributor backed out so you can go with Cummins or Cummins or possibly Cummins that it in America .don`t take my word look up Tony Athens (Seaboard marine) in CA. a Yanmar/Cummins dealer. like he said over 2 million made. ok your Holset turbo went bad after 4000 hours will cost you $1400.00 new and $1100 rebuilt with warranty. oh you have a Yanmar sorry that part is a HINO made in China and imported to USA for the sum of $6,500 !!!!! cummins turbo on marine 270 hp about 9 minutes if you have a beer in between then an hour by a high school BOCCES kid. this is the reality .

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Sep 21st, '18, 21:27

Bob

Nice detail work in those pictures. Takes a craftsman to do that s tuff.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Dec 7th, '18, 15:06

"The best laid plans" Just got a wonderful msg from the mechanic winterizing the motors.... Starboard engine is locked up, the oil is milky looks like it's ingested seawater... Looks like decisions may need to be made sooner rather then later.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Dec 7th, '18, 21:27

Peter

Sorry to hear that.

Sounds like a riser went bad. Was she ever hard to turn over? That is usually sign of water in a cylinder.

I would drain the oil, load up the cylinders with oil let them sit and then try and crank it over. You might get lucky.

coolair · Post by **coolair** » Dec 7th, '18, 22:54

Pete
that sucks.. But like Tony said soak the cylinders with oil and try and turn it over. On my current endeavor my port engine had me concerned because it was not wanting to turn over. We turned it over by hand, turns out all the grounds and battery connects were really bad.
Once we got it running we ran it to the boat yard and the port engine steamed the entire way. Had never done that before. I figured it could only be a couple things and a rebuild was in order. After pulling both motors and tearing them down and ordering all the new stuff i need(wanted) one of the guys at the machine shop found the plug in the exhaust crossover on the intake with a hole in it. Other than that the motors were pretty much in perfect shape. I basically did all this work for nothing other than piece of mind. It maybe something simple and not as bad as it sounds just never know. But from what i have gathered if it is dead finding 454 long blocks is easy and pretty reasonable.

Bob, i gotta mess with you a little bit. You listed almost all the trades but 1. I know none of us can live with out ac and heat, have you ever had to call someone to work on that??

Amazing how something so small can cause so many problems.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Dec 8th, '18, 10:26

PeterPalmieri wrote:"The best laid plans" Just got a wonderful msg from the mechanic winterizing the motors.... Starboard engine is locked up, the oil is milky looks like it's ingested seawater... Looks like decisions may need to be made sooner rather then later.

Sounds like you may have found your running warm issue.

A clogged riser is a cooling water restriction on your cooling system. Going slow allows enough water by so engine runs cool, but as you start to push engine more, the motor works harder and normally more cooling water would pass through at higher rpms, but riser being clogged does not allow that. So you push, temp rises, you ease up temp falls.

So the issue is water in the oil and motors locked up...whats that got to do with a clogged riser? Well one thing the risers get clogged up from is rust. The cast iron rusts from inside making passages smaller, rust pieces get torn off and clog the nozzle that flows water into the exhaust. What also happens is the rust goes deeper and deeper till you have a hole allowing water back into engine, goes into open valve into cylinder..into motor.
Could also be the exhaust manifold, same story as a bad riser.
Could also be a blown head gasket.

In any case, pull plugs, turn motor over a few times to rid cylinder of water, lube cylinders and again make sure motor turns over freely.
Unless mechanic pushed to try and get it started, or a cylinder fired before locking...you just have hydrolock (water in cylinders that will not compress, thus not allowing motor to turn over).
Should be nothing more then fix reason why water got in, flush motors a couple times to get bad oil out and you could be good to go.
There are worse scenarios, but don't overthink it till you need to.
Been there, done that have the t-shirt.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Dec 8th, '18, 22:01

Peter

Listen to Carl. Pull all the plugs and see if you can spin it over. But get that bad oil out of it first. If it spins over, see which cylinder has the water. If it is one of the rear cylinders then odds are it is a riser issue. If it any of the others then it might be manifolds or head gasket.

Personally I would bet on the risers. They should be changed every 5 years when you are in straight salt water. If you are in Brackish you might get 7. Then once you get it running, and have hopefully only had to fix the risers, change the oil and change the oil and change the oil. In the first oil change short it a quart and put in a quart of Transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery oil. They are excellent cleaners and will help get out the water.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Dec 9th, '18, 11:20

The starboard motor has been kept alive on borrowed time for the 8 seasons I’ve had the boat. I don’t think trying to get her going once again is going to inspire to much confidence. Being the time of year we are in I just won’t know until spring. I’m leaning towards ordering a complete 454 from Michigan motorz, dropping it in and moving on.

pschauss · Post by **pschauss** » Dec 9th, '18, 19:50

Peter,

Do you plan to buy a long block or a complete engine?

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Dec 9th, '18, 20:44

Peter

Probably the most reasonable way to go cost wise especially if you can use your old transmissions and existing parts off the old engine.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Dec 10th, '18, 12:28

I've decided to buy a new generation 6 complete motor from Michigan motorz. The other motor (port) I was able to just purchase a long block but eventually I had many other components that need replacing, hoses, starter, fuel pump etc. This motor has been on borrowed time for too long. Realizing it possibly could be saved, I just don't want to throw any more time and money at it. Drop in the new motor after the new year and be ready to go, before spring gets here.

When I really list out my priorities for using the boat over the next few years, I just need reliable engines and to have less weekends where the boat is in the shop. Bass fishing, running the family to the beach or just a couple hour ride. This is also a cost we can cover without to much concern, write a check be done. Any "repower" that includes replacing both engines and gears is just to much for the use we are getting from her at this point.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Dec 10th, '18, 18:19

I was going to say you can't put a price tag on being confident in your boat and its motors...but I guess you did.
For that matter so did I.

I was so done coming back to the dock having a feeling of relief that we made it.

Only way I was going to shake that feeling was pull motors and go over from top to bottom.
I knew if I overlooked or skipped anything, that would be the dog that bit me.

Glad for you Pete. Get it done and enjoy the boat!

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Dec 10th, '18, 22:06

Peter

Good decision. Everything new on the motor is the way to go.

Do yourself one favor on that engine before it goes in. Have the mechanic attach a line to the drain plug so you can drain the oil without sucking out the dipstick. Makes changing the oil so much easier. Also if possible have him move all the oil and spin on fuel filter to the companion way or other spot so you do not have to lean over the engine to change them.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Dec 11th, '18, 11:08

Thanks for the advice guys. Have to finalize shipment and payment of the motor which should be delivered sometime in January and then arrange a dock to dock with sea tow. I really don't want to run the boat on one motor over to the yard, engines have been winterized at my dock for now....

Other stuff-

Pulled the canvas top to my half tower, having that replaced along with the interior cushions and will pull the starboard section of the teak deck next week to have the rotted core replaced. Let's hope for not to much snow and ice so I can get all of this work done before spring. Planning on painting the dinette and galley but will have to wait for warmer weather at this point.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Dec 12th, '18, 16:40

slight update my port motor is a Mark IV, which Michigan motorz tells me puts out slightly less horsepower then the Gen 6 block, they tend to push the boat a bit more, can heat up a bit and can be prone to problems when paired with an older gen.

So the motor I ordered is a complete engine built on a mark IV block, saved me a bit of money but will match my port motor better. Delivery early January..

CamB25 · Post by **CamB25** » Dec 12th, '18, 16:52

For a second there, I thought you were going to tell us you ordered two new motors!

Good luck with the project!
Cam

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Dec 13th, '18, 09:39

This is not here...

unless I find the delete post thingy, in which case it will really not be here.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Dec 13th, '18, 09:40

Sounds quite reasonable to keep them matched.
.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jan 8th, '19, 11:54

Quick question, have the motor built around a Mark IV block and Michigan motorz can't source a dipstick tube so they've asked that I remove mine and ship it to them. Apparently it attaches to the pan, is this fairly easy to get too? And are there any tricks to removing it?

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Jan 9th, '19, 00:00

Peter

Last time I helped pull an engine apart I was 15 years old. If I remember right you need to drop the pan to get the dip stick out. Try a salvage yard but I would think there has to be a source for new ones. Try a speed shop. They rebuild a lot of engines. Might be able to source them from some place like that.

coolair · Post by **coolair** » Jan 9th, '19, 00:53

Peter. I think the dipstick tube is pressed in and pulls out realatively easy. But i cant remember exactly where. I think there is a hole in the block. You can get them from summit or probably oreilly auto parts. Or junk yard like Tony said. Only thing i am not sure about is if the dipstick in a marine engine is longer or shorter than in a car