Engine Move

[jimcleary]

Awhile ago I posted a thread about hearing a ticking sound when sailing and the engine was freewheeling. That sound became worse this season and obviously something needed to be done about it. Dana's engine is the original Yanmar 3QM30F with 6500 hours on it. First thing was to find someone who could work on the transmission. Rick Neari at East Coast Transmissions in South Amboy NJ assured me that the parts are available and he would be happy to do the job. Next job was to get the tranny off the boat and across to NJ. A good look at the possibility of removing the gearbox from the engine while in place assured me that there was no possibility! So the engine had to be moved into the main cabin to be able to do the work. Attached are some photos of the move and the engine sitting on the stbd bunk. The move is done by suspending two 2" galvanized pipes from the companionway and the hatch over the table. Two 1/2 ton chain falls are used to shuffle the 630 lb engine forward. It then is placed on a 4x4 cradle and it's ready for the work to begin. The KH-18 transmission comes off with 10 bolts and took 1/2 hour to do. One problem was that the rear engine mounts are mounted on the transmission housing and had to be removed and the engine resupported. Once the tranny came off the probable source of the ticking noise became evident, one of the five springs on the damper plate had broken free of it's holder and was loose. I'm hoping that is the solution but I'll have the tranny rebuilt as long as it is out. This Thursday the unit will travel to NJ for some TLC. I'll keep you up to date on the progress.

 

[john english]

Hi Jim,
That 6500 hour lump looks brand new in the last frame. Has it been out before? What was the condition of the engine bed wood where the lags bolts held the mounts? If you are on the hard, have you considered the PSS dripless shaft seal?

 

[jimcleary]

John

In that last frame it shows the engine going back into place the last time I had it out in 2006. I put it in there to show the system used to move the beast. This time it will get a good degreasing and a new paint job to look as good as new (almost). The engine bed appears to be in good shape. A little soft where the motor mount lag bolts went in. I'll drill those areas out with a large bit and insert new hardwood dowels in to accept the lags. The original wood under the glass coating of the bed is soft pine and did not fare well where the lags were.

I have thought long and hard about using the dripless system. Upon hearing the stories of the small drip tube failing and sinking, or nearly sinking boats, I steered away. My shaft tube is sealed with the GFO packing made with Gore-Tex material and has served Dana well. The engine compartment, shown untouched in the photos will be getting a makeover before the beast goes back in.

Jim

 

[Keefer Douglas]

Beautiful work as always Jim. 6500 hours and the old silver beast looks like she is just getting started!

 

[jimcleary]

Thanks Keefer.

I just returned from the transmission rebuilder. He could not believe the tranny has that many hours on it. He opened it up, inspected the gears and bearings and shafts and feels it is all within spec. So no rebuild, just new fore and aft seals and close it back up. The damper plate will be replaced ( I finally found out what a damper plate does!). He is sure that the noise we heard when freewheeling was from the loose spring on that plate. So all and all a great day for Dana and my wallet.

If anyone ever needs someone to work on a transmission, His name is Rick Neari at East Coast Transmission, in South Amboy, New Jersey. His number is 732-991-0694.

Jim

 

[john english]

And now for something entirely different!
What magical elixir lubricated the clockworks ?

 

[dave_a]

Thanks Keefer.

I just returned from the transmission rebuilder. He could not believe the tranny has that many hours on it. He opened it up, inspected the gears and bearings and shafts and feels it is all within spec. So no rebuild, just new fore and aft seals and close it back up. The damper plate will be replaced ( I finally found out what a damper plate does!). He is sure that the noise we heard when freewheeling was from the loose spring on that plate. So all and all a great day for Dana and my wallet.

If anyone ever needs someone to work on a transmission, His name is Rick Neari at East Coast Transmission, in South Amboy, New Jersey. His number is 732-991-0694.

Jim

Jim, the folks at TransAtlantic Diesel (the Perkins experts) told me something along the lines of that damper plates were consumables. One should replace them every so often. Every couple 1000 hrs or so, I forget exactly what they said. You got your money's worth out of the first one.
The Perkins transmissions unbolt from the back and make that job a lot easier. Good to see you can still get in those small places. Congrats on resolving that expensive noise.

 

[terry_thatcher]

So Jim, some of us are considering repowering. Your engine has a lot less horsepower than the Perkins, right? What rpm gives you 6 knots? Do you know what shaft HP your Yanmar produces when going 6 knots? Thanks.

 

[jimcleary]

John
The magic elixir is Shell Rotella T straight #30 motor oil. Many years ago Mack Boring recommended switching from ATF to #30 oil in their Yanmar transmissions. The Rotella T is the only oil I run in the engine so the switch meant only one product was needed to be on board for both. Yesterday Rick, the tranny guy showed me the casing of a tranny with less then 500 hours on it, it was black with crud and residue. The casing for mine with 6500 hours was clean ns the oil was the color of new oil. He said there could be many reasons for the difference in the state of the casings but the oil make a difference for sure.

Terry
A long time ago there was a discussion about why the Yanmar 3QM30 at 30 HP has a very similar performance to the Perkins 4-108 at 50 HP. The answer came down to where the shaft horsepower on each engine is measured from. If I am remembering correctly, the Yanmar measures AFTER the transmission at the coupling, The Perkins is measured BEFORE the transmission. If you interpolate the difference both engines output about the same SHP. My Yanmar with a three blade 16 x 11 prop cruises at 6.2 kts (in calm water) at 2200 rpm. What the actual SHP is at that RPM I haven't a clue.

Jim

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

Congratulations Jim! That is great news. Sonata has the same prop behind her 4-108 Perkins. I see this HP rating like the way cars have been measured, at the crank vs at the wheels. Vastly different but still getting the same job done. Sonata only has about 16xx hours on her engine. I think we need to use her more. 6500 hours incredible.
Mitchell

 

[jimcleary]

Thanks Mitchell

I'm planning on reaching 10,000 hours on the beast. It will take a lot of work and a basket full of money. The condition of the transmission when we opened it up bode well for reaching that goal. Bonnie and I talked last night about how much longer we want to keep up the work and effort with the boat. It all came down to Lynn and Larry Pardy's motto: As long as it's fun. So with all the money we have already invested, what's a little bit more.

We have never been shy about running the engine. I would venture that 90% of those 6500 hours were at 2200 RPM.

Jim

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

That's pretty impressive Jim. And I agree, and remember the Pardey's motto and quote. I try to do the same. The older we get, the more important living up to that gets. I hope you have many, many years boating with your beautiful Morgan.
Mitchell