Engine installation

Via side window

I have replaced old Volvo Penta engines with dual new Nanni Kubota via side window. By tying the engine between the crane forks, we were able to fit them through the window without cutting the wood nor fiberglass. With Volvo engines the clearance was less than an inch. Kubota was less tall by 1.5 inches. No disassembly of the engines was necessary as my Island Gypsy 44 has pretty large windows.

Hi Harlyguynola. I see from your interior pictures that the original fiberglass refrigerator enclosure has been removed, so you will have more room than I did to swing the engine once inside. Looks like you've got a plan. Like Ski was saying earlier, "An engine getting loose can do a lot of damage to it, boat and people." Have plenty of safety measures in place to restrain that engine and people out of the way. And please post some pictures. I am particularly interested because these boats are far a few between. My DF40 is still pretty much as built, but with new electronic. I enjoyed looking at some of the interior upgrades that have been done to yours. BTW, I have many of the original full blueprints from these boats, including the AC and DC wiring for the single and twin engine models. Let me know if you need anything.

remwines said:

Hi Harlyguynola. I see from your interior pictures that the original fiberglass refrigerator enclosure has been removed, so you will have more room than I did to swing the engine once inside. Looks like you've got a plan. Like Ski was saying earlier, "An engine getting loose can do a lot of damage to it, boat and people." Have plenty of safety measures in place to restrain that engine and people out of the way. And please post some pictures. I am particularly interested because these boats are far a few between. My DF40 is still pretty much as built, but with new electronic. I enjoyed looking at some of the interior upgrades that have been done to yours. BTW, I have many of the original full blueprints from these boats, including the AC and DC wiring for the single and twin engine models. Let me know if you need anything.

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Awesome great and yes I will send you video and pics I have new plan my neighbor is F1 race driver for many years holds many national championships drives for Sheik of Dubai we actually grew up together he came up with great plan gonna move my 25ft Chaparral out of sling he has 30ft I beam gonna take straps off of cables that lift boat and mount top of beam using bolts and L brackets on bottom using 2500lb trolly with 2500lb hoist snatching engine off of dock pulling boat port side center of slip so beam lines up with center of door sticking end of beam in port side door then gliding engine through door swinging like you said because I am going to remove the fridge and panel inside setting engine down then I am going to have another beam bow to stern over hatch cutting floor about 2ft back of hatch over engine mounts on beam inside putting same trolly and hoist on beam inside snatching back up off floor and lower onto motor mounts of course shoring up floor to support weight and a Aframe at each end of beam as high as I can get it oh btw here’s my phone number call me because I put macerator in engine room and moved 10 kw Isuzu generator with limamac back in lazaret so I would like to see what you have 985 768 6019 my name is Tim

Greetings,
Mr. H. Holy moley! That sounds like a PLAN! You HAVE to video the whole process. It will go viral on U-Tube.


PLEASE be careful.

Videos indeed Seriously, good luck with the install. oh, and punctuation - our Faulkner would be proud

Everybody's weighing in with good advice.
My two penn'orth would be to strip down the engine, alternators etc to reduce not only the size but the weight for easier handling.
Get some old foam rubber and tape it around door edges etc to prevent any damage.
If it were mine I'd go to a service shipyard as SKI suggests.
There's a time and a place to save a few bucks and this ain't the time.
Take loads of photo's at each stage, write down a rough copy each stage, you can tidy that up later and build a file for future reference.
Surprising how many small things you will forget over time.
I've seen many jobs made over complicated so measure twice cut once, and make haste slowly.
Good Luck with the project.
p.s Put some cold ones in the fridge for the evening post mortem.

Irish Rambler said:

Everybody's weighing in with good advice.
My two penn'orth would be to strip down the engine, alternators etc to reduce not only the size but the weight for easier handling.
Get some old foam rubber and tape it around door edges etc to prevent any damage.
If it were mine I'd go to a service shipyard as SKI suggests.
There's a time and a place to save a few bucks and this ain't the time.
Take loads of photo's at each stage, write down a rough copy each stage, you can tidy that up later and build a file for future reference.
Surprising how many small things you will forget over time.
I've seen many jobs made over complicated so measure twice cut once, and make haste slowly.
Good Luck with the project.
p.s Put some cold ones in the fridge for the evening post mortem.

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Thanks will post pics I got this have great help it’s going to be tight but it’s going in

You'll get there, don't worry.
The post mortem write up and photo's are good to look back on and also show service records/repairs for any future owner.

I really love my boat but it's a material thing and it will outlast me and have to be sold one day.
Maybe my son will wait until all the works finished with nothing more to do except enjoy life, then wander along and say 'Hey Pops I've been thinking'

Best tool for engine removal, saws all. It’s fiberglass, mate. When building our 34’ sport fish boats, no large engine hatch. For major engine problems or removal, just saw a large enough hole in the deck, and the roof if need be. Found it much easier to repair the hole than all the bs of trying to fit it through doors and hatches.

I have a 1974 DeFever Passagemaker 40. Replaced the motors and the fuel tanks in 2007. The yard had a contraption that attached to the travel lift that
had an articulating arm. I've attached a few pictures.

Jim Mason said:

I have a 1974 DeFever Passagemaker 40. Replaced the motors and the fuel tanks in 2007. The yard had a contraption that attached to the travel lift that

had an articulating arm. I've attached a few pictures.

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Thanks for sharing any chance you know what your door opening is mine is 21 1/2 just wanted to see if same again thanks I will be posting many pictures of my install

I'll try and get there tomorrow and measure the opening.
They did have to take the heat exchanger off the motors
and remove the refrigerator door to have enough clearance.

Jim Mason said:

I'll try and get there tomorrow and measure the opening.

They did have to take the heat exchanger off the motors

and remove the refrigerator door to have enough clearance.

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Thanks I stripped the engine and getting ready to pull the trigger I am going to do it while at my dock still in the water using beams boat hoist and good carpentry and lumber so I think I have a good plan curious to know are your engines 130hp Perkins

The engines I took out were Perkins.(130 hp?)
I replaced them with Cummins 6BTA5.9 that had
300 hours since being rebuilt. Long story short,
the Perkins were in need of rebuilding and I got
a good deal on the Cummins.

Jim Mason said:

The engines I took out were Perkins.(130 hp?)

I replaced them with Cummins 6BTA5.9 that had

300 hours since being rebuilt. Long story short,

the Perkins were in need of rebuilding and I got

a good deal on the Cummins.

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Thanks where is your home port

Maybe building a cardboard mock-up will help planning the job.

Jim Mason said:

The engines I took out were Perkins.(130 hp?)
I replaced them with Cummins 6BTA5.9 that had
300 hours since being rebuilt. Long story short,
the Perkins were in need of rebuilding and I got
a good deal on the Cummins.

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That sounds like something we're interested in too (not a DeFever though). We have Perkin M135 and we're thinking of re-powering.
Can you say what trouble/issues you had in making the change? Did you change everything - prop shaft, gearbox, water pump, engine beds, outlets, etc etc.

High Wire said:

Maybe building a cardboard mock-up will help planning the job.

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Good Idea

Harleyguy,
The door opening measures 23 1/2"W x 53" H.
My homeport is Crisfield, MD.

mcarthur,
I used the old trannys (Velvet Drive). Had them rebuilt and
they bolted up to the new motors using a Cummins adapter.
Shafts, props were reused without modification. All else was
moving hoses, strainers and Racors to a convenient location.
The motors fit right on the stringers.

Jim Mason said:

Harleyguy,

The door opening measures 23 1/2"W x 53" H.

My homeport is Crisfield, MD.



mcarthur,

I used the old trannys (Velvet Drive). Had them rebuilt and

they bolted up to the new motors using a Cummins adapter.

Shafts, props were reused without modification. All else was

moving hoses, strainers and Racors to a convenient location.

The motors fit right on the stringers.

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Thanks you have two more inches wider than mine 2 inches is a mile when doing this gonna have to see tomorrow if I can widen by taking door trim off hope I can gain the 2 inches that way

Harleyguy,
I did remove the port side window to put a new couch
in the main salon. That may be your best bet.
Good luck!

Ok have new plan you see in picture where my 25ft Chaparral is hanging ok move that boat out going to take off straps off mount the cables to the top of I beam leaving few feet past end of dock and inside of port side door put beam trolly on bottom with electric winch hoist snatch engine off dock roll through door have two A Frames one aft and forward of engine room hatch with another beam same set up as outside snatch engine up off floor and guide over mounts reassemble engine of everything then setting on mounts and hooking it all back up so two beams one beam trolly one electric hoist some lumber and lots of luck I will have it in not this Saturday but the next thanks for all your knowledge I love my 40ft DownEast passage-maker I wouldn’t want nothing else I am doing this with the help of just a few friends who like a good challenge lol I will take lots of pics and video and share

And, almost 2 years later with no news...

After reading the whole thread I was looking forward to a happy ending and some great pictures and video. Did this get continued in a new thread? Or...shudder...not.

jbloyd said:

After reading the whole thread I was looking forward to a happy ending and some great pictures and video. Did this get continued in a new thread? Or...shudder...not.

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It looks like there was a happy ending!
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/engine-installed-took-lots-work-but-i-did-44308.html

boomerang said:

It looks like there was a happy ending!
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/engine-installed-took-lots-work-but-i-did-44308.html

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Thanks. Used the link and it was good to see the reality rather than dwelling on all the nightmare scenarios I could envision.