Crusader pieces in the bilge....

[mrcaptainbob]

Not a good thing to find when halfway through a 75 mile trip, but there they were. Seems a rod let loose and found a hole in the block. It's the port engine and is a 350 Crusader in a Carver AC. I'll check, but doubt there will be any help forthcoming from the original people who installed it. It was about thirteen years ago when this was replaced due to freeze cracking. But...there MAY be 20 hours on it. Hurts to say, but I have not used it much since my wife lost interest. We're changing plans now and we are getting back to it. Now this. Insurance won't cover of coarse, so it's up to me and the bank account. Wife is understanding. Disappointed, too, but understanding. Since I most likely will be doing this with the help of my son, I'll be begging for info from time to time. He's a master mechanic and state licensed. No problems there. But...how do I get this beast from the below the floor to above? I'm thinking an A-frame type affair with a come-along and get the floor back beneath it. Removing the ancillary parts to the bare long block. I 'think' I have that covered. But how to get it up the stairs and through the salon door? And then....to get it to the ground from the aft deck??
Long winded note....apologies...

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Found one of the chunks is a large piece of piston, with about 1.5 inches of rings smushed in their grooves. Will make a nice paper weight. Did some studying on it today and it appears it may be some effort, but certainly within my son and my abilities. The marina mechanic was not too knowledgeable about how to go about getting it out of the boat. Windows? Doorway? Trying to come up with an idea of how to raise the engine from the bilge.... Heck, we can do that. But our plan now is to hold off until later in the season. Get some ducks in order, sure, but also get a bit of use from the craft while the better weather is with us.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,... I was once involved with a motor pull in an ole Chriscraft Constellation, an ole 427 Ford motor,.....

It was stripped to the short block, 'n carried out in pieces,....
The short block was craned up, put on a dolly 'n wheeled out through the side door in the salon,...

 

[Ned L]

Unfortunately it is not that uncommon to have to at least partially strip an engine to get it out of an inner cabin. It may require anything from removing the manifolds to taking it down to a short block as Bondo said. --- Some boats were built with removable sections of the saloon overhead for just this reason (Chris Craft did this on some of their larger boats back in the 50's).

I would look into a GM 350 crate engine. They can be had for about $2000, just change over all the marine conversion parts.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Thanks Bondo, and thanks Ned for the welcome and the help. We're looking into various options. Took some salon measurements and will fab up a hoist rack at home and do some experimenting first. If it goes well, then later this year we'll pull that engine. The engine shop manual that came with the boat shows the manifold gaskets are each unique and specialized for their locations. Where might I get those kind of gaskets? I can easily remove the risers and the elbows but am concerned about possible gasket destruction. I'd just as soon replace them anyway. Also, how difficult is it to get that exhaust section from the rubber sleeve? There are two hose clamps, but is there also sealer involved? Is it difficult to remove the rubber connector from that (fiberglass?) bulbous piece? Sorry about the pitiful terminology.....

 

[Bondo]

Where might I get those kind of gaskets?

Crusader I would guess,....

Also, how difficult is it to get that exhaust section from the rubber sleeve?

Get yerself a "Hose Pick" to loosen the grip of the rubber against the iron or fiberglass, 'n they'll slip right off,....