Broken Transom mounting plate tab for steering cylinder.

[StingrayMike]

2006 Caravelle 218 LS Deck boat
5.0 GXI
SX-M Outdrive
Long story short was re-installing my steering cylinder after replacing an o-ring and the lower tab that hold the cylinder to the transom bracket broke. Don't know how, well I do, but never felt/had any warnings.
So I think my options are:
1. Pull boat out of water, remove engine and outdrive, remove plate and replace, or find someone who has experience welding aluminum
2. Take it to a shop and have them mess with it.

I am pretty mechanically inclined, and my son is a certified mechanic, so i am pretty sure we can figure it out. Just not sure on how to pull the engine from the boat. I assume just like a car. Only issue is that I only have access to a forklift and a come-along. And on that note, does the engine really need to be pulled? Or can I just remove all the interfacing parts and not have to?

Is it really worth the aggravation to do this myself, or would it be better just let the pro's do it. And if I do it myself, do i really need all the alignment tools? Since i am not fully removing the engine mounts and the same engine is going back in.

Not afraid to get dirty, just need some advice

 

[Fun Times]

Sorry to hear that because I know the feeling as I've been down this same road too with a Volvo around your same engine model and year. We were installing a new steering cylinder and the guy helping me accidently misaligned the actuator and the big bolt that holds the actuator in place to the Inner Transom Plate and as he tightened the bolt down it snapped the plate ear.

Of course working for a boat dealership we didn't really have any choice but to install a new Inner Transom Plate as even thinking about welding something as important as part of the boats steering system isn't even an option to consider (< though we did for a very spilt second) due to at the end of the day it helps keep people alive and out of the court system.

Either way you repair it the engine has to come out just to be able to remove the inner transom plate from the outer transom assembly. The engine is easy (easier than a car/truck) to disconnect before removing. Maybe just take a few over all photos of where things belong.

If you have a lot of room to just lift the engine then below are mostthing's you'd need to remove,
4 motor mount bolts or nuts. two at the rear of the bell housing area 2 or 4 towards the front/sides of the block which ever way you see fit. http://www.volvopentastore.com/Motor...view_id.777052
1 throttle cable.
1 fuel line.
2 battery cables.. Red and Black or possibly yellow now.
A bunch (about 8) of hose clamps mostly for the exhaust on both sides.
Intake water hose at the rear of engine connected to the transom assembly...< Hose clamp.
1 ground wire between the engine bell housing stud and transom/gimbal housing to bond the transom/drive for corrosion protection.
Dare I say power steering hoses............:bolt:
And the stern drive which you should be doing every year or two as preventive maintenance. You could find deals if you search Ebay under mercruiser alignment tool from just a bar to other tools as a kit for other jobs you may have to do sometime. If you search Volvo alignment tools you won't find the same deals as Merc but since you have an Volvo SX drive, the Merc tool/s works pretty much just the same.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...nment&_sacat=0

Order one of these in the following link too as you'll want to grease the engine coupler using the alignment bar as you slide the bar in and out, keep adding grease to the bar, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercruiser-H...-/141023215038

Depending on your "timing" allowed to use the forklift, R & R the engine from the boat, work on the boat wherever that may be, it may just be a better idea for you and everyone involved that's offering to help you to just order a new transom plate so you're ready to install it right away vs drive all over town trying to find someone to repair something that in my honest opinion shouldn't be re-welded as there is continuous movement in that area.

Here should be your part for the inner transom plate,
http://www.volvopentastore.com/Inner...view_id.783168

There should also be another letter after you 5.0 GXI such as 5.0 GXI-J for example. It's important that you find and use that extra letter on your engine, transom and drive model numbers/letters as there are many different designs used between the models made.

Hope this helps, good luck.:encouragement:

 

[StingrayMike]

Fun Times,
Thanks for the input. I have a GXI-F. Just left off the F, didn't think it would matter.
There is litterly NO ROOM in the engine compartment. Not sure if this is normal, I dont think so, but to change out the impeller, there isn't enough room to pull off the pump housing before it hits the stringer. Unfortunately I haven't changed it out yet. I know i should, but besides cutting out a portion of the stringer, not sure how to get it off.
I figured as much to change out the transom plate. Looks simple enough, but the actual doing it is the question.

Again, thanks.

 

[StingrayMike]

Decided to take the boat to a DIY yard and pay to b have b them lift out the engine and put it back in, the rest of the work I am doing myself.
going for the whole kit and kaboodle, redo bottom paint, replace impeller, and any other maintenance I need/should do.
got a haul date of the 17th, only day aavailable, so gives me some time to order parts snd such.
yeah:blue: