Engine removal

I have a 1988 boat. It is powered by a 350 motor with the omc outdrive. I need to pull the motor and rebuild it. I have pulled motors out of vehicles but this will be my first time from a boat. Where do i remove it from my drive. It looks like i should just pull it apart at the bell housing. Then it should pull right out. Is this correct?

Re: Engine removal

I'm not certain about the V8, but I was you about two years ago...lots of car engine pulls, but never on my boat. I have the 4.3 V6 w/OMC outdrive, and I'll tell you it wasn't bad.

Start by taking everything you can out of your way in the boat. For me that was back seat, sun-deck, and covers. With all the stuff out of mine it was like working on an engine in your living room floor!

Next pull the outdrive - pretty self-explanatory. Take off the trim cylinders from the outdrive and wire them up - I don't let 'em hang. THen there are six nuts holding the outdrive to the gimbal housing. It's ready to come out! I'm a little bigger than average, but no muscle-man, and I could take it out by hand. Weighs probably about 100#.

The engine has a coupler on the flywheel that the outdrive shaft fits into, and a housing over it where the bell housing would be on a car. Leave this on and pull the whole thing, there are two mount points on the housing, one on each side, plus the forward engine mounts. There will be some water hoses from the gimbal housing, I took them off the motor end, they're a pain to get on and off the gimbal. Take the exhaust hoses off between the Y-pipe and the exhaust manifold risers, leave them on the motor.

Other than that the usual wires, etc. I left the wiring harness and all on my motor and dealt with it on the stand.

Good luck.

Re: Engine removal

On the front engine mounts remove the lag bolts that hold the mount to the stringers..Do not take the big fine thread nuts off.
This will help you in getting it lined back up when you put the engine in.

Re: Engine removal

Check out the Adults only section, hopefully there is still OEM manuals for the motor. They are a HUGE help. You don't need to print, just bring them up.

A couple of things, it is a great time to cleanup you wiring and other bilge items (repaint etc)

I just finished mine (7.4l) and the best thing was I could start up the motor outside the boat... I knew everything worked, nothing leaked. It is even better than working on a car! No fancy emissions either

Have fun. Lot of work, but you will be proud after!

Re: Engine removal

Just pulled mine out for a longblock install. Easy as pie. Disconnect anything attached to engine. Disconnect wiring harness, water line, and pull the outdrive. Outdrive is nice to have a buddy with but its easy enough do do alone.

Remove the engine mount bolts, both front and rear. Lift the engine out using your hoist, and pull forward slightly to avoid hitting the coupler on the steering linkages and transom assmebly.

Did this on a 1999 4.3L merc.

Re: Engine removal

sorry wrong info

Re: Engine removal

Thanks Everyone i will get started tomorrow. May have a few more questions but you all helped me out alot.

Re: Engine removal

A couple of weekends ago I pulled mine in 2 hours start to finish - hanging on the hook in the garage withj the boat under a tarp in the drive... You'll do great

Re: Engine removal

Axe said:

Thanks Everyone i will get started tomorrow. May have a few more questions but you all helped me out alot.

Click to expand...

Being that none of us said it before, Welcome to Iboats!

Re: Engine removal

Will be pulling mine ,120 merc. I undid starter wiring then figured out no need,
I pulled fuel tank,wiring harness unplug, bottom bolts on front mount and rear mounts. need to get water hose and exhaust water hose, misc grounds on engine. No hoist so i am going to use straps and two strong back,figure 400 lbs
or so . will slide it forward and change coupler and redo hanging wires and put in some bus bars for power and gounds.

Re: Engine removal

Good point, welcome.

try to leave as many parts on the motor as possible, marine engines are pretty self contained, and you can easily run them on a stand. they are much easier to work on a stand.

The exhaust manifolds are heavy, so if you don't have much lifting power take them off (maybe 100-150 lbs for the set w/elbows?)

One last note, you likely will NOT be able to use a floor mounted "Engine Hoist", you will need something with a larger pull distance.

Have fun

Re: Engine removal

Flargin said:

Good point, welcome.

try to leave as many parts on the motor as possible, marine engines are pretty self contained, and you can easily run them on a stand. they are much easier to work on a stand.

The exhaust manifolds are heavy, so if you don't have much lifting power take them off (maybe 100-150 lbs for the set w/elbows?)

One last note, you likely will NOT be able to use a floor mounted "Engine Hoist", you will need something with a larger pull distance.

Have fun

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idk about this - measure to check. might be fine. even with the smallest hoiust I've used i was able to let the air out of the trailer tires and barely clear. this time I bought a decent sized 2 ton shop crane ant it could have cleared by at least a foot

Re: Engine removal

I have a ten foot A frame with a two ton chain hoist to pull mine out. Im excited to get started it will be fun and a learning curve too. Thanks all for the help.

Re: Engine removal

once you've cleaned things up and putting it back together, rubberized undercoating does wonders to curtail rust on the bottom in a damp bilge...

Re: Engine removal

All ment as planned. The motor came out very easy. Put it all back together and it runs well. Just need to put it on the water. Thanks for all your help

Re: Engine removal

Great to hear, putting together my longblock together over here!