Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

[RCSConstruction]

Hi everyone.
I want to say thank you for all your help thus far. I have learned a h@ll of alot.
I finally pulled the motor and have everything prepped to start swapping over parts.
Question 1: The new longblock does not have studs for the windage tray. How important is it for me to install this? I really don't want to have to unbolt the mains if I am only going to lose a few extra HP. That's about all it's there for, no?
Question 2: The plastic timing cover. Can I go get a steel stamped one?
Question 3: Do I need to bleed the power steering lines when I put them back in?
Question 4: I removed the hydraulic lines to the rams on my outdrive. Do I bleed those?
Question 5: The front lag screws. Do I go the next size bigger? It seems like it would not be as strong lagging in a second time,or third... I also noticed a little water squirt as I pulled one of the lags and there is water in the holes on one side. This is going to be an issue???? It doesn't feel soft, should I tear into the glass a little and investigate?
Question 6: Do you put the entire motor together and install it or do you put things like the exhaust and carb on after it's in?
I guess that's it. I will be putting everything together tomorrow and installing it Fri in hopes of getting it on the water Saturday to work out the bugs and get her broke in properly.
If I can get some insight on these questions I think I am good to go the rest of the way!!!

P.S.
I removed the drive and the shaft and U-joints had a good amount of surface rust. There was about 1 teaspoon of water and little oil crystals in the top bellow that the drive slips through. U-joints are in excellent shape, gimball bearing is smooth as silk when you roll it but the rust has me a little concerned. I plan on having someone replace the gimball,bellows and align the motor but was wondering if this is pretty common(standard condensation or signs of an actual leak) and not much to be alarmed about. If anything for future reference.
Thanks again

 

[johnbo]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

I seem to remember that you had a mid-late 90's VolvoPenta (always good to remind folks..) So I feel partially qualified to answer your questions.

#1 - No idea
#2 - I've heard on this site that the steel covers will rust away within a year in a salt environment.
#3/#4 - I've learned (from this site) that these will self bleed by cycling them through their range of motion several times. I believe that the P/S lines are bled without running the engine first, 6 lock to lock turns of the helm was what I was told. It would be good not to let the pumps go dry during all of this bleeding.
#5 - Uh oh. That doesn't sound good. Shouldn't be any water there.
#6 - I heard Don S. say that he puts everything together on the stand/floor and actually fires up the engine before installing it in the boat. Makes sense to me and there aren't that many connections to the engine compared to a car.

#7 (PS) - Shouldn't be any rust nor water in there. Make sure that you replace the bellows (its a piece of cake on a Volvo), given the other amount of work you are doing, I'd sure be tempted to replace the gimbal and the U-joints. I hate that feeling of "I wonder if I should have done that...."

Good luck, sounds like a busy couple of days.

johnbo

 

[Coors]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

uh oh; rotten stringers...

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

Thanks for the info. Now you guys have me freaked out.
Stringer bad? I guess I should chip away and see what I find??
FYI boat is the 2000 Wellcraft 186ss 5.7 volvo penta, SX-M drive.
I am not sure how it would be rotten. It was garage kept and only used in the river 3-4x a year. Any other explanation?

 

[superpop]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

I would start by taking a hard look inside the holes and look for any rot. when you removed the stringer bolts how did water squirt out, did any wood fibers come out with the bolts. Thats a new one on me. I have a 1996 Wellcraft 4.3L and the stringers in it are as dry as a bone, I would be really surprised if you had Stringer Rot on that new of a boat. Unless you are the second owner and do not know its true history, if that is the case then all bets are off.

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

second owner, bought from original owner. They were upfront about everything and had the boat in the garage even when I went to look at it.
When I started to undo the lags it kinda "squirt" off to the side as if I relieved some pressure?? The water is clear and clean, I did poke in it and it seemed solid. I even put a lag back in a little to see if I could pull the threads out and it held.
We just had a good rain a few weeks back and the boat was soaked, got a ton of water in it, but how the water gets into the stringer is my concern.

 

[Coors]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

Even rain water in the bilge will creep in anything that is not sealed. If water was in the stringers, check boat restoration in here. You can probably just plug and re-drill the lags.

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

Chipped up around the mounts and the wood is white and fresh about 1/16" down. Only the very tip-top was discolored. Tapped all around and got a very solid "ding" everywhere. Had to have been from the water seeping into the lags. I am going to use some caulking when I put the lags back in. I think more people should be aware of this problem as I don't see it stressed enough to seal the motor mount lags well.
Anyhoo...Motor gets dropped in tomorrow....Yay!!
Thanks for the help everyone.

P.S. Would would be the best thing to seal the chipped up area that I tore into?

 

[Coors]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

use 4200 to seal the lags.

 

[John_S]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

The older metal style timing covers have a different hole pattern. Don't know of an after-market steel that fits the newer pattern. Why change it?

According to Dennis Moore, all marine engines use a windage tray. Says it to prevent the spinning crank from coming into contact with oil in the pan, reduce foaming, and help control sloshing from rough seas and hard turns. Why risk not installing one?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Putting the motor together, have several ?'s

Question 1: The new longblock does not have studs for the windage tray. How important is it for me to install this? I really don't want to have to unbolt the mains if I am only going to lose a few extra HP. That's about all it's there for, no?

As John said,...... It's Oil Control,.... Not HP,.....
I'd Swap in the Studs from the old motor,+ Retorque........

Question 2: The plastic timing cover. Can I go get a steel stamped one?

Ayuh,........ Plastic Don't Rust,..... I'd leave that alone.......

Question 3: Do I need to bleed the power steering lines when I put them back in?

Nope,....... It's a Full Circle system,....... It's purge the Air with use,.....

Question 4: I removed the hydraulic lines to the rams on my outdrive. Do I bleed those?

Nope,..... just Cycle it a few times.....

Question 5: The front lag screws. Do I go the next size bigger? It seems like it would not be as strong lagging in a second time,or third...

You might want to bed them in 4200 or something,...
But no need to go to larger 1s.......

Question 6: Do you put the entire motor together and install it or do you put things like the exhaust and carb on after it's in?

That's personal preference,+ Depends on what your Lifting Capabilities are...........
I like to assemble on a stand,+ Stab it in 1 Shot..........

P.S.

No water in the bellows is a Good Thing,.......... That's an Issue.........

It sounds like your gaining on it,..........

Good Luck.......