HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

[Pan-one]

Have a 88 Citation 20' V8 5.7 260 I/O Mercruiser. Yesterday while in the process of gutting it for new seats and carpet I found that two portside engine mount bolts were sticking up 1". Thought that was wierd? Attempted to tighten up and they pulled right out! Seems the wood is rotted inside of the 1/4" fiberglass. What is the best way to cut and replace the stringer? Can I slide a small jack into the builge to take the weight of the port side of engine to replace stringer? I don't want to pull the engine! I've used the west system before and will probley use again to glass in new stringer (Good or bad)? The wood is too wet to just inject epoxy or tex. Need some help with this one THANKS!

 

[Solittle]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Pan - You can try most anything but I would think it would be easier to pull the engine or at least lift it up far enough so that you have ready access and I'm not a fan on working underneath suspended engines.<br /><br />Also before you do that I would check for rot on the starboard side mount and transom so that you know if you have work to do there (also floor??).

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Hey Pan.<br />Solittle has this right. It's no fun to work under a suspended engine. On the other hand, it can be done if this is all of the rot you're dealing with. I did 2 engine mounts in a boat. Put a pair of 3/4" boards down in the bilge for a platform, and I jacked it up, cut out the old mount, and built a new one and glassed it in. It's doable, but you'd want to do as much as possible before you get back in under the engine. It's hard to work with resin in tight spaces.<br />More importantly, you should really make sure that this is the extent of your rot. You should at least do a thorough inspection of all other mounts, stringers, floor, and transom if you haven't already. Good luck.

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Thanks! That was my plan to lay down ply in the builge and then jack the engine up. It looks like I'm going to replace the floor also. What kinda wood and glass did you use? <br />I think I'm going to take pictures of the entire process start to finish. I'm having a difficult time finding a simple solution to this common problem. Thanks for your feed back!

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Keep it simple, Pan. I used epoxy. It's the better product, but it's much higher in price. You can use woven cloth and polyester resin, available in a dozen places, including uscomposites.com, to name just one. You can also use epoxy resin and cloth. Do a search for polyester vs. epoxy. That will give you a ton of info. Just keep it simple.

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Just removed 1/2 of the floor and gas tank. I can't believe what I'm seeing! 2x4's and 1x's were used to build up the engine mount stringers. I can push my finger right through the wood? Unreal they enclosed all sides but one with glass. I need to get some pictures and post them on this. Looks like my winter is going to be spent in the garage with a case of beer and a ton of fiberglass. I'm sure glad I found this site because I'm going to need alot of help! Thanks in advance!<br />Looks as if I have to pull the engine at this point! <br />I have a 20' 1988 210 Lazer Citation Boats Inc. closed bow sport type with a Merc. V8 260hp Alfa I gen I.<br />No wounder that Cition Boats Inc. only lasted three years. I thought this boat was in alot better condition. Had it a couple years now, and the good news is that it's paid off and I got a great deal on it. I'm still ahead of the game, but as we all know: its how much you pay to play when it comes to boats.

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

I kinda figgered up at the top, that this would be heading this way,..............<br /><br />Pull the Outdrive,+ the Motor, Now,......Get'm mothballed,+ buried in a corner,.....<br />You won't be needing them for Awhile,........ <br /><br />I'm Sure your Post Count will be Much Higher by Then,..................................... <br /><br /><br />Way Cool,...... This is My 6500th Post,....!!!!!..............

 

[Solittle]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Pan - As you go through this keep all your posts in this thread sowe can follow it along - and don't forget the pictures both before, during & after.

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Ok, will do. <br />- A couple concerns: one is bringing the engine stringers back to the proper (same)height after they are removed? <br /><br />- two: Engine disconnect! I have the manual but it looks like a pain in the a**. <br /><br />Today my boys are coming over to help me replace the 8'x7' garage door with a 9'x7 door. This should be fun! This will allow me to move entire boat/trailer inside for winter.

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

one is bringing the engine stringers back to the proper (same)height after they are removed?

After the motor,+ All is Out of the Way,............<br /><br />Pull some String Lines across at different, Repeatable places,...... <br />Using Plumb Lines or Tape Measures,... Or Whatever's nessessary,... <br />Plot Exactly Where they are Now,....... Draw a Picture,... Take some Pictures,.....<br /><br />Boats are Not Square,...... Heck,.. Most of them Aren't even Symmetrical,.......... <br />Do All your measuring from the "Keel Line",+ the "Transom"........<br />The String Line is Your Friend,....... Use It,......<br />Just make Sure to use Attachment Points that'll Still be Usable After you've Removed All the Bad Parts...........<br />As long at the String Lines are Repeatable you can get Everything Exactly Where it Belongs.............. <br />

two: Engine disconnect! I have the manual but it looks like a pain in the a**.

You've Got to be Kidding,.......... Have you ever Tried to pull the motor out of a Newer(Anything After 1968) Car,...???...... <br /><br />1,... Pull the Drive,...... <br />6 5/8ths" Nuts,..... 2 9/16ths Nuts on the Rams,......<br />Pull It Off,....... Careful,.. It's about 80lbs.......<br />2,... The Motor Mounts,... <br />2 big Bolts in Behind the motor, at the Transom Assembly,... Then the 2 just like the 2 that Fell Out,....<br />Disconnect a couple of Hoses,.... A Couple more Wires,... And the Big Cannon Plug,......<br />Pull the Motor,..... She's Yours.................................. <br /><br />I could have it sitting on the Ground in Under an Hour,...... Here in My Driveway,.........

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Here are the pictures of my project!<br /><br /> http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/tellAFriend,p,147,00.html

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

It appears to me that you have Oak 3X4s bolted to the Stringers,......<br /><br />It's a Pretty Doable Project,........ Once the Motor,+ All is Out..........<br /><br />You're going to want a 4 1/2" Grinder,+ A Good Dust Mask.................

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Looks like home depot treated to me? I don't think the picture shows enought detail. I added some pics plus story to the link. <br />Thanks BONDO!<br /> http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/tellAFriend,p,147,00.html

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

**** PULLING THE ENGINE<br /><br />Has anyone used a Cherry picker to do this ? If so, how was the clearance? Have a V8 260 Merc.88<br /><br />Have to clear the transome that sits 5'6" from floor level. Also I think that I saw a plate that attaches where the carb sits. Do you lift from that plate after install and removal of Carb.?<br />Will that hold the weight of an 800lb engine?<br /><br />BONDO, can you explain Cannon Plug? Hate to sound stupid, but what's that? <br /><br />I think I'll be good to go once this rain stops. I can then move my old wooden boat of of the garage and slide in the new project. <br /><br />THANKS!<br /><br />"Old wooden boat" Let me know if anyone is interested. I have a 70's wooden skulling boat used for duck hunting. My father-inlaw and I put lots of time into the restore. "Skulling" 12' ore goes out hole in transome, and use a wrist motion to move boat forward. "Sneak Boat" Will post some pics if anyone wants to see.

 

[flashback]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Hi Pan, I have a boat about 10 years older than yours that I pulled a 5.7 out of. I did it with a rented cherry picker but it was a big one.. cost me about 35 bucks for half a day.. It had a hitch on it and I pulled it home behind my truck, had a lift height of 12 feet and cleared the transom with no sweat... The canon plug Bondo is talking about, I believe, is the wiring harness. It is a large plug mounted on the top of the engine that has all the electrical connections in one plug..just twist and pull... as far as what to fasten the lift to, I just used a 4 ft piece of 3/8 chain I had laying around and bolted it to the intake manifold. just removed the front left and rear right bolts holding down the manifold and replaced them with some grade 8 bolts of the same size only a half inch longer.. your engine may have some plates on it that are for this purpose, but mine didn't.. It worked fine for me but I cannot say if the bolts actually were safe, I just took a risk on that part of it... but I figure it probably weighed about 600 lbs I really don't know...

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

The Cannon Plug is the Great Big Black Electrical Plug,.... Probably near the rear starboard side of your engine,........<br />Most of the engine wiring goes Thru it.........<br /><br />Those portable cherry pickers would be Hard Pressed to Clear a SBC over the transom,.......<br />Some I've seen,... The Hook doesn't even go that high............<br /><br />How about a Tree,..???.... Big Door Frame,..???.....<br />Once it's "Ready to Pull",...... 1 of those Wreckers with an extendable boom would probably do it for the same money as renting a cherry picker...............<br /><br />Don't fret the Rain,...... The Weatherman says I'll be Shoveling it by Morning.............

 

[jmatteo1]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Pan, I had the same problem with my port side motor mount stringer. I cut out the glass that encased it with a right angle grinder. If you make a couple of reference marks on either side of the cut line, You can re-use the chunk that you cut out, that way the motor mount will go back right where it was originally. Check out my project for photos. <br />Good luck, Joe

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Joe, <br />Thanks for the link, that is what I needed to see. I'm going to try to pull out the engine this weekend. Then I should have some better pics.

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

New Picshttp://www.shareaproject.com/pages/tellAFriend,p,147,00.html<br /> Was unable to get the engine pulled this weekend so I started cutting up the floor. I found that only about 1" of the foam was wet on the btm.,and only the two center stringers that sandwiched the gas tank need replace.<br />I think, I need to place some heat lamps over the floor and let it dry out for a couple weeks.<br /><br />I did get my gas tank sanded and cleaned up. Would it be ok if I painted with epoxy?<br /><br />What is the best way to preserve a alum. tank?

 

[Pan-one]

Re: HELP ! Rotted Engine Mount Stringer

Getting some materials now for this winter, and need some advise.<br /><br />- I would like to sand and seal over the interior blown fiberglass, and interior hull before pouring foam. I will also seal the new ply on both side that I lay down for the floor. I assume that I should use an epoxy paint? I have only found "Garage Floor" epoxy paints on my searches. These paints cost $200.00+ for a Gallon. Any help here? <br /><br /><br />-