Engine Removal Advice

[nitedmn]

I need to pull the motor(Mercruiser 305 V8) out of my boat and I'm looking for advice on the best way to do it.<br /><br />There is a garage I may have access to that has a hoiste attached to the celing but currently there is so much stuff stored there I wouldn't be able to get the boat through the door.<br /><br />I have no large trees in my yard that would support the weight of the motor and nor does anyone else I know. Attaching a hoist to a large tree branch is out of the question.<br /><br />Does anyone have any other suggestions (large engine lift I might be able rent, magic potion that makes me strong enough to lift the motor myself, etc)

 

[hullofalottatrouble]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

id be curious to know too.. i gotta pull mine pretty soon here..<br /><br />there are cherry pickers that get up to about 8'3" that ive seen.. thats the height of the hook not the bottom of the engine.. not sure how high the back end of your boat is? but that might provide enough clearance..<br /><br />or ive seen people build a wood frame and use that.. i dont have the room for the frame in my driveway so that isnt an option for me...

 

[nitedmn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I would have to measure it but 8'3" MIGHT be high enough. The end of the boat I would have to lift the motor over is probably around 5' off the ground with the boat on the trailer.

 

[hullofalottatrouble]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

i've never seen it done.. might be dangerous.. but as i said.. ive seen 2 ton cherry pickers on ebay with that 8'3" height.. <br /><br />you could let some air out of the tires to get some more clearance.. put the front of the trailer up as high as possible.. might be minimal difference there.. but if inches count it might help..<br /><br />hopefully somebody with some actual experience will chime in.. i certainly wouldn't do any of this just based on my thoughts..

 

[8x56mn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I would suggeast that you go down to your local equipment rental place and rent a gantry that you could attach your chain falls to. You set it up to straddle your boat and lift the engine and then pull the boat out from under allowing you to lower the engine onto a trailer or some device to transport the motor to your work location or just hang it there while you work on it. The daily rental is cheap.<br />PS get the wheels with it, this make aligning your pick point to lift straight verticle much easier if you don't the load will swing as soon as you break contact with your base.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I built what amounted to a very large saw horse out of timbers once for this very purpose. It's a cheap and strong way to do it if you have some timbers handy. I used full dimension 4x4s for legs and a full dimension 4x6 for the cross piece. It was very strong.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I built my own also...<br /><br />

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<br /><br />Others have said they hired a tow truck to pull it out and then again to replace.

 

[nitedmn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

Hmm... That would work... How much did the lumber cost you?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

My scaffold was much like Kagee's, except I used 12'-4X4's for the uprights and 2X4's for the braces, to support two 2X10 lumber onto which I attached my cable hoist. It was much stronger and more stable than needed. It also looked much more like a "hangman's" scaffold from the old west. And since it was Halloween time, I thought it a good idea to add some representative rope nooses, for the neighbors to consider.

 

[calwldlif]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I once pulled a motor<br />small block V8 ford<br />by removing everything<br />that could be removed then <br />lifting the naked block<br />out, by myself. I was younger then.<br />I would recommend an A-frame<br />to put it back tho.

 

[nitedmn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

Originally posted by WildLife:<br /> I once pulled a motor<br />small block V8 ford<br />by removing everything<br />that could be removed then <br />lifting the naked block<br />out, by myself. I was younger then.<br />I would recommend an A-frame<br />to put it back tho.

1. With the way the motor is mounted in the boat I can't remove the distributer without first removing the motor. I wouldn't be able to take much off of the motor with out first taking it out of the boat.<br /><br />2. I'm not that old yet (depending on who you ask) but I'm just a little guy. Just lifting the manifolds in/out of the boat was workout. I would kill my self trying to lift the block.

 

[tie_one_on]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

nitedmn, do you know anyone with a tow truck or a back hoe. I've used both in the past. <br />I've also used 8x56 mn's gantry crane.<br />Most recently used a small boom truck that the guy used to set cemetary grave stones. By far the best & easiest.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

nitedmn, thanks to kagee's above photo. i was able to come up with this. just used his basic idea. worked real good. $ wise i had more into it than i wanted, maybe 130-140, hoist was 32 for a 1 ton chinese cheapo. so far so good. seems like a pic is worth a thousand words sometimes. <br /><br />

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<br /><br />used 1/2" carrige bolts accross the top. main beam is 2 2x10s, 4x4 legs x 12', cut ends off at 22.5*, some 2x4s for stability. 2x4s are nailed on, 2 at ea. end. open front to drive boat out. <br />good luck on yer adventure....

 

[KaGee]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

i spent about $75 in lumber and hardware. <br />I used:<br />4) 4x4x10<br />2) 2x8x10<br />2) 2x4x10<br /><br />Chain fall from Harbor Freight $39.00

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

Originally posted by WildLife:<br /> I once pulled a motor<br />small block V8 ford<br />by removing everything<br />that could be removed then <br />lifting the naked block<br />out, by myself. I was younger then.<br />I would recommend an A-frame<br />to put it back tho.

That reads like some sort of odd poem to me. <br /><br />My giant saw horse was free. Friend had built a timber frame garage and gave me the left over timbers. Glad to see I'm not the only one that's ever done this...

 

[nitedmn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

I have a big surplus store within walking distance of my house. They usualy stock a lot of tools (hoists and engine stands included) for a good price. Most of the time they are descent quality. I plan on checking there. I may be able to find enough scrap lumber for a good price too.

 

[nitedmn]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

It turns out the garage with the electric hoist in it has been clean out some. All he needs to do is move his Corvette. He may even have an engine stand I can borrow so I don't have to buy one. <br /><br />Now I just need to figure out when to get the work done...

 

[tie_one_on]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

nitedmn - good to hear your option opened up. The only two downsides I see about building these wooden gantry cranes are 1.) the initial cost and tiem to build it. 2.) what to do with it after built, where to store it, that kind of stuff. <br />If you have to spend $75-100 to build and can have a tow truck come out for $125, I'd think you'd be ahead. Unless of course you use it alot.

 

[emsisson]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

Several years ago I pulled the V8 out of my boat using a rented large engine hoist. It was the kind that attached to a trailer hitch and you towed. It had an extendable arm along with the hydraulic hoist system. I was able to place it at the transom and have enough span and height to pull the V8 out and put it back in.

 

[thunderroad]

Re: Engine Removal Advice

Obviously I don't know what the garage is like that you're talking about but I'd want to make sure the weight wasn't totally on one rafter. Maybe lay a 4x4 across several to hook the hoist to.