Engine swap out tips

[matola]

This weekend i,m plannning to switch out my bmc 1.5 with a recon unit. I have my eye on a suitable bridge, where i can get my tool van alongside, and think i have most equipment available, chain hoist planks, dolly etc. Once i switch over the gearbox and alternator i think it should slot right in.

 

Have you any tips that might make it all go a more smoothly?

 

Thanks matt

 

Oh and while its out i,ll paint the engine bay, any particular paint required ?

[churchward]

This weekend i,m plannning to switch out my bmc 1.5 with a recon unit. I have my eye on a suitable bridge, where i can get my tool van alongside, and think i have most equipment available, chain hoist planks, dolly etc. Once i switch over the gearbox and alternator i think it should slot right in.

 

Have you any tips that might make it all go a more smoothly?

 

Thanks matt

 

Oh and while its out i,ll paint the engine bay, any particular paint required ?

I would take off anything you need to swap over from your old engine before you remove it if possible. If the space to lift the engine out is restricted then take off as much as possible from the old engine and it should help lift it out such as the marinising parts/heat exchangers exhausts etc. It will also be easier if you have the purpose made (BMC) engine lift parts that bolt on via the rocker cover bolts and a suitable bar to go between them it will then lift out in a balanced way.

 

I like to use International Danboline. It has proved to be hard waring in my engine bay and is made to be oil and diesel resistant.

 

Good luck with it all. I hope you don't get too many bruised knuckles!

Edited May 23, 2013 by churchward

[Bee]

Hard Hat.

[Roy n paula]

Lots of tea

[magnetman]

I don't know where you are doing this,but i wouldn't use a railway bridge.

 

i've heard that the rail companies get very upset and you could be prosecuted.

 

don't know if its true

[matola]

Hi All

 

It went fine, and the "new" engine is IN maybe soon it will run too. I'll update with some pics soon.

 

Thanks

Matt

[magnetman]

cool

 

out of interest what bridge did you use / are you still in east London? i've got a big generator to move from one boat to another

[matola]

So I mentioned that I would give a short pic report here of the engine swap out,

 

Firstly I must say that I am most grateful to all the people who turned up to offer help, mostly with lifting,

It's a real credit to the boating community that so many were willing to chip in and help. So thanks to everyone, particularly Darren and Tony.

 

After that, this is the first time I tried this and it was easier than I imagined, some small issues came in unexpected ways but were not impossible to overcome and I'd encourage anyone who's thinking of doing this themselves to give it a go.

 

So choose a bridge with required weight limit and as little traffic as possible, Stonebridge is good as no one uses the manual lock. However the number of gongoozlers is high.

 

The lift weight is way under a tonne and also a quick look at the bridge makes it clear that it can take considerably more than a tonne, I'd guess up to 10 at least.

 

 

 

Strap over the bridge I beam and a chain hoist to lift.

Had to angle it with another strap to clear the guttering, probably better to remove the gearbox in place and lift separately.

 

 

 

Once lifted get boards underneath and to the side, where you'll need a hand to get it onto land.

 

 

Take the chance to repaint underneath.

 

 

The hardest lift was to clear the rails. Many thanks to all who helped.

 

 

 

Lower into place and then spend considerable time to line up the gear and prop, took me maybe half a day to get right, but worth it. (push the plates up together and place feeler gauge to test alignment)

 

 

Once in, start the tasks of reconnecting everything, Here I have finished the controls and fuel lines.

 

Stand back and admire the shiny new (recon) unit.

 

 

So once I have had a rest, it just remains to reconnect the loom and electrics and start up

 

Once again many thanks to all who helped. Particularly Keith (Chief Engineer), Mary (Catering), Tony and Darren (Muscle)

cool

out of interest what bridge did you use / are you still in east London? i've got a big generator to move from one boat to another

Still in Stonebridge along with my Chain hoist, if you need a hand let me know. Cheers Matt