M25XP Damper Plate replacement Pt.6

Universal M25 XP Clean up

( click here to go to the first in this series of posts )

I know, this is Day 7 since we started the project ( not including weekends ) but I'm taking it easy and only working 3 hours each day.

 Luckily we went down the boat today. The Divers were doing their thing cleaning the hull below the waterline. 

I say 'Luckily' because if you have been following our progress you'll know that we removed the engine last week. So when the divers checked the prop, they happened to move it forwards, didn't need to be much, a 1/32" movement would and did cause the PSS to leak like crazy. As I boarded the boat I noticed that the main Bilge Pump was running, just for a few seconds, but it repeated! I guessed the issue and so quickly opened the cabin, climbed into the aft berth and moved the propshaft back towards the stern and so stopped the water ingress. No big deal, and our Solar system could easily manage the power draw - but if it was still running overnight the pump could possibly run out of power.  

But, as I said, we were there and it only took a couple of seconds to stop the water coming into the boat.

Note! Next time tell the diver's company not to move the shaft or better still, tie the shaft aft.  Duh!

Here's where I started the cleaning. I had sprayed the gearbox with soap liquid before the weekend and wiped it off, this is how it looked first thing this morning.

I'll post pics of those two labels later.

So the gearbox and bell housing is sitting on some cardboard.

Step 1 ( today ) spray the gearbox and bell housing with more soap spray. Let it sit for a few minutes and then agitate the soap with a small paint brush.

Here's the result after wiping it down with a wet cloth.

If you click on the image so that you an zoom in, you'll be able to view the labels.

by the Oil filler it reads "Oil Grade "A" Auto Trans Fluid". By the Gear Change lever it reads " R.H. Prop - Lever Up - --> Reverse 

<-- Forward

Several areas of the engine and Bell Housing are bear metal, the paint has brushed off - obviously that was due to the method of paint application.

I cleaned them off with a bristle brush and cleaned them as best I could.

I read somewhere that this Bell Housing is an early version as there is no radius between the vertical back of the housing and the top, sides and bottom of the housing.  The newer versions have a radius of about 1/4" to 3/8" 

I also noted that there are castings on the sides of the engine where the aft feet could be attached ( the same system as the Front feet ) but on our engine ( probably all of the Marinized Universal engines ) the feet are part of the bell housing. That moves the aft engine mounts much further aft.

I followed the same process on the rest of the engine. Looks so much better, not perfect, but I'd give it a **** .

The top of this pic shows the engine bay, my first attempt at cleaning that area. This is the first time I have been able to get into the area at the back of the engine bay. 

I was done by this time so we cleaned up and headed home.

Tomorrow I'll take my portable shop vac to the boat to help get the loose bits from the sides of the engine support stingers.

Also, I have to find the torque settings for the hex cap bolts that hold the damper plate in place. I know they are 5mm x 25mm hex cap bolts part number. 

I looked up the part number for the hex cap bolt, it's a 298458M5 x 12 Capscrew Din 912 and looking that up on Google I found that the torque is 10Nm. So I ordered a new Torque Wrench.

EPAuto 1/4-Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench (20-200 in.-lb. / 2.26 ~ 22.6 Nm.

Should be here in a few hours ( tonight ) 

$30 plus tax. Gotta love Amazon Prime.

Plan for tomorrow:- Assuming the wrench arrives, We'll go down to the boat and finish the cleaning of the engine bay and complete the installation of the new Damper plate - an easy day. I doubt the Spray Paint will arrive in time, so that will have to wait till Wednesday, then it's paint, have lunch somewhere while the paint dries then reinstall the engine.  I'll arrange for Greg, the Mechanic, to come to the boat on Thursday pm and we'll get the alignment done. Friday we should be ready to go for a sea trial.

Moving along.