Cut the shaft or pull the engine?

[druid]

I'm going to replace the engine on my Ontario32 (see other posts...). Now, removing the shaft from the shaft coupling is basically impossible (see pic...) so I've been looking at ways to cut the shaft (the shaft will be too short for the new engine anyway so it will have to be replaced). However, I just thought: with the boat out of the water, I could pull the prop off and CAREFULLY pull the engine out parallel to the shaft, while still attached to the shaft. Once it's out, I can easily cut it off to remove the engine from the boat, etc. I have to replace the stuffing-box anyway, so the only thing that would get hurt if I moved the engine wrong would be the cutlass bearing.

Thoughts?
druid

 

[Charles Erwin]

One assumes you just want to release the motor and gearbox. If so can the coupler be un-bolted where the coupler joins the gearbox output shaft?

Charles

p.s. The split couple will probably release if you remove the clamping bolts (5 apparently ) and drive two steel wedges - one each side along the long axis of the shaft into the split seam of the coupler.

 

[kloudie1]

Going to be difficult to keep things parallel as it comes out.. If ya can't release the "squeeze" bolts (closest to bottom of picture ) which look to be stainless.. then cut it as close to the coupling as you can. A "sawzall" with the corret blade will do that inside of 5 minutes. With labor price in the $100/hour range, cutting the shaft is the best option.. especially since you will be replacing anyway.

 

[sesmith]

An air operated cutoff tool would be my choice of weapons.

 

[dziedzicmj]

+1 on cutting shaft. I hope it is not stainless (or cutting it would be long and painful).
Cut the shaft and then attack the coupling. There might be some need for using heat.
Before you cut the shaft into too many pieces, measure the length. You will need it to order the replacement.

 

[kito]

I cut my shaft in 2 places. One cut just before the strut and pulled the shaft through the cutlass bearing. The other was just after the flywheel coupling and pulled out through the stuffing box. I did not replace my engine.....just the shaft that would not come loose of the old flywheel coupling.