New motor mounts and oil pan touch up

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
I am about to put new motor mounts in my 35. The ones in there now look like they are the originals and I'm inclined to replace them with the same ones, or at least one with the same 4" bolt spacing. There are no markings on them to tell the brand that I can find but they look like and have the exact dimensions of the one pictured below, a Bushings Inc. DF-2205-2 which is their recommended motor mount for the MX 25. Does anyone know what the original brand was and any recommendations for new mounts?

While I'm at it... I'd also like to clean-up the rust on the oil pan from a PO's leaky raw water pump. It's not too bad and looks like it can be easily repaired. The access to the oil pan is severely limited so the plan so far is to disconnect the prop shaft, exhaust and motor mounts and jack the engine up with one or two scissor jacks (hopefully) 5 inches. I don't want to remove the engine, just get it high enough to access the bottom of the pan. Does this sound like the best approach?
 

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Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
Last year when needing to remove and replace my stuffing box, I found that my end plate (where the shaft end plate attaches to the transmission) was stuck on the shaft and for me it was impossible to remove, so I could get the shaft out. So I looked at other ways. I ended up removing the three motor mounts and using the companion way sides, laid two 2x6 's across, hooking on a come a long and hoisting the engine out. I then slid the 2x6's forward which brought the engine in place for me, to lower it on a large drop cloth. I then proceeded to clean and spray paint the engine. While the engine was out I removed the prop, pulled the shaft, replaced the stuffing box, and eventually got it all back. The removal of the prop was done by the local shop, the rest was done by me.
So to answer your question, to do a great job on the pan, yes I would remove the engine, and while its out replace the motor mounts.
 

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
Thanks two - in my boat and I believe in yours as well, the companionway is a bit forward of the engine so I was thinking the come-along wouldn't be pulling plumb vertically and would try to move the engine forward as well. Is that not a problem?
 
Aug 17, 2010
311
Oday 35 Barrington
I did this job several years ago on my O'day 35 with the M25. It was a PITA, but I got it done.

Here are two "before" pictures of my oil pan. I wire brushed the rust off, coated it with rust neutralizer, and then faired it with JB Weld. Then I sanded and painted it.
 

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Aug 17, 2010
311
Oday 35 Barrington
RE: Motor Mounts - I replaced the originals with four Vetus K75 mounts. Cost was ~$250 in 2011.
 
Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
DMAX, I had to lift and slide the engine forward on the motor bay resting bars (or what ever you call those two sides where the motor rests on), hook up the comalong and then as I did it naturally tilted forward and then everso gently, I slid lifted it over the facia lip and slid it forward.
 

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dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
eherlihy: do you like the Vetus mounts, do you think they are better than the originals? Did the bolt holes line up in the rails? Their site says the spacing is 100 mm vs. 4 inches for the originals - close but not the same.

two: just so I understand, you say you "had to lift and slide the engine forward on the resting bars" - did you use the come-a-long to lift the engine a bit to do this?

Thanks.
 
Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
Correct. It was basically a two step move in one motion. Hoisting and letting it swing forward in a controlled manner. Then hoisting with the comealong over the lip and higher. Once it passed the lip. I slid the cross beams on the companion way forward. When it was at the point where I wanted it, I let it down to rest on the drop cloth. Or in my case , one of my wife's medical surgical drapes. I hoard anything that I might one day need. One of those " wish In could show you what I mean" situations!
 
Aug 17, 2010
311
Oday 35 Barrington
To lift the M25, I purchased a Honda scissor jack (smallest that I could find) from a local junk yard. I then used some 5/8" thredded rod with nuts and washers. I removed the nuts on the motor mounts, jacked up the motor, removed the motor mounts, and then used the threadded rod, washers, and nuts to support the lifted engine so that I could remove the oil pan. BTW - the mounts are bolted onto "stringers," which support the motor and the mounts.

The Vetus mounts are OK. I like that they shed, rather than collect water (as the DF-2205 mounts did), and they were priced right. If I had it to do over, I would clean them with brake cleaner and spray any gloss enamel paint on the metal parts before I installed them. They have been installed for 9 years without issue. You can buy Westerbeake mounts, but they cost >$100 each!
 

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
971
O'Day 35 Buzzards Bay
eherlihy: great idea with the threaded rod - built in height adjusters like on a fridge! You can even use them to raise the engine higher still.
 
Aug 17, 2010
311
Oday 35 Barrington
Pic with the new mounts installed, but before I fixed the oil pan;
Far Niente 5-6-12ajpg.jpg


and a more recent pic (2019) that shows the motor mounts, but does not show the oil pan at all;
20190425_140728.jpg
 
Last edited:
Aug 17, 2010
311
Oday 35 Barrington
Thank you... However, it's a 33/34 year old boat. Believe me, it has plenty of spots.