Pulling dead diesel from Cal 2-27

Dec 1, 2020
129
CAL 27 Illahee / Brownsville WA
Hello,

I have an dead Westerbeke 13a which I'm determined to get out of the boat this winter. I was hoping to just slide it forward and lift it out, but the opening in the cabinetry is 14.25" wide and the motor with the mounts are wider than that by what looks like about 2" on each side.

3 of the 4 front mount lag bolts I could pull, but one seems to have the head rusted to the point where my socket just "slips" and it's behind the mount so I can't see it. Access to the back of the motor is a nightmare also, so getting those mounts dealt with and the shaft coupler are going to be a total PITA.

If I can get the mounts free from the stringers, sliding and trying to twist the the motor mounts around the opening may still work. But if that does not, what do you think the odds are that I could cut through the mounts that are bolted to the motor itself and use a few 2x4's under the oil pan to slide the motor forward? Would a hack saw or some power tool work for that? See arrows in photos. If cutting those is not practical, would cutting the vertical bolt between the mount base and the part my arrows point at be better?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Cabin cabinet opening 14.25" wide.
Pic_042.jpg


Mounts on stringers.
Pic_041.jpg



Dimensions from the motor info.

Pic_039.jpg
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Fortunately, it’s a relatively light weight engine. I had the same problem years ago with a 5411 Universal. Cut the mounts with a disk and lifted out companionway using the boom and some tackle. The fun part is getting it to the ground.
 
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Cutting tools that come to mind are disk/grinder, sawzall, multi tool, plasma cutter.

What about putting a flat basket ball under the engine and then partially inflating it. Cut the mounts. Then pull the engine forward.
 
Jan 27, 2008
3,045
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Don't cut the parts your arrows point to. Are you planning to rebuild the motor? Can't you remove the nuts that hold the motor to the motor mounts, lift the engine to clear then pull it out? Once out you'll have lots of room to work on removing the mounts from the stringers. If your shaft is old and corroded it might be easier to cut the shaft than to deal with the coupling. You will want to check the shaft for straightness and the condition of it and the cutlass bearing as part of your project. New shafts aren't real expensive in the scope of a project of this scale.
 
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RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Once freed your 2x4 slide idea will work nicely. You can raise/support your engine easily while disconnecting the mounts with an auto scissors jack under the oil pan. Halyard deflected outward with block on boom will raise engine using your winch. Someone may want your old engine so you probably should not damage it while removing it. Be careful.
 
Dec 1, 2020
129
CAL 27 Illahee / Brownsville WA
The old motor is not going to be rebuilt. It died I expect about 2006 when a new Honda 9.9 was put on the back, which is how I purchased the boat. I expect the removal hassles are why it's still there. The fuel tank, plumbing, and controls are all removed at this point.

Once the motor is out, and it's getting bottom paint again, the shaft and strut will be removed, glassed over to simplify the bottom. The stuffing box will be left in case someone wants to convert to electric or something in the future.

The scissor lift or the basketball (which might roll to help move it forward are both great ideas, thanks.

I will soak the very rusty bolts holding the mounts to the motor, but don't expect much. That said I have weeks and months of time for this before sailing starts in the Spring.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Rick.
If you are able to get the motor free of the mounts, will the motor go through the space?

If so then just cut the bolts of the motor mount. Or cut the rusted nuts and lift the motor off the mounts.
 
Dec 1, 2020
129
CAL 27 Illahee / Brownsville WA
The biggest issue is that the mounts extend the width of the motor past the opening by several inches. Whether I get the bolts out or need to cut or unbolt the motor from the mounts, I may still need to remove the mounts from the engine block to get it narrow enough. That may end up being a hack or sawzall type project.

Just this week I finally got the new headstay and Harken furler installed, so I'm ready now to send the measurements to the sailmaker for the new sail.

Good thing I like projects, boats provide an unless supply of them.
 
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Jan 27, 2008
3,045
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Those mounts are bolted on, Cant you just remove them instead of cutting them? At the worst cut the bolt heads to get them off if the bolts are seized.
 
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Dec 1, 2020
129
CAL 27 Illahee / Brownsville WA
Possible but access is a bitch and they are rusted badly. I have them soaking in spray on lube so maybe I will have some luck. I may only need one of the two front ones off since I can then maybe rotate the block to get it past eh fixed cabinet opening.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I can then maybe rotate the block to get it past eh fixed cabinet opening.
Tight squeeze either way.

Which ever path you take cutting, grinding, etc. caution regarding heat. The area looks to have combustibles that would not play nice if they got too warm.
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,373
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Rebuild companies might want your engine core. Might be worth a few hundred bucks.
@jibes138 What rebuild company do you suggest? I have an old Westerbeke that runs perfectly well I'd love to dump. It's been up for sale for a couple years now and nobody wants it...

As to the OP's question - if you're just dumping that engine, I'd cut those mounts with a sawzall. Get a few good metal cutting blades, fairly fine toothed, and they will make short work of those mounts. Easy.

dj
 
Oct 10, 2019
114
Signet 20 0 Ithaca
You'll die of something horrible related to extreme exertion long before you could make any noticable headway with a hacksaw, just sayin'.

Get a welding blanket from your local auto parts store or McMaster-Carr and cut it up as necessary to protect the flammable bits, then grab your 4" angle grinder and cut through those bolt heads, only a couple minutes each.

Try a wafer disk and a grinding disk, wafers cut faster and make a lot less mess but grinding disks don't require much finesse.

Plus you get to buy a new tool, always the sign of a worthwhile project...
 

NYSail

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Jan 6, 2006
3,048
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
If you’re throwing the engine away cut break off whatever you need. What are you replacing with and will it fit into the un-adulterer cabinet?
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
I think he is sticking with the outboard he mentioned. So I'm wondering how he will utilize the volume no longer occupied by the engine.
 
Dec 1, 2020
129
CAL 27 Illahee / Brownsville WA
Additional storage plus freshwater tank is the plan presently. The dead engine has been dead since 2006 I believe since that’s the age of the Honda 9.9 on the back.

I saw a Catalina 25 setup with electric power which is still to spendy, but the existing stuffing box and space could be used for that in the future.

There have been lots of great suggestions on this thread on my removal challenges ahead of me.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Years ago we went an entire season without an engine. We were at a mooring that year and we got real good at sailing up to it, letting the sails drop, coasting in, and tying on. Would not attempt to sail without an engine today. I guess we had more patience, more courage and less sense back then.