engine mount bolts loose!!!
 

I took the engine out of my 272 and as I was loosening up the motor mount bolts (big lag bolts) that go in the stringers theres two on each side, one side was completely loose, it has both lag bolts basically stripped in the stringers, they just dance in the hole and don't really tighten nothing, the previous owner looks like tried to use some ruber gasket material and poured it into the whole and then put the big lag bolts to the stringers but that didn't work at all! Is this common on a lot of bajas or stringer boats with these factory motor mounts that basically have two lag bolts, seems like the factory motor mounts are POS? how can I fix this? I was wondering if this has happened to other people and how you fix this so these go back in there nice and snug. I wish they would have put factory offshore mounts on these boats. Any help would greatly be appreciated, I have attached a picture of what my motor mounts look like its for a 454 motor, the two big lag bolts are hidden by that metal cover there on the bottom of the motor mount

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/x...motormount.jpg

Sandwiching metal plates on stringers and thru bolt it. Lag bolts are not meant to secure motor mounts.

well appearantly baja must have forgotten about that when they were putting these pos engine mounts on these boats. Do you know where I can get offshore mounts like the ones your talking about?

I have what tmdog was talking about on the boat when i bought it. Mine looked to be custom made from a machine shop

Could be wet stringers also.

What he said.......

Bingo .....

You can make them yourself. Get some 4" aluminum angle, 3/8 or 1/2" thick. Then get a plate of flat 3/8 or 1/2" to make plates for the back side.

You can then get a used or new, offshore mount, from hardin marine, or swap shop here. It bolts to the engine block, then gets bolted to the aluminum L brackets. Drop engine in, align, mark and drill your holes in the aluminum. Done.

Baja is not really known for good mounts. Seen it happen a few times. A bud had his bust out on his 302 coming out pt plesant inlet behind me once. Not pretty .

thanks for the replys! I will definitely get me some offshore mounts. I bought the boat like that, stringers look good, I'm just trying to prevent a huge disaster from happening in the future. I just can't believe Baja would make some POS like that, the rest of the boat is great

also how do I cover up the original two lag bolts hols in the stringers? whats the best way to fill those holes up in the stringers?

use some west system from boat usthat stuff is amazing.my 2cents

Because your mounts bolted to the top of the stringers you won't be able to use offshore mounts since they would put the mounts inside where yours are now mounted.
What you could do is have a inverted U made that slips over your stringers and your mount bolts to the top of the U.
Then you bolt through the stringer to give them the support.
Fill the old holes.

tinkerer I don't think I understand what your saying i guess? I can't use offshore mounts because mine are mounted on top of the stringers now? I guess my question is why can't I just take the lag bolts which go on top of the stringers and take them out, fill that hole up with resin or something and just buy the things I need to use offshore mounts? There would be no more lag bolts now or stock pos motor mounts

The inverted U is the cheapest,quickest fix .....those are not Offshore mounts ..... these are offshore mounts .....
I would clean the holes where the lag bolts were and fill with Thickened West system epoxy ..... I thnk you can get it in a tube now .....the inverted U's need to be long enogh so you are Thru bolting thru Virgin area ....m

You should measure between stringers to see if the stock offshore plate will fit between the stringers. That is what he is talking about. If you have to get custom made offshore mount it will be expensive.

Congrats, you have rotten stringers!!! Been there done that. Depending on the severity of stringer rot will determine your best fix. If the rot is significant to the point where the whole stringer is in question, I would suggest the u channel but get a longer one say 2 feet and 1/4 to maybe 3/8 thickness. Then multiple through bolts to take up the total clamping load. If you use a short u channel, you will collapse the rotten stringer under clamping loads, decent clamping load required to keep the 1100 lb motor where it belongs. If it is localized rot, decap the area, dig out the rot to find good wood, refill the void with a mixture of west systems epoxy and chopped glass. The reglass the area you removed on the top, drill the necessary pilot hold, the reinstall the mount and lag bolt. All best done with the engine removed. Sound painful? It is. But what is worse if your mount fails, binding up your output shaft with the universal bearing, subsequent loss of the bearing and then potential sinkage if your outdrive boot tears under the excitement. Also, you won't be able to sell the boat for good used parts value since no new owner wants to deal with stringer rot. Good luck and make it safe/reliable.

I already checked the stringers, stringers are fine it's just one one side whoever had the boat before me somehow threaded out those lag bolts, looks like they didn't know what they were doing! That's the very first thing I did when I took the engine out I inspected the stringers very carefully and thankfully they checked out good!

Ok, then your repair sounds easier with no engine removal required! Simple drill a pilot hole deeper, brush the inside of the hole with some epoxy, and bolt down a longer lag bolt that is coated with wax, install the lag bolt just before epoxy sets. Lag bolt length should be more than twice the length you have now. Why epoxy? To prevent addition rot. Why the wax on the lag bolt threads? So you can remove the bolt later. Why let the epoxy begin to set before installing bolt? You won't initiate crack lines associated with hardened epoxy and makes for an easier install/bolt torqueing. To get longer lag bolts of same diameter, try ACE hardware or Florida Bolt...they both carry sst lag bolts.

If the motor was moving around at all, check your coupler over while its out of the boat.... an ounce of prevention...

Had the same problem with my boat the rot was localized to the area close to the hole. first I used a polymer that draws itself to dampness that I found at a marine store. don't recall the name it converts the wood to a solid substance. I then drilled the holes deeper for longer bolts. and if you go to home depot you can find studs that have wood threads on one end and n/c threads on other end. I double nutted the studs to install in hole then coated the threads with Marine tex. still working for me years later. jmo

p.s. I think it is called git-rot it is a 2-part mix polymer

I have 2 sets of mounts that will work for youo. Large pieces of angle steel that will thru bolt to the stringers. You can install them so that the angle is over the top of the stringer and bolt actual mount to the angle. I can email you pics in a few days if interested. Comp is getting fixed as we speak.

If the stringer is not rotten this is the fix. I really doubt the stringer is in as good of shape as you think. My guess is rot. Lag bolts do not come loose for any other reason.

My Bet ROT ROT AND MORE ROT
Fixed a few 272's with ROT:eek:

Pull and test for moisture then fix THE ROT
Just my 2 cents

One was so bad we drilled with a large holesaw below the mount then pulled rotten wood out until we had a empty stringer 4-6 inches in both directions from the mount center.:eek:
What a process to fix:angry-smiley-038: