How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Should I pull my motor myself? I am pretty mechanical. Is this something that I can do or not? I have a broken starter bolt that has to be removed :(

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Pulling an engine is not so bad, it is having a gantry or forklift that can lift over the transom that is the tough part. My old Formula was 5 feet high at the top of the transom, and the new boat is 6, a standard engine hoist (for cars) will not work.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Yup, what 88fount33 said. Being able to lift it high enough is key. If you have stock merc motor mounts try not to change the location of the motor mount bolts so when you put it back in the alignment will be close.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

In my opinion, it's really easy... as 88 stated, getting high enough to get the motor out is the hard part. The most important thing when you put it back in is to make sure the engine is aligned properly. While you have it out, perfect time to assure the steering in the gimble is tight to spec, only real time you can easily get at them. Might want to add a oil drain hose if you don't already have one.

Good luck and have fun...

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Pulling the motor realy isn't all that tough. Ussualy with boats the hardest part is getting a hoist that is high enough. You can't use a cherry picker unless you have a pretty small boat. If you have acess to an over head lift or a forklift you are god to go though. It only takes about an hour at most to get one out. You want to pull the drive first though don't try and pull and re intall the engine with the drive on, complete pain in the az if possible at all depending on your configuration. I always pull the lag bolts or through bolts out of the stringer and take the whole mount with the engine, the biggest reason for doing this is that it is a good chance to check for wet or roten stringers. If the bolts are wet you have problems. Other then that just find the easiest way to disconect each sytem without making a mess. Pull the power steering lines at the valve not the pump, if you stop by a shop they will probably have a coupler that will join the two lines so they don't drip all over the place, they ship crate engines with these couplers so most shops have a few sitting around. You can ussualy pull the ruber exhuast couplers loose and then slide them back clear of the riser so ou don't ahve to pull any of the exhuast, unless you have solid tails, then something has to come out. make sure you keep track of the fiber washers and springs when pulling the rear moun bolts, they are important for re assembaly. When you go back together it helps to glue the fiber washers in place with something to retain them and the springs while you set the engine in. As far as electrical all you have to disconect is the 10 pin harness, teh battery calbe from the starter, the trimp pump power wire from the stater, the mercathode wireing if you have one, the wires are all labled by color on the mercathode box so you don't have to worry about marking them, then just make ure you unhook all grounds, there are often more then one so make sure you get them all. Fuel is easy just one hose unless you have an aftermarket fuel system with a return. I like to use a bolt to plug the fuel line from the tank in case the anti siphin valve has been removed or fails, you could wind up with a blige full of fuel the next morning oherwise. The water inlet hose is easiest to unhook at the trasnom. It can be a pain to get to the hose clamp depending on which way they faced it when they put it together but they also ussualy strap the inlet hose to the engine in a few places so is you unhook it from the raw water pump you have to worry about un doing a bunch of other clamps to free it from the engine. Last but not least if the engine has an oil drain hose that connects to an oil exchanger or the drain plug make sure it is free before lifting the engine. Then just lift it slowly and make sure you didn't miss anything. After you set the engine back in you always want to check alingment as even a small change can cuase problems for the coupler. Hope this was thorough enough, it is defenitly somehting that you can do yourself if youa are mechanicaly inclnied.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

What would a fair price be to have the motor pulled and the bolt removed?

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

your probalby looking at atleast a grand if not more depending on what they decide needs to be replaced while they are in there.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Wow thanks for all info Hillbilly. I think I will give it a try this weekend. I will let you know how I make out.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

EEKS A GRAND????????? DAM! :eek: :eek: :eek:

All that is wrong is that my bolt to my starter sheared off and I need to drill it out and I can't get a drill in the space that I have in the bilige.

Oh I have a 29 Scarab with a single custom 502 in it.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Don't forget that removing and reinstalling the hatch can be a job in itself.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

It helps to have a backhoe! I probably can't add anything that hasn't aready been mentioned but I can share my experiences. I made the mistake of putting the motor in without the accessories (headers, alt, plumbing,etc). It is much easier to remove / reinstall with all of the accessories installed. It took me hours to get the headers back on with the motor in the boat. I am able to disconnect the hatch lift and lay it all the way back as my hatch is heavy and difficult to remove/ install as already mentioned. Also, if you have a bravo drive anyway, remove the drive! It only takes a few minutes to re-install it and makes setting the engine in much easier. The last time I reinstalled the motor (my second time), I started sat. morning at 9 am and I was on the lake floating by 3pm.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Nice I am planning on leaving the hatch on and standing it straight up and my buddy has a lift in his garage that I am going to hang the pully off of and hoist up the motor then pull the boat out and get under the motor and get that dam bolt out good darn it!!!!!!

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

good luck with your project

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

I pulled mine out using a chain fall on a big tree branch in front of my house. (While my wife wasn't home!):)

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

My local shop (Lightning Bay Performance Marine in St. Petersburg, FL) pulled both my motors out of a 28 Cigarette in about two hours. They only charged me for labor. Putting them back in may be different.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

If its only a bolt you have to remove maybe a right angle drill will work.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

In and out on a motor at a shop you are looking at paying about 8-10 hours of labor plus the time to extract the bolt which could be 10 minutes or could be 4 hours. They will also want to replace the fiber wahers and springs, Merc says to replace em every time you pull it but it's not tottaly neccesary. Does it take them 8-10 hours ? NO, but at most shope you pay a flat rate, you are paying for their experience and that's the way it should be if you ask me.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

damn, I think I'm gonna pull for fun now!! Fix it if it ain't broke!! :D :D

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I don't want to drop the lap top looking at that.... :D :drink:

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Great post hillbilly. Very informative.

I plan to pull mine for up grades in the early spring or next fall. Like custon29 I've never pulled a boat engine either, but want to do it myself. I crawled around under the hatch to check things out, and as mentioned it does not look like it would be all that difficult. But is intimidating to the 1st timer.

Your post is very helpful. Thanks :drink:

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Thanks, Downtown! I suck at pics!

I'm pulling both motors out this weekend to install new oiling systems including new oil coolers, hoses, adapters, etc. to try and get my oil pressure up and temp lower. I'm also going to fix some wiring that slows down engine removal (I hate having to disconnect the power wires from the starter). Better pics to follow..

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Backhoe???? Sweet!! Nothin' like havin the right tools.....we all need one of those!!!! :D

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

You will also need to unbolt the throttle cable brackets and lay off to the side. Don't mess with the adjustments if it's running fine. Also will need to pull off drive oil resevior and plug the hose with a pencil or bolt to keep oil from running out. That's if its mounted on engine.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

1997 powerquest remove and replaced 502 mag replaced drive coupler and alined the drive i paid 585.00

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

Just my opinion, but if you are pulling the engine for something like that, go ahead and replace all the wear out items while it is easy. Waterpump, check the coupler, change the oil, spark plugs, etc. All things that are a lot easier while the engine is out.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

That is a hell of a deal, the coupler it self is about 300 bucks retail.

Re: How difficult is it to pull a motor?
 

I agree that everyone's pretty much covered most of the things to look for. I did my Baja a couple months ago (my 1st boat motor) and I agree it was easier than I thought. One mistake I made though was not paying close attantion to how the spacers and washers came out of the bell housing coupling (excuse my lack of proper terminology). I left out the "spring looking" lock washers and the shaft for the drive wouldn't line up when I tried to put the drive back on because the back of the motor was too low. Other than that it was really not bad at all. In my case the boat sat for a few months waiting for the machine shop and my memory didn't serve me well. You could do this job in a day with a buddy that can turn wrenches.