Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Previously posted in the Scarab forum:

I noticed that my port side engine mount is loose. I tried to tighten the bolts but both seem to be stripped. The bolts that hold the mount appear to be going into the stringer. What is a good way to fix this without pulling the engine? Can it be sleeved with something?

Thanks
SAR

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

ugh,

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

What's stripped? The big bolts that adjust the motor up and down or the bolts that hold the mount down?

You probably won't need to pull the motor but you might need to apply enough upward lift to fix it.

I've had more trouble with Merc mounts than I care to list.

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

The lag screws on the port mount are stripped out. The mounts themselves appear to be good. I was hoping to fill the holes with someting and then re-drill, and put the lag screws back in. Any ideas of what to use or a different approach is appreciated.

Thanks

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

sounds like the stringer may be starting to rot.....but lets hope not.

Maybe the next size up lag bolt ?

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Lag bolts seem like a VERY poor way of securing motor mounts. I have a piece of angle iron that is through bolted through the stringer. The mounts are then BOLTED to the angle iron. Maybe you can change your setup a little? Most of the parts houses sell the angle mounts. Good Luck!

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

If you are talking about the lag bolts into the stringer, then the best set up is through bolt with a backing plate (if you can get to the back side of the stringer). You won't have to fix it again. Check your alignment - a loose lag bolt can cause the motor to shift enough to throw off the alignment with your drive and ruin the coupler (the good news if that happened is you would have to pull the motor to fix the coupler then you could fix the motor mount easily). :)

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Pull the lag out and look at it,i would try to go to a larger diameter lag bolt that is also much longer if you have the room for the length.If the holes are rotted out you could drill them out with an angle drill and try epoxieng a large dowel bak into the hole.Depends if your going for a quick no engine pull fix to get you thru the summer or a engine out repair it right repair.

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

I think the mount setup he has goes into a solid block ,and there is no way to get to the back of it.What model scarab do you have?

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Had this same problem, wood was rotten. Take it to someone that does this daily. It will be cheaper to get it fixed right the first time.

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

let me guess late 80s boat wellcraft had many many issues with this back then

if you want call me and Ill walk the throug the easist way to repair

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Thjanks for all the replys. It is a 1996 26' Scarab. Stringer rot may be a possibility but I hope not. Tommymonza is correct, there is no way to get to the back of the stringer as the complete engine compartment is enclosed, etc. To do so I would have to take out a sawzall. :eek: :(

I am hoping to do something just to get me thru the summer before I pull it apart, sh*t.

Thanks again for the help you have given me several good ideas for fixes and what I might try.

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

I should add that last year the marina had the engine out to replace the gimbal and engine coupler. Maybe they stripped the hole out, who knows. I am the second owner of theis boat. It was always trailered with the first owner, and I have always kept it on a lift. I haven't noticed anything on the boat tha would indicate it has been underwater or has had the hull damaged.

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

best way to repair is with a product called git rot can be found at any marine retailer

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Gents, I got the loose engine mount fixed. Good news there is no dry rot.

I started by puchasing some git-rot and then tryied to take the bolts out... no good... they would not come out. So I got to looking around and found that there was an access hole under each mount. After looking in there I could see where the mounts are thru-bolted and only needed a backup wrench to tighten the mount. I had to remove the front accessories to get in position but about 4 hours of sweat and work and the mounts are now secure.

Thanks to all of you gave me some good ideas and fixes, and now I have a spare kit of git-rot which I hope I never have to use. Thanks again go-fasters.

SAR

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

glad to hear easy fix.... :drink:

Re: Engine mount loose.. need Help
 

Whew.got lucky