Paint and parts on...

Got the starboard, rear engine mount reattached this morning. While
removing the wooden shims supporting the engine I was reminded how far this
project has come. The bilge under the shims was a not-so-nice, greasy
reminder.

The rear engine mount, which attracted to the transmission, is held in
place by two 7/16" x 1" bolts. One bolt is high inside the mount. The
other bolt is easily accessible at the mount's base. Each is required to
be torqued to 52 ft-lbs. That's no problem on the bottom bolt. But
restricted ratchet movement and length mean that a relatively short 3/8"
ratchet is the only choice for tightening the upper bolt. Yea, good luck
getting 52 ft-lbs with that.

Engine assembly order is important because as the parts go on access to the
areas near the parts will become more restricted. This is especially true
on the engine's starboard and aft sides.

Parts On...

Finally, parts (the for valve covers) actually went back on the engine today!  The engine, except for the pan got its third coat of white enamel.

After putting on the port, rear engine mount, the starboard rear engine mount was removed for cleaning and paint. 

Put these green caps on all the window locks.  They look a lot better than the hodge podge we took off.

I found the caps at Lowes in the speciality hardware drawers.  It's $.93 for three.

Installed the rebuild kit on the Whale MK5 hand bilge pump. 

Batteries and Wires

All the cables and hoses on the starboard side of the engine are being rerouted.

Got a port side and starboard side battery off. Heavy suckers!

Easy Out

Thank goodness, the headless engine-mount bolt came out relatively easily. From the picture above you can see that the bolt was well lubricated. Memo to self, always use antiseize.  Adding evidence to a fatigue failure is the rough edge of the bolt where it broke.  

Broken rear mounting bolts seem to be a common problem on LNVTs with Cummins engines. Having a four point mount, like Nellie's, doesn't prevent the problem.  Rather than merely inspecting the bolts on some periodic basis, Nellie bolts will be replaced biannually.  The bolts will be Grade 8 USS, 7/16"-14 x 1-1/4".

At the top of the picture above is where engine mount was removed. It would be impossible to access it with the turbo and exhaust hose in place.  The engine is being held up with cedar shims.  Not only do they work, they're easy to work with and they smell good.

To quote John Mackie, "Double crap!"

Tried to replace the missing engine mount bolt this morning only to find there was already a bolt, or more properly a headless bolt already in there. It was after asking John's advice on how best to remove the bolt that he said "Crap!" It was after he realized that it was the most inaccessible bolt that he said, "Double crap!" After removing the engine mount I got this picture of the broken bolt. I don't believe it was a shear failure as the mount is still lined up with transmission. Fatigue is the likely culprit. If so, it won't be too hard to get the bolt out.

Before the Engine Paint

Things that make you go hmmm...