Propshafts out of line??????

[Rocksteadee]

Fairline Turbo 36
Just disconected drive coupling and slid shafts back (job is to replace deep sea seals) and both shafts jumped out of alignment as they came free of the bolts....does this mean my engines are out of line????
TAMD61As
Misalighment at worst is 1/4 inch

[scottie]

Yes it is likely (unless they drop )they are out of line if they jump that amount.
Normally even sliding into the spigot is only a start to lining up as it should be done with feeler gauges .

Check the state of the engine mounts especially if it looks that the engine is low .

[DAKA]

Fairline Turbo 36
Just disconected drive coupling and slid shafts back (job is to replace deep sea seals) and both shafts jumped out of alignment as they came free of the bolts....does this mean my engines are out of line????
TAMD61As
Misalighment at worst is 1/4 inch

I assume you are currently dry.
Firm ir soft ground ?

I wouldnt start to adjust much until you are back in the water, who chocked you up and has someone got carried away with hammering the chocks?

[volvopaul]

Fairline Turbo 36
Just disconected drive coupling and slid shafts back (job is to replace deep sea seals) and both shafts jumped out of alignment as they came free of the bolts....does this mean my engines are out of line????
TAMD61As
Misalighment at worst is 1/4 inch

Your rear mounts have sagged over the years this is quite common, the rubber just compresses, you might have a real fight on a t 36 to get at the nuts if you have the early type mounts, which brings in another subject on volvos early mounts.

The early 61a circa 1987 had mounts with a threaded post, nut below engine bracket, nut above. These had a habit of shearing off leaving the engine to float about, I've done many over the years, once had a princess 435 with just the shaft to hold the engine in place!.

By the end of the prod run they were on 3rd generation mount to cure it, tell me what year your boat is.

Anyway if you search on here you will find posts about engine alignment, you do it with feeler gauges on the dome headed bolt on the r and d plastic coupling, it's a job for a small person as well, start by screwing up the rear nuts, you will also have to
Fit the fronts as well, but everything will have to be freed up before you start, if you have the early mounts check there are no sheared posts.

One other thing, if your on deep sea seals make sure the water feeds are clear from the gearbox cooler, as the seals will just burn out again if not fed, also check for lift in the hull stern tube cutlass bearing you may find as the weight of the motor has been sitting on them there oval, which makes it a pointless task fitting new seals if the rear end just lift up and down as this will cause rapid wear on the shaft seals.

Btw wrong time of year to be laid up!

[mikef]

I've done many over the years, once had a princess 435 with just the shaft to hold the engine in place!.

That brings back bad memories. We had a 435 with 71A engines about 20 yrs ago. Early one summer morning, we were crossing the Channel and in the middle of the shipping lanes, I heard a loud bang from down below and the boat suddenly dropped off the plane. I couldn't understand what was going on as both engines were still revving freely. I throttled back to idle and went down into the engine bay and to my horror saw seawater pouring through the starboard shaft seal. Then, even worse, I saw that the s/b universal coupling had been sheared and the reason for that was that the s/b engine had completely dropped off it's mountings. All 4 mounting bolts had corroded and sheared. I assumed that it was the shock load on the propshaft caused by the engine dropping that had sheared the u/c and damaged the shaft seal, hence the incoming water. Then when I inspected the port engine, I was horrified to see that 3 out of 4 bolts on that engine had sheared through as well and the port engine was effectively restrained by just one bolt.
Luckily, the bilge pumps were coping with the leak from the s/b shaft seal and I very gingerly put the port engine into gear, turned the boat around slowly and headed back to the Needles at about 4kts on the port engine. A couple of hours later we managed to make contact with Solent coastguard who I have to say were excellent. Despite the fact it was a Saturday, they arranged an emergency lift out at Hamble Point and got an inshore lifeboat to accompany us for the final part of the trip. We finally arrived back at Hamble Point in the late afternoon and the boat was lifted immediately. I considered this a very lucky escape
The repair was carried out by Desty and the new Volvo engine mounts fitted had bolts about 3x diameter of the old ones so I guessed Volvo had had an issue with these. Needless to say, I have inspected the engine mounts on every boat I have owned since on a very regular basis

[Rocksteadee]

I assume you are currently dry.
Firm ir soft ground ?

I wouldnt start to adjust much until you are back in the water, who chocked you up and has someone got carried away with hammering the chocks?

Am on blocks on firm ground

[Rocksteadee]

Your rear mounts have sagged over the years this is quite common, the rubber just compresses, you might have a real fight on a t 36 to get at the nuts if you have the early type mounts, which brings in another subject on volvos early mounts.

The early 61a circa 1987 had mounts with a threaded post, nut below engine bracket, nut above. These had a habit of shearing off leaving the engine to float about, I've done many over the years, once had a princess 435 with just the shaft to hold the engine in place!.

By the end of the prod run they were on 3rd generation mount to cure it, tell me what year your boat is.

Anyway if you search on here you will find posts about engine alignment, you do it with feeler gauges on the dome headed bolt on the r and d plastic coupling, it's a job for a small person as well, start by screwing up the rear nuts, you will also have to
Fit the fronts as well, but everything will have to be freed up before you start, if you have the early mounts check there are no sheared posts.

One other thing, if your on deep sea seals make sure the water feeds are clear from the gearbox cooler, as the seals will just burn out again if not fed, also check for lift in the hull stern tube cutlass bearing you may find as the weight of the motor has been sitting on them there oval, which makes it a pointless task fitting new seals if the rear end just lift up and down as this will cause rapid wear on the shaft seals.

Btw wrong time of year to be laid up!

Boat year spanned 90 to 91
Engine mounts are ones with engine bracket sitting on collar about 3 inch dis requiring c spanner to adjust
Was trying to get an engineer to do the job but engine compartment is too small so doing it myself but now can't get tools (thin walled 1 & 7/8 socket and short flange puller) now even harder as have not got engineering workshop
Even happy (hot happy but only peed off) to get in there myself whilst an engineer is getting paid to drink my tea

[DAKA]

Am on blocks on firm ground

Volvo paul knows far more than I do, if he thinks its alright to adjust a Turbo 36 on the hard then fine.
Lesser boats can twist on the hard especially if soft ground has settled under the chocks and someone has whacked the wedges too hard and it is impossible to accurately align most engines unless floating.

[Firefly625]

That brings back bad memories. We had a 435 with 71A engines about 20 yrs ago. Early one summer morning, we were crossing the Channel and in the middle of the shipping lanes, I heard a loud bang from down below and the boat suddenly dropped off the plane. I couldn't understand what was going on as both engines were still revving freely. I throttled back to idle and went down into the engine bay and to my horror saw seawater pouring through the starboard shaft seal. Then, even worse, I saw that the s/b universal coupling had been sheared and the reason for that was that the s/b engine had completely dropped off it's mountings. All 4 mounting bolts had corroded and sheared. I assumed that it was the shock load on the propshaft caused by the engine dropping that had sheared the u/c and damaged the shaft seal, hence the incoming water. Then when I inspected the port engine, I was horrified to see that 3 out of 4 bolts on that engine had sheared through as well and the port engine was effectively restrained by just one bolt.
Luckily, the bilge pumps were coping with the leak from the s/b shaft seal and I very gingerly put the port engine into gear, turned the boat around slowly and headed back to the Needles at about 4kts on the port engine. A couple of hours later we managed to make contact with Solent coastguard who I have to say were excellent. Despite the fact it was a Saturday, they arranged an emergency lift out at Hamble Point and got an inshore lifeboat to accompany us for the final part of the trip. We finally arrived back at Hamble Point in the late afternoon and the boat was lifted immediately. I considered this a very lucky escape
The repair was carried out by Desty and the new Volvo engine mounts fitted had bolts about 3x diameter of the old ones so I guessed Volvo had had an issue with these. Needless to say, I have inspected the engine mounts on every boat I have owned since on a very regular basis

wow Mike, what a story, thanks for posting....I keep looking at my engine mounts and the aft ones are a bit corroded but plenty of meat still on them and mounting bolts are fine... but this sort of post does get me thinking..!

I guess if this thread does nothing but firstly help OP, and then everyone else checks there engine mounts this weekend it has done a blooming good thing!

[volvopaul]

wow Mike, what a story, thanks for posting....I keep looking at my engine mounts and the aft ones are a bit corroded but plenty of meat still on them and mounting bolts are fine... but this sort of post does get me thinking..!

I guess if this thread does nothing but firstly help OP, and then everyone else checks there engine mounts this weekend it has done a blooming good thing!

James you have nothing to worry about, Volvo made a right cock up on the 61 mounts, as they were on third generation when production ceased, princess 435 big heavy boat!