I first thought I would fix the old Volvo Penta MD2, that was in the boat from the start (30 years old…). However, I read a lot about people changing to a newer engine, and found I could save 100 kg, get a smoother running engine and, above all, be less concerned about the enging breaking down in the wrong moment….
The old engine was mounted rather tightly, so that maintenance was difficult. In the Maxi 95 the engine is under the cabin table, so there is good access from all sides. However, it was difficult to get under the engine, to clean the bilge….
Here I am lifting the old engine. You can see the space around it….
The new engine is a Vetus M3.28, which came in a big box:
I started to test out the mounting, but soon found that the engine would bee too high! About 5 cm higher than the VP…
I could not lower the engine more, since it would then hit the hull sides, so the (brutal) alternative was to move the bearing and propeller axle….
The axle was a pain to ge loose, but I managed after some hours of work, chipping away the polyester.
The bearing got a new support, too. Slightly up and forward.
The propeller was changed for a 3 bladed.
A problem was how to place the exhaust hose…. I finally drilled a hole under the bearing and added a stainless tube. One piece of the hose goes under the engine and then it comes out below the propeller axle.
Finally, the electricity, controls, water hoses and diesel tubing was added. There is plenty of space left over in the engine box now.
I moved the control panel to the SB side (first having it loose, but now (2009) I have built a frame and have it properly mounted. First the hole (there is 12 cm depth at the bottom of the hole):
The panel in place.
Magnuskrampell's Blog 