removing OMC engine from boat

Been reading forum threads - great site. But could not find anything that would help with my own little problem. I'm sure you have all removed engines from boats, so I'm looking forward to some help - with thanks.
I have a 1974 OMC 170hp V8 (Ford 300) in a 19.5 Campion boat that has seized up due to overheating, and I have to pull it for a rebuild. Two of the local marine shops tell me it simply involves removing 4 bolts from the intermediate housing and lifting the engine out. I have a backhoe to make that very easy.
Right, except... The engine is off its mounts, everything has been disconnected that should be off. It is loose but still attached to the stern drive. The intermediate housing has 14 bolts, totally inaccessible, that keeps it permanently married to the engine. So, now, it stays with the engine.
My question is this: do I remove the leg and the transom ring, then try to squeeze the rest of it through the transom opening? Looks a bit tight, what with the power trim in the way. Hmm.... am I missing something here?
I am an old sailor but new to powerboats. So, thanks for your help, fellows.
Kern

 

Kern, I don't think the repair shop was joshin' ya- I'm not awfully familiar with the Electric shift or later stringerdrive OMCs (I'm a Cobra guy) but I'm pretty darn sure that the problem your having is the coupler from the flywheel to the intermidiate gearbox shaft is probably rusted together. Apparantly the last owner didn't take the extra minute to thouroughly lube the shaft so this wouldn't happen. On a properly lubed (especially freshwater) drive, it should slide right apart, leaving everything from the bellhousing back, in the boat.

 

Thanks mongo,
I wrote a reply, but they must have lost it for me. Anyway,here goes.
I took off the leg, found the ball bearings disintegrated in it, have to rebuild or replace it. That is what caused the engine to suddenly stop when I was cruising at high speed. It is seized up too, so it has to come out.

The problem with removing the engine was that the 14 nuts attaching it to the intermediate (bell) housing were inaccessible. I now loosened the engine mounts, moved it forward, took off the transom seal and can now remove the nuts from the engine. Skinned knuckles, etc., but it should now come out.
Thanks again for your help, will keep in touch.
Kern

 

DAMN- sorry about your multiple losses. I hate to throw it out there, but you may need to think deeply about your next course of action in a boat of that vintage, with a blown motor and drive. But who am I to talk, spending $6000+ on a 1974 Bayliner LOL. Good luck, and watch those knuckles!

Danny

 

Hi Danny,
It feels good to know that I am not alone in this saga of 'a boat is a bottomless bucket for money'. But, I enjoy learning new things, about powerboats compared to my old troublefree sailboat.

So, here is the latest: I found all the 14 nuts holding the bell housing to the engine and succeeded in lifting the engine out of the boat. It, by the way is a wellbuilt, solid hull. Well worth keeping. I only wish it had a ballroom sized engine room and a couple of engineers on it. The engine, on blocks, turned over, by hand and then by starter. What a welcome surprise. I will tune it up and put it back on the boat. Only the leg needs replacing or rebuilding.

I have ordered the complete set of manuals for the 1974 OMC system and will then put everything back in perfect shape. And damn the cost. Where do I find a good source of parts (bearings gaskets, etc.)? Do you know of a good one for these old buckets? Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.
Kern

 

I used to know a really good website that still had plenty of electricshift parts, but I can't remember to save my life. There's another site called sterndrive.com that I used alot when I rebuilt my Cobra. Do a yahoo search for omc parts, and you will find plenty of stuff, and don't forget craigslist.com (search boat section) and ebay. Good luck!