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Messages - RobertSchuldenfrei

#16
Main Message Board / Re: Cleaning Stainless
July 07, 2016, 05:47:16 AM
Hi,

I am firmly in the Bar Keeper's Friend camp.  However, I add a second step to make the cleaning last longer.  I coat the finished stainless with Rain-X liquid.

Cheers,

Bob
#17
Main Message Board / Hatch - 2 issues
June 25, 2016, 07:38:19 AM
Hi Everyone,

Two questions about hatches:

1/ Last weekend we were in quite a blow during a line squall.  Hit 55 kts!  Boat performed well and Pat and I are safe and sound.  The only loss was the canvas hatch cover on the mid-ship hatch.  Does anyone know of a supplier of a ready-made cover? 

2/ About two years ago I installed a new gasket on the forward hatch.  It was a tight fit which never gave me satisfaction, but in the words of the Stones, gave me what I needed in a water tight seal.  That same squall, must have lifted the gasket just a tad such that a rain storm that night caused a slow drip into the V berth.  Is there a sealant I can apply to the gasket in the area of the leak so I can avoid buying another gasket?

Thanks,

Bob
#18
Main Message Board / Re: Crush Washer Dimensions?
May 04, 2016, 12:38:00 PM
Quote from: Steve Wormsbecher on May 02, 2016, 09:21:39 AM
Hi all,

I have been searching for well over an hour now, including what seems like every forum entry, the 101's, "Replacement Filters, Belts, and Lubricants", FAQs, including "ENGINE FILTER / FANBELT / AIR INTAKE EQUIVALENTS" with zero luck.

Anybody have some dimensions for the engine and transmission Crush Washers?  Inside and outside diameters, thickness?  What I read says they should be aluminum; is copper okay?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My crankcase drain plug is leaking, and I really should do the transmission oil.  Just trying to save multiple trips to the boat.



Thanks in advance.

Steve

PS: Not been active on the board in forever, sorry, been busy with fun car stuff and my Catalina has been great not requiring anything significant for some time.

Hi Steve,

Just did that job.  Here is the firm that stocks them:

Transmission Marine, Inc.
223 SW 33rd Court
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 323335

(954) 467-1540

Their part number is: 0634801281 Sealing Ring

Hope this helps,

Bob
#19
Hi Forum Readers,

Success!  The gearbox problem was resolved, at least at slow speed.  We did not have to take off the HX (look at me, I speak engine-ese).  We were able to take the riser off with an end wrench.  However, we did remove the HX end caps (cover plate 299838) and when we replaced the starboard one we cracked the cover plate :(.  Since it is Saturday, I will have to wait until Monday to go to Sen-Dure Products, Inc. (www.sen-dure.com) for a replacement.

With a cracked cover plate, we were leaking sea water, so our test were not complete sea trials, but shifting at slow speed dockside.  We will have to wait a week for extensive sea trials at cruising speed to make sure it stays in gear.  Shifting is very smooth now so we are optimistic we found the problem.

As usual, thanks for the good advice.

Cheers,

Bob
#20
Quote from: Stu Jackson on April 05, 2016, 09:31:30 AM
Glad to hear you're making progress.  How did you get the exhaust riser off without removing the HX?

Hi Stu,

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the HX?  Here is another view of the engine.

Bob
#21
Hi Everyone,

Just a quick update.  Over the weekend we lifted the engine with a Come-A-Long suspended from a 4 by 4.  Although it had nothing to do with the gearbox, we found the two aft motor mounts needed rebedding.  We could find nothing wrong with the gearbox so we think that we had a cable adjustment issue.  The loud clunk we think was the Hurth 50 falling into neutral by itself at cruising speed.  Because we were missing a few seals we could not completely reassemble the engine.  We will do that on Saturday and test the engine and transmission slowly at first and then under normal conditions.  All of the work was done by Franco with assistance from Paul Alcock, owner of C34 #463.  Paul is pictured below with the bottom of the Come-A-Long.  I will post another update after our sea trials.

Cheers,

Bob
#22
Hi Forum Readers,

Paul Chasse, C34 #1282, used a used a come-a-long and a 2 by 4 across the companionway to lift his engine.  This would be good if we only have to lift the engine.  If we have to swing it over to the dock, we would need to use the halyard / boom method.  I will keep probing for ideas as this will be done over the weekend of April 2 - 3.

Cheers,

Bob
#23
Thank you Ron.  We can't not tackle this until the weekend of April 2nd.  We are still collecting information from people who have been down this road.  Bob

Quote from: Ron Hill on March 22, 2016, 11:40:47 AM
Bob : You are going to have to lift the engine, swing it forward and move it out of the engine compartment.  Then you'll have to remove the bell housing from the engine block so you can access the transmission bolts (from the inside of the bell housing, to remove the transmission.

Without saying you'll have to disconnect everything - the drive shaft, fuel lines, shift/throttle cables and all wiring. 
There are a number of articles on lifting the engine, removing & replacing the engine.  Look in WiKi and the mainsheet tech notes.

Been there done that!   :thumb:
#24
JUST FOUND TECH NOTE NOV 2000 ON CHANGING ENGINE MOUNTS:  It tells you how to lift the engine using a block and tackle hung from the boom.

Hi Forum,

Esprit du Vent has a problem in the gearbox.  Franco was on board yesterday and reports:  "I had to drain the transmission fluid (so no starting the engine until that is refilled!!!).  I noted that it does not seem to be the transmission and suspects the gearbox (more specifically the mechanism / spring which triggers it).  Unfortunately, the location of this on our engine (1987 Mk I with the Universal M-25XP) will require we lift the engine for to access it as there is not enough clearance to get at it  :(.  Certainly not the news we wanted... I know others have rebuilt the transmission and gearbox.  We need to know how to access it and lift the block?  I think it can be done by suspending the block from a piece of wood in the companionway and lifting it with a block & tackle."  Any details on this procedure?

TIA,

Bob
#25
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 29, 2015, 01:24:41 PM
Hi Everyone,

Well, the problem was not with the jib track.  It turned out that the stanchion leak gave a channel for the water to run aft into the head.  Since we sealed the stanchion the boat seems tight.  We ran water into the jib track with a hose for 15 minutes and no water in the head, or under the stanchion for that matter.  Now, we are still going to have to rebuild the wood core, but the immediate issue has been handled.  Any ideas about a fill material other than wood?

Thanks for the help,

Bob
#26
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 28, 2015, 05:25:11 AM
Quote from: britinusa on November 28, 2015, 03:39:40 AM
Bob, while working on the smart plug install yesterday, I noticed that the jib track is bolted through on Eximius!
I was inside the port cockpit locker and the nuts beneath the jib track are clearly visible. I could also see some underside of the deck in side the top shelf above the nav table (plastic sliding doors).

As Espirt Du Vent is the same year, I'm wondering if yours is the same and not an embedded ally strip!



Thanks Paul.  I will check it out.  I am taking a bit of a pause to see if, somehow, the leak is coming from the stanchion that has now been repaired.  Franco thinks this may be the case.  I plan this week to pour buckets of water on the jib track area and see what happens.  I have ordered an adapter for my brace such that I can use it with 3/8" sockets.  I will keep you, and the other readers of this forum, posted.  Bob
#27
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 23, 2015, 09:37:01 AM
Quote from: tonywright on November 23, 2015, 08:55:39 AM
Check Lee Valley Tools. They sell a 3/8 socket adapter for your old fashioned brace. If you can find a #4 Phillips to fit the socket wrench, that might be your low-risk approach. Or pick up their 3-jaw brace.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32300&cat=1,180,42337&ap=1

Tony

Regardless of whether this works for my track issue, the brace driver  - 3/8" socket is a must have item.  I will get it this afternoon.  Thanks,  Bob
#28
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 23, 2015, 07:22:55 AM
Quote from: Jim Hardesty on November 23, 2015, 07:08:12 AM
You may consider an impact driver.  To work it....set it to loosen, apply a little twisting to loosen, then hit with a mallet, repeat. Most of the time don't need to hit it very hard.   Here is a link to a cheep one
http://www.harborfreight.com/impact-screwdriver-set-with-case-37530.html
if you want a better one try a motor cycle shop.  I bought mine when I was doing dirt bikes 40+ years ago, still use it a couple of times a year.  Just not on dirt bikes.
Also there is spray on oil products Kroil or PB Blaster are good ones.  My concern with that is clean up and resealing after using oil on a porous area.
Hope that helped.
Jim

Hi Jim,

All good suggestions.  Alas, I have an impact driver but Warren from Catalina gave me the following warning:  Be careful using such a tool.  If you get a blow off center you can damage the screw head and worse the threaded aluminum backing plate.  If that happens you are in "deep weeds."  So, my first attempt will be to get a large Phillips head screwdriver or socket set attachment.  With one person providing downward pressure right on the screw head a second person will provide torque on some lever arm.  My first attempt will be vice grip pliers if the Phillips screwdriver has a parallel set of faces near the tip.  I want to collect as much advice before I do something stupid.

Cheers,

Bob
#29
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 23, 2015, 06:11:30 AM
Hi Forum Readers,

Went to the boat yesterday and I am making progress.  It was pouring rain!  I had put some heavy gauge plastic over the jib track.  When I looked in the head; no water.  That is the good news.  Since it was raining to beat the band, I could do nothing about the repair.  I exposed one of the screws in an attempt to see if I could turn it.  Alas, the largest Phillips screw driver I had was a #3.  It will take at least a #4; perhaps larger.  It will require a lot of torque.  Can anyone suggest a tool?  I have an old fashion brace, but I only have auger bits and a flat screwdriver bit.  No one seems to make these jewels any more with a Phillips bit.  I might find a long ratchet driver, but I fear I will not be able to apply vertical pressure on the screw head.  It seems to me that the perfect tool would be a tire-iron with a large Phillips head.  That would give lots of pressure evenly distributed on both sides.

Any thoughts?

In answer to KK's question, my 34 only has one track per side as shown in the image.

Thanks in advance,

Bob
#30
Main Message Board / Re: Wet Deck 2 - the jib track
November 20, 2015, 06:53:39 AM
Quote from: Stu Jackson on November 18, 2015, 04:42:16 PM
Bob, nice job on the stanchion.  Yeah, the track is bolted down with nuts and acorn nuts down below.  Hopefully there are the same number of fasteners down below as there are up above!!!  :D :D :D

It's a tedious job.  ITWMB, what I'd do is remove the acorn nuts down below, loosen the nuts down below, push up the track just enough to scrunch butyl tape around each bolt just under the track, and then tighten the track down again.  The track is curved, assuming you're talking about the inner track, so I would delay removing it completely if you can avoid it.  Just my opinion.

If it's an outer track, it's a different issue, since it's over the hull to deck joint and I have no outer track so don't personally know what the hell is underneath that sucker.

Good luck.  At least you're a "confirmed" butyl tape user now.   :clap :clap :clap

Hi Stu,

I just got off the phone with Warren at Catalina Yachts.  He had good news.  The track has a threaded aluminum backing plate.   :D This means I do not have to cut into the headliner from below.  He said just remove the track and rebed it and I should be good to go.  I will let you all know how this works out.

Cheers,

Bob