Official 400EC thread

[h_gerry]

Great pics. Are you doing all the work yourself?

Sorry, been busy with work and life stuff, unfortunately not the boat.

Yes. I am doing the work myself. So far I have removed everything from the old engines down to the bare block and heads. Cleaned up what I could, replaced what needed replacing and have started assembly of the remanufactured blocks. It is a process, particularly when the boat is 3+ hours away from home.

 

[h_gerry]

Can anyone tell me how to remove the panel in the saloon behind the settee? Mine has a large mirror in the middle and I want to get access to the speakers behind the panel

I have not taken that out yet, but I would suggest you start by reaching behind the panel by opening the electrical breaker panel and reaching around to see/feel what kind of fasteners are used. Likely will be best way to access the area.

 

[Olysan]

Out of curiosity where are you able to work on it? Finding a place to do that always seems like half the battle.

 

[h_gerry]

Out of curiosity where are you able to work on it? Finding a place to do that always seems like half the battle.

A friend, and fellow CSR member, has a business with a garage bay and lift that he is letting me use. It has been a lifesaver! With the car lift I can hoist and move around the engines, get them onto engine stands, paint them, position them to remove/attach the transmission, etc.
I owe him big time!!

 

[Olysan]

Has anyone installed a surround sound system in the cabin? What system did you use and how do you like it?

 

[GregM]

Replaced my Damper Plate this weekend. Found one on-line for $100 vs Mercury $450-$500. Took me a total of 6 hours by myself. Supported engine under oil pan with some wood and a few shims for a tight fit, was able to man handle tranny by myself to get out of the way. I had a cracked spring holder which was causing a rattle at low speed F&R while docking. Key things to note:

1. If you support engine at back of oil pan make sure the wood does not rest under dip-stick tubing mounted on bottom of oil pan and use shims to get wood snug so engine won't move. After I removed my tranny mounts it was hanging off engine block and didn't move at all!!!
2. After tranny is off to remove bell housing there is one mounting bolt in the hole where starter mounts. Little bugger had me scratching my head for a while.
3. Thin metal plate mounted on bottom of Bellhousing front (engine side) must be removed before you can pull housing, and is a PINA to reinstall properly.
4. Grease the tranny spline and damper spline, mine was very dry.
5. Check the adapter where the engine oil filter originally goes on bottom of engine for tightness. I had to remove my supply and return lines connected to it, the ones that going up to the oil cooler, because the adapter plate was loose, causing a little oil leak. easy to get to while transmission is off on PORT engine.
6. You may have to cut an open end/box wrench to get one lower transmission mounting bolt off on port side because its very close to stringer. I think it was a 15mm. 2 bolts and 4 nuts hold transmission to Bellhousing.

Other than that it was easy job. I didn't take many pictures, sorry. If you don't bang around the engine and are careful your drive shaft should line back up with tranny like mine did, .003" max gap in variation between flange plates. You need to remove the 4 bolts ea. of rear mounts on transmission, then take the rear mount adjuster lock nut off to remove mounts from stringers.

 

[h_gerry]

Replaced my Damper Plate this weekend. Found one on-line for $100 vs Mercury $450-$500. Took me a total of 6 hours by myself. Supported engine under oil pan with some wood and a few shims for a tight fit, was able to man handle tranny by myself to get out of the way. I had a cracked spring holder which was causing a rattle at low speed F&R while docking. Key things to note:

1. If you support engine at back of oil pan make sure the wood does not rest under dip-stick tubing mounted on bottom of oil pan and use shims to get wood snug so engine won't move. After I removed my tranny mounts it was hanging off engine block and didn't move at all!!!
2. After tranny is off to remove bell housing there is one mounting bolt in the hole where starter mounts. Little bugger had me scratching my head for a while.
3. Thin metal plate mounted on bottom of Bellhousing front (engine side) must be removed before you can pull housing, and is a PINA to reinstall properly.
4. Grease the tranny spline and damper spline, mine was very dry.
5. Check the adapter where the engine oil filter originally goes on bottom of engine for tightness. I had to remove my supply and return lines connected to it, the ones that going up to the oil cooler, because the adapter plate was loose, causing a little oil leak. easy to get to while transmission is off on PORT engine.
6. You may have to cut an open end/box wrench to get one lower transmission mounting bolt off on port side because its very close to stringer. I think it was a 15mm. 2 bolts and 4 nuts hold transmission to Bellhousing.

Other than that it was easy job. I didn't take many pictures, sorry. If you don't bang around the engine and are careful your drive shaft should line back up with tranny like mine did, .003" max gap in variation between flange plates. You need to remove the 4 bolts ea. of rear mounts on transmission, then take the rear mount adjuster lock nut off to remove mounts from stringers.

Glad it worked for you. Strange looking at your pictures, looks just like mine.

As for your point #2, you forgot about my post:

"What you are considering could be doable. The tranny would need to come back about 6" or so to get the input shaft clear of the DP. You are going to have to lift the back end of the motor up pretty high to get the coupler clear of the prop shaft. The tranny is manageable in weight to get it out of the way so you can access the bolts (6 in total I believe) holding the DP to the flywheel. You might need to twist the tranny a bit (clockwise / counter-clockwise to get the splines aligned) when you are reinstalling it. (torque to 35 ft. lbs. when reinstalling) Don't forget, there is a flywheel housing bolt to the block behind the starter, so take the starter off too. (emphasis added )

Good luck!

Harold"


Hope you get her in and underway soon. Fair Winds and Following Seas!!

 

[GregM]

Harold,

Yes I did....LOL.....it was only a minor delay, about 3 gulps of beer as I recall....

 

[Eluther3]

This may be a weird question, but I'm curious what type of trash can you all are using in the head. It bothers my wife that there is no trash can so she suggested putting it under the cabinet and cutting an access hole, similar to the kitchen set up. Not wild about cutting a hole in the counter. What are u using?

 

[Eluther3]

bought a 92 400 EC that came without a stove. Found one that fit and got ready to wire it in, but the junction box under the counter has black white and green wires while the stove has black red and bare. Does anyone know if the 240 v stovetop will work in the 400 EC?

 

[waves-all-day]

Does anyone else have vent hose coming off the bottom of their bilge blowers? Mine has no tubing coming off the bottom and leaves about 12 inches from the blower to the bilge floor.

I’m getting ready to replace both fuel pumps and am slightly concerned about the current setup not effectively removing all the fuel vapors.

 

[douglee25]

Replaced my Damper Plate this weekend. Found one on-line for $100 vs Mercury $450-$500. Took me a total of 6 hours by myself. Supported engine under oil pan with some wood and a few shims for a tight fit, was able to man handle tranny by myself to get out of the way. I had a cracked spring holder which was causing a rattle at low speed F&R while docking. Key things to note:

1. If you support engine at back of oil pan make sure the wood does not rest under dip-stick tubing mounted on bottom of oil pan and use shims to get wood snug so engine won't move. After I removed my tranny mounts it was hanging off engine block and didn't move at all!!!
2. After tranny is off to remove bell housing there is one mounting bolt in the hole where starter mounts. Little bugger had me scratching my head for a while.
3. Thin metal plate mounted on bottom of Bellhousing front (engine side) must be removed before you can pull housing, and is a PINA to reinstall properly.
4. Grease the tranny spline and damper spline, mine was very dry.
5. Check the adapter where the engine oil filter originally goes on bottom of engine for tightness. I had to remove my supply and return lines connected to it, the ones that going up to the oil cooler, because the adapter plate was loose, causing a little oil leak. easy to get to while transmission is off on PORT engine.
6. You may have to cut an open end/box wrench to get one lower transmission mounting bolt off on port side because its very close to stringer. I think it was a 15mm. 2 bolts and 4 nuts hold transmission to Bellhousing.

Other than that it was easy job. I didn't take many pictures, sorry. If you don't bang around the engine and are careful your drive shaft should line back up with tranny like mine did, .003" max gap in variation between flange plates. You need to remove the 4 bolts ea. of rear mounts on transmission, then take the rear mount adjuster lock nut off to remove mounts from stringers.

Nice work!

 

[Olysan]

View attachment 69653

Does anyone else have vent hose coming off the bottom of their bilge blowers? Mine has no tubing (previous owner wasn’t very good about engine room maintenance). I’m getting ready to replace both fuel pumps and am slightly concerned about the current setup not effectively removing all the fuel vapors.

Mine is set up just like yours. No duct/tubing at the bottom.

 

[waves-all-day]

Mine is set up just like yours. No duct/tubing at the bottom.

Thanks!

 

[Eluther3]

bought a 92 400 EC that came without a stove. Found one that fit and got ready to wire it in, but the junction box under the counter has black white and green wires while the stove has black red and bare. Does anyone know if the 240 v stovetop will work in the 400 EC?

Disregard - Reading the owners manual does wonders!

 

[h_gerry]

View attachment 69653

Does anyone else have vent hose coming off the bottom of their bilge blowers? Mine has no tubing coming off the bottom and leaves about 12 inches from the blower to the bilge floor.

I’m getting ready to replace both fuel pumps and am slightly concerned about the current setup not effectively removing all the fuel vapors.

I did not have any hose coming off of the inlet side of mine either. I, however, swapped out the inline blowers for squirrel cage blowers. It made a world of difference as they are much quieter. I still don't have any hose on the inlet side, but I may change that while I am cleaning up my engine room during the motor swap.

 

[Olysan]

Does anyone know where I can find a replacement for this door latch? This is the door to the master statement. Came like this from PO.

 

[douglee25]

I believe they are typically made by Mobella.

 

[Eluther3]

Just finished my latest project. The old refrigerator didn't work when I bought the boat, so I yanked it. Built a custom cabinet with a butcher block top.

After

Before

 

[douglee25]

Looks great! Do you think you'll miss the full size?