R25-SC Engine Mounts

John McCurdy

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2024
Messages
23
Fluid Motion Model
R-25 SC
Vessel Name
Shooting Star
Is there any good reason why the D3-150 in my 2017 R25 isn’t connected to all four engine mounts? The nuts are missing on the two forward bolts. Both aft mounts are fully secured with nuts. And part two— if I need to source the nuts does anyone have a good way to track down the correct ones?
 
The nuts should absolutely be there and tightened to spec. They probably worked their way loose and fell into the bilge. I’d start by trying to fish them out of the bilge with an articulating magnet. You should be able to determine the size by measuring the secured nuts at the aft. They are all the same size. I would recommend you check the shaft coupling alignment before tightening. With two nuts missing the engine may have moved out of alignment.
 
When we were Looping, the engine would occasionally just shut down with no warning. The engine display would say "Emergency Stop Activated - Reset Emergency Stop Button." I would shut everything off and restart the engine. After this happened a few times (and it was indeed scary), I found that it only happened at about 2200 RPM. We did not often travel at this rate, usually when absolutely needed like when going against currents...like going upstream in the Point Pleasant Canal, where it quit while going under the bridge by the Cop Shop, or in a strong crosswind in the Monument Channel in Georgian Bay in 100 feet of water and 100 yards from the shoreline rocks. To make a long story short, a very bright mechanic, while changing out the emergency stop switch that we thought was the culprit, noticed that one of the engine mount nuts was missing...he recovered it from the bilge and put it back on. The other three were still tight. He theorized that without that mount nut, the engine would vibrate at the right frequency to engage the stop switch, which is a mechanical button, hence the problem only at a certain RPM. We now have about 400 more hours and this problem has not recurred. Engine mount nuts are important.
 
This is so interesting to me. It’s really hard to believe these nuts would work their way off. I’m also more than a little concerned the survey missed it. But… I guess you were able to get it back on and the alignment was fine. I really hope I don’t have any major alignment issues because adjusting the engine alignment seems very simple and straight forward but at the same time very frustrating and time consuming. Nigel’s book says it’s a job you need to begin with the right mindset lol
 
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