Diesel Guys- How much time does it take you or your mechanic to.....

Takes me about 3 hours to change both impellers and about 2 hours to change the oil. This includes warming up the engines and clean up. I believe your Cats take more oil than my Cummins but that shouldn't add much time.

 

I am probably 2-1/2 hours to change oil in both engines and Generator using a reverso to empty and fill... Not counting warmup so add another 20 minutes if didn't comeback warm already
Impellers suck...probably the same for all three 2-1/2 hours most time spent swearing and sweating on the starboard engine.. Gen is not much better

 

Changing oil with Reverso is easy, but never goes as fast as I think it should. +1 to Blue's comments. As far as impellers go, I have that licked.....I bought the impeller tool. http://www.impellertool.com/

I haven't used it on the boat yet, but on bench tests, it is super easy. I'll set a timeer next spring and let you know.

Add to the list changing serpentine belts. Takes about 15 minutes per if you've done it before and the bolts have been freed once before!

Jaybeaux

 

Did you buy the puller too or do you use a bolt?

 

Bolt from Fastenal....less than $5

 

In fact, removing the old impeller is now the rate limiting factor. That is if you don't count the multiple number of trips from the bilge to the helm to bump the engines to get the key pointing at 12 o'clock.

 

My guess would be between 6 & 8 hours labor.
My 3126’s should be a lot like your 3116’s time wise.
The oil changes for both my motors and the generator take me about 1 1/2 - 2 hours in total.
I’ve done them 3 times now so I’ve got a bit of a system.
That’s starting with warmed up motors (usually do it right after last run of season to pumpout Dock), draining motors and genny with Reverso, then changing 3 filters and pouring individual gallons of oil back in to the motors by hand. I use the reverso for filling the generator because it’s nuts to try to do it by hand.
I usually have an assistant opening the oil jugs and handing them down to me. That saves time.
I’ve only done the impellers once and it was over a winter.
Since it was so cold I did it in a couple of visits so don’t have a reliable start to finish time.
Fighting with the starboard exhaust to get it off was the single most time consuming part of the job though. Even using a heat gun it was a knuckle buster on a cold day.
Factor in time to remove and reinstall the senders that block the impellers from coming out too.
I took advantage of the Stbd exhaust hose being off and did the generator impeller at the same time.

 

impellers under 1.5 hours for both...(bolt method) oil & filters are a little tougher for me to guess because I'm also doing fuel filters and the gen. oil and fuel. I usually plan on 5-6 hours for this. Now somebody that is doing this for a living and not me doing it once a year probably could be a little faster.

 

Okay you win.... I left out the 4 beers in my time

 

I was recently charged 8.5 hours of labor to do oil and filter changes on both motors and generator, fuel filter changes on both motors, air filter changes on both motors, and crankcase filter changes on both motors. Volvo Penta D6s and an Onan Generator.

 

Do you have a link for the type of bolt used?

 

Three of those crown and water where to just deal with the starboard impeller... in all my years of working on cars and boats. That has to be the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with.

one season I was working on the boat in November doing the services by myself . when I say no one was on the dock I mean no one.
I got stuck between the starboard moter and the side of the boat ... really stuck. My cell phone was about six inches out of reach. I was stuck for about 2hrs and the more I panic the more stuck I was. luckily the dock master is a good drinking friend and he showed up for a drink around 6pm. He had to pull me out.

We had a good laugh about it however if he didn’t who knows how long I would of been stuck.

Always file a float plan. Lol

 

For two engines and gen, 5.25 hours for oil change, two lube oil filters per main (4 total), 1 secondary fuel per main (2 total), 1 Racor for each main (2 total), 2 pencil zincs per main (4 total

It took 5.25 for same engines and gen. We also have a reverso change system. We also had the racors re-filtered and the bowls flushed. It sounds good, but there was an additional 3.5 hours travel time.
H

 

Damn this boating is expensive....and this is just PM

 

I spend one day hanging out on the boat and do all the oil/filter changes, racor/secondary fuel filters and coolant filters for both engines and the generator. I take breaks, go get lunch, watch some tv along the way.

I have SMX impellers and don't change them but every 500-600 hours. Starboard takes about 15 minutes. Port takes about 30 minutes. Generator pump is side mounted so easy access. It's impeller change is 15 minutes as well.

 

I can not remember when an invoice showed up 6 months after a service was rendered that appeared to be about right. Almost always they seem to be too high for the amount of work performed. Realize this does not answer the question. Just sayin'....

 

No I don't. I just took an old impeller to my local Fastenal place and had them match it up.

 

Change oil and oil filters and engine mounted fuel filters for 3 Caterpillars and one Westerbeke Generator.......if everyone leaves me alone .....2.5 hours. My Racors are on a different schedule.

I handle the port impeller (10 minutes) but I get the marina to do the stbd one....if you have Cat engines in a Sundancer, you understand.