Well - I finally managed to spend some time on the old girl to finish off the engine hook up. I have to keep myself on track. This project is morphing into a re-wire job as well as a re-power job. Another thread for that later.
This week I got a spacer plate fabricated to allow a flex coupling to be used on the gearbox output flange. I was then able to drill out and install engine mounts and align the engine with props shaft.
Throttle & gearbox linkage was connected up and adjusted. I didn't bother rejigging for the gearbox linkage to suit the LH prop. I would try things out with the controls reversed.
New exhaust hose connected. New mount for water muffler.
New primary fuel filters installed, fuel lines were tied in, engine wiring completed, & a new helm engine panel was installed.
Lube oil, gearbox oil and coolant topped up.
With the electric fuel pump, priming the fuel filters and lines was a snap. I didn't even have to manually fill the water separator filters.
Time to try an engine start. A few seconds on the glow plugs, then the big moment. - The new Vetus/Mitsubishi fired up instantly, and idled smoothly at 840 rpm. No leaks, everything seems happy.
So - time for a sea trial. A short little run. New engine is certainly quieter and smoother than the old Volvo.
With the new gearbox ratio of 1.93:1 compared to the former 2.34, I expected to be slightly over propped. It turned out I was substantially over propped.
I reached a top speed of 7.3 knots at 1850 rpm. That's all the revs I could get of of her. In neutral, no problem getting to 3000 rpm. So definitely over propped.
I didn't want to push too hard with a new engine, so I mostly kept the revs around 1400 rpm for 6 knots where she ran sweetly.
Almost had a little mishap in the lock returning to my berth, when I forgot about the reversed linkage.
It seems my 16 x 16 LH prop will have to be replaced with a 16 x 10 or 16 x 11 RH prop.
Other than that - it all going well.