Gimbal Ring

ruggerole

So my mechanic says the gimbal ring is shot. $1900 to fix. He's pulling the engine. I want to clean and paint the engine bay. What should I use?

2001 Captiva 232 w/Bravo 3

Dream_Inn

@davidbrooks - I believe David just did his and the pictures showed a really nice clean look.

davidbrooks

So i scrubbed the #$%$ out of the engine compartment with Purple power degreaser.  Got a big bottle from Walmart for ~$13.  Then used Interlux Bilgecoat.  https://www.westmarine.com/buy/interlux--bilgekote-enamel--P004_121_004_008?recordNum=1.  $40 at West Marine.  Even though the engines were pulled it is tough to not get it on hoses and wires.  This is really just a gloss white enamel.  Have plenty of rags for drips and paint cleaner.  I would also tape up as much as possible.  Last word of advice is that i did 3 coats.  2 to cover and one after the engines were back in as the mechanics footprints kind of messed it up.  

Cableguy Greg

One thing to keep in mind is that you will be working around your mechanic. He will be in there getting the old ring out and the new one in. Then he will want to get the engine back in. Make sure he is willing to work with you on the painting of the engine bay. My guy wouldn't mind one doing cleaning, but probably not the painting. He would want to get the job done.

ruggerole

My guy said not a problem to paint. Not sure how long he will need once the engine is out.

davidbrooks

Give it a good 3 hot dry days to dry before he gets back in or he will track paint out onto your deck.  Even then i recommend moving blankets as the first thing he stands on.  My mechanic was the same way.  Loved the fact i was cleaning out all the junk and painting it.  So he didn't have to work in bilge slime.

ruggerole

Update. The engine was pulled last week. Brought the boat home and finished painting the bilge/engine compartment. What a pita. Only because items that I didn't want to remove. Attached are pics of the progress. I bought 2 quarts of Intrlux Bilgekote and only needed one. I have one unopened available if anyone is interested. $20

Handymans342

I dont think you can ship paint. Hazardous material

ruggerole

Its only 21 hours from you. Worth the trip

Dream_Inn

The bilge looks great @ruggerole !  So much better than before!

aero3113

Looks GREAT!

davidbrooks

Looks great. I wouldn't get rid of your extra yet. I found myself needing a food amount of touch up after engines were back in.

Willhound

That brightened her up!

Glassguy54

That looks so much better. I was never a fan of that stringy looking spatter coat.

ruggerole

I have about 1/3 of the original quart left. I still need to paint the starboard aft battery area. Figure I will tackle that in the spring when the batteries are out.

I picked a nice warm sunny Saturday/Sunday to do it. The only problem was it was windy and I live in the woods. Every falling leaf found its way into the work area. Had to pick leaves out of wet paint and touch up. Also bees must like paint smell. Looks good though

ruggerole

Update: So my mechanic still hasn't got the engine reinstalled. Good thing I rushed to get the engine compartment painted. He says not to worry, if he doesn't get to it, he will shrinkwrap it and store it for free. Not a bad deal I guess. But I did have a concrete slab poured in September. Could have waited on that too.

rasbury

hey, chalk it up! Just think, maybe while it is in storage, a tree falls across your slab this winter and would have destroyed your boat!

ruggerole

OK, here's the latest. Kind of getting under my skin.

I took the boat out of the water in early September to get the gimbal ring fixed. My mechanic took the engine out and told me that I had the weekend to paint the engine compartment. Got it back to him the following Monday. Absolutely no progress from him since. I've called him a few times and his excuse is that he's been busy winterizing others boats. Meanwhile my boat sits in his yard with only the mooring cover. Its getting winter like this Wednesday and my boat sits without any shrink-wrap. He has said that he wont charge me storage if he can't get to it until spring. I keep calling him to ask when he might as I would like to get the batteries out. What a friggin nightmare

Handymans342

Wow. That's very frustrating. It sounds like you dont have any options

LaRea

@ruggerole how is the paint job holding up after two seasons?  Are you happy with BilgeKote?  Anything you'd have done differently?  

ruggerole

The BilgeKote is holding up perfectly. Cleaned everything with a de-greaser first and power washed. Dried for 24 hours with the engine hatch open. Painted with a small roller and brush. Turned out great. 2 years later it is still holding up nice. It will net dirty but a quick rinse and wipe and it looks new again. Highly recommend it.

LaRea

Wow, no sanding? Just degreaser?