Engine hatch cover?

Txjole2 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:20 pm

You dont. Some of the higher end go fast boat have an extra power sorce point in the head for engine hatch rams. If you have a dead battery (it has to be really dead) you get towed in.

millhaven_nice_guy · **Posted:** Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:42 pm

In my 260 the batteries are accessed through the flip up stairs but I also have the rear cushion that is removeable so I could pull the top pin on the actuator and manually lift the engine bay cover. Not sure if the smaller boats would have this option. The actuator is just a long linear actuator you could buy one used off ebay and install it yourself. Probably a 24" stroke model would do for your boat.

Jim_R · **Posted:** Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:42 pm

The thread on TxJole's hinge problem:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=753&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=hinge+break

I know it's been checked, but man there's got to be an alignment issue there somewhere. If it was shear because of weight (as I assumed several posts up) it would be downwards not left to right, and your deck would probably be scraped under the rounded part of the hinge. Guess I like your idea of getting a couple sets fabricated out of SS. I'm sure I don't have to tell a hardware guy to get some higher tensile strength bolts too.

St. Louis Dave · **Posted:** Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:07 pm

Is their any lubrication on these lifts? Mine seems very slow and "sticky"

Graham R · **Posted:** Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:57 pm

The electric actuator on my '04 Sundowner has a "zerk" on the gear body; in some applications that might be underneath and not readily visible. I just use normal wheel bearing grease in mine , it seems to work fine.

The rod of the actuator doesn't actually locate in the engine cover. There is a piece of 2-1/2" or 3" thick wall PE water pipe attached to the engine cover. It has 2 slots milled in it lengthwise. The pin at the end of the actuator rod locates in those slot, so it only starts to lift the cover when it is at the upper end of the slots. If the battery (or motor) fails, then the cover can be lifted, that pin just slides along the slots to the opposite end; enough to allow the engine cover prop to be put in place.

Graham

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:57 pm

Guys I think you are overthinking this to a degree, for one thing the gas struts are a standard item that comes in various levels of 'lift' you can go up to about 120 lbs each if I remember right. They typically come in 60 lbs, 80 lbs, 90 lbs and 120 lbs. Think about it, they can lift the hood or rear hatch on a large SUV without a problem, the weight of the plywood in my full size sunpad is probably less than 50 lbs total. One other thing to remember, they don't last forever, I had to replace the hatch gas struts on my Grand Cherokee after about 4 years because they didn't lift it up all the way. And another thing, anything electrical you add in the engine compartment of an IO has to ignition protected for obvious reasons. West Marine carries both the regular and stainless ones in some of these sizes, you should measure the OE ones and maybe go up one level in lift strenght.

Busacharger · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:27 pm

You may just want to upgrade to the same size gas struts on a 220 I had the option of electric lifts , but after using mine I'm very glad I didn't. My hatch floats up with very little effort as a matter of fact I have more of a problem getting it down that last inch to latch it closed.

07H200SS · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:29 pm

Maybe my struts are just bad? They will hold it open once you get it up, but it is very hard even for me to lift it without using both hands.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:43 pm

Change em, you should be able to lift that hatch with one hand.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:44 pm

Yeah I didn't realize you had gas struts. Sounds like they've lost their charge.

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Engine hatch cover?

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