Square peg into a roundish hole

CJL · 17 May 2007, 16:14

Anybody know if a 150 Merc Optimax will fit in the back of an Audi A4 estate?

I'm worried about the weight as well as the physical size!

Chris

ADS · 17 May 2007, 16:18

If its a company car there shouldn't be a problem!
I have had a 70HP Tohatsu in the back of an A6 estate no problem, but like you say its more the weight than the size, you will have trouble manhandling that.

Nos4r2 · 17 May 2007, 16:33

I'd hire a van. It'll be very hard to get something as heavy as a 150 Opti in (and more importantly out) the back of a car without damaging the engine in some way.

Neil Harvey · 17 May 2007, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I'd hire a van. It'll be very hard to get something as heavy as a 150 Opti in (and more importantly out) the back of a car without damaging the engine in some way.

Not to mention damaging the inside of the car and peoples' backs.
If you go the car route, put down a ply board and then an old blanket or something you can use to pull it across the board til it's in.

I have done it with a 65 Suzi into a toyota hilux surf which has quite a high boot floor, and was not a nice job.

Would not fancy a 150, especially into a low down estate!

Nos4r2 · 17 May 2007, 17:39

That and if you have to do an emergency stop when some goon cuts you up it'll go straight through the windscreen and make a nasty mess of everything in the way...

Neil Harvey · 17 May 2007, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

That and if you have to do an emergency stop when some goon cuts you up it'll go straight through the windscreen and make a nasty mess of everything in the way...

Fair comment, if I think about ti I had tie down points in the back of the surf, so it was ratcheted down as well. Maybe not such a good idea if you can't do that!

John Kennett · 17 May 2007, 19:05

Well I managed to put a Landrover engine in the back of a Fiesta once, but it wasn't easy and didn't do the car a lot of good.

I'd go with Nos and suggest investing £50 in hiring a van for the day.

John

codprawn · 17 May 2007, 19:14

Borrow or hire a trailer for it.

Swifty · 17 May 2007, 19:47

I got a mercury 90 into my Discovery -and managed to shut the door.

Took four of us to get it out and plonk it on the transome though!

...or take the boat to the engine???

Hightower · 17 May 2007, 19:49

If it will pysically fit inside then the weight won't be a probem, only weighs 200 kg's.

Ply board and carpet seems like the best way to go.

As for going though the windscreen

More likely to give you a good squashing though

Tim M · 17 May 2007, 20:14

I really wouldn't fancy that. Biggest I've had in the boot is a 60. Hire a trailer for the day with a ramp on the back.

jwalker · 17 May 2007, 21:51

If it's any use for you to know, the guy who bought my Johnson 150 collected it in a Vauhall Astra estate. We had to remove the lower unit and the engine needed to go through the rear side door. We suspended it on a pallet fork of my JCB and got it into the doorway. It was manhandled from there into the rear of the car and tied down. The seats where folded forward, of course.

Next story; I collected my 200 Suzi from North Wales and brought it home in a Saab 2ltr hatch. The lower unit was lifted by hand while the powerhead was held on a block and tackle. The lower unit was swung into the rear of the car as far as possible then two of us took the weight of the powerhead and pivoted the whole thing sideways and into the rear area. The Saab had tie-down eyes and it was strapped in a firmly a possible.The mud flaps dragged on the ground and had to be removed for the journey home.

Biggles · 17 May 2007, 22:00

I moved a 50 Four stroke in the back of my 4 x 4. Car had no problems. I did. Its a nightmare getting an engine in a car without damaging something. If its got an oil sump you also have to have it up the right way.

Best thing is do as Tim says and get a trailer or as Matt says hire a van. Which ever is the cheaper. Or ask for delivery costs.

CND · 17 June 2007, 18:25

If I were you Chris I would take a Navara. Just to warn you, might have a few electrical problems along the way!

CJL · 18 June 2007, 09:26

Oh your sooooooo funny!!

Tims Osprey · 19 June 2007, 12:39

I have managed a 75 mariner in the back of an estate and its surprising how much bigger that they become once taken off the back of a boat! with some thing like a 150 opti i would hire a trailer for the job. Also with using a trailer it will be much easier to maneuver on and off instead of in and out of a car if you know what i'm saying.

CJL · 19 June 2007, 13:16

Dear all,

Just thought I'd better let you know how we got on.

We were on the 7 O'Clock Ferry from Weymouth on Saturday and got into Guernsey at 0910 with my friends Nissan Navara pickup truck complete with a "truckman type" back on it.

We had to strip the engine off the back of the owners boat before we could take it any where. Fortunately the fuel and oil pipes were very easy to do and we had them off in 5 mins flat.

Then it started to rain but we struggled through the downpour and got all the spiders web of electric cables off the boat as well. The throttle and gear cables we disconnected from the engine end and pulled through leaving us with the engine and four bolts.

Obviously we thought we were on a home run and quickly had three bolts out leavign the engine attached y one bolt. We then ran a rachet strap from each towing eye round the back of the engine and chocked the skeg with a lump of timber leaving it nicely supported.

The final bolt then came out and the engine minus cowling stayed upright. We reverse the pick up close up to the back of the engine giving us a 1m of working space. On the back fo the pick up was an old duvet which we planned to slide the engine across the pick up load bay.

We then removed the ratchet strap and lowered the engine block down towards the tailgate and the duvet. After that we lifted the leg up to horizontal and pushed the engine up into the load bay.

After getting it diagonal across the load bay it fit beatifully and we loaded up and was well on our way!

All done in 2 hours which I'm sure may pro places would struggle to do it in!

Only thing now is to work out how much off set is needed on a Ribtec 585 with a 150 Optimax on it. Any ideas anybody?

Chris

Sixy_the_red · 20 June 2007, 08:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Well I managed to put a Landrover engine in the back of a Fiesta once, but it wasn't easy and didn't do the car a lot of good.

I suppose that's one way to get extra speed out of a fester...

John Kennett · 20 June 2007, 09:57

It certainly went faster downhill!

John

Nos4r2 · 20 June 2007, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixy_the_red

I suppose that's one way to get extra speed out of a fester...

That's coming from someone who towed me across town in a Nissan 720 with a diesel Fiesta