Repower 330 Express

[TJRHouse]

I have recently repowered my 2004 G/W330 Express with new Yamaha F250XB outboards, replacing the original factory installed 225s. At twenty years and over 1,000 hours, the 225s had terminal corrosion problems. But I have run into a problem fitting the new outboards.

There is a tube extending from the bottom cowling on the engine, starboard side looking forward. This tube contains a grommet into which the fuel line and control cables enter the engine. The fuel line and control cables run through a flexible corrugated hose leading from the transom bulkhead that clamps to the cowling tube. This keeps the whole mess neat and tidy.

O.K. so far.

When the engines are raised (parked), the tube from the cowling is forced down into the engine well. The resulting angle breaks the clamp on the flexible hose and crushes the cables and fuel line entering the cowling tube. I lost power on one engine because of a crushed fuel line.

The solution seems to be to park the outboards in hard left rudder, which decreases the angle of the cowling tube which then eases the pressure on the fuel line and control cables. Problem then is the outboards cannot clear the swim ladder (mounted flat on the stern bulkhead in 2004).

I imagine G/W dealt with this problem on later versions of the 330, as nearly all models leave the factory with Yamaha engines. Does anyone know how the problem was addressed…?

 

[family affair]

Not trying to be a wise-guy, but did you try full to starboard? I never damaged mine, but I had the same concern. I always keep mine full port before tilting for similar reason. You could also try to keep them centered and use a steering ram wedge to keep in the ideal position.
The tube you are referring to is called the rigging tube.

 

[HMBJack]

Resting the engines up and full to port (as you did) is the way to go.
Turning them to starboard works but port is much easier on the rigging tubes.
The issue with the swim ladder can be solved by removing it off the transom and stowing inside your cabin somewhere convenient.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

The solution seems to be to park the outboards in hard left rudder, which decreases the angle of the cowling tube which then eases the pressure on the fuel line and control cables. Problem then is the outboards cannot clear the swim ladder (mounted flat on the stern bulkhead in 2004).

My 306 Canyon had similar problem with the twin F300, but not so extreme as yours.
In some cases you can change length of the rigging hose to make them have different turns inside the splashwell.
When we installed the BF350 it took some tests to find the correct length to make the rigging hose coil better and not apply pressure on the hose exit on the outboard.
This is not only a GW problem, i encountered same on many other boats where splashwell was not enough deep

Yes, the flip over swimming ladder screwed on the stbd side transom platform - if yours is same as mine - is a dangerous problem.
If one jump/fall over board when engine is turned to stbd i can't flip the ladder to down position and would need to use AV plate as step to climb on the transom platform.
Storing the ladder - if removable - in the cabin make it even worse as in this case no ladder is there to facilitate boarding.
Not sure if this a problem only with my bigger BF350 and was not with the F300, i just noticed that a few days ago and thinking about how to solve that.

Chris