Repowering a 32-3

I'm thinking of perhaps replacing my 1986 M25 with a M25XPB. Has anyone done this? I was hoping that I could just take the old engine out and drop the new one in. Is life really that simple? My current engine has a 3 point mount. The dealer felt I should go with a 4 point mount which seems to me like it could complicate the process. Any thoughts and or experience would be appreciated. Would this be the time to replace the old-but-functioning water heater or can it be removed without removing the engine?

Thanks in advance for any comments

I have replaced a Universal M-25 with an M-25xpb, although not on an E-32-3. The two engines, while both 3 cylinder, are not the same size. The M-25xpb, with 5 more horsepower, is heavier and taller. I was not able to use the same engine mounts on my boat because the M-25xpb was too tall to fit under the cockpit floor. I had to build new mounts and move them forward.

I have no idea how much room you have between your existing engine and the cockpit floor. The old M-25 on my boat was itself a re-power on fabricated mounts, and those mounts should have been placed further forward anyway. Do the mounts for the two engines have the same track width? I don't know. I didn't notice. The M-25xpb is a four point mount system.

One thought about the three point mount that was used on thousands of Ericsons with Universal diesels.... I would not change this based on just or two opinions.
Mike, you might want to have Norm G come over for an analysis of your porposed project.

Also, while considering similar Kubota-based replacements, check out the fit and mount sizing on the equivalent Betamarine diesel as well.

Loren

Universal M3-20?

I just checked out the Universal specs and all of the M models are four point mounts now.

Incidentally, there is a smaller 3 cylinder, the M3-20. It is 50 lbs lighter than the M-25xpb and 20 horsepower as opposed to 26. It gets there at higher RPM, 3500 as opposed to 3000. When I got my engine, the M3-20 wasn't much cheaper and I lilked the lower RPM torque curve of the M-25xpb. But if you don't need the extra 6 horses and are attracted to a smaller lighter unit, with the easier intallation that suggests, the M3-20 might be worth a look.