Topic: repowering

There are those who are doing with what you have and those who have repowered. I have decided to spare my self the grief of dealing with the original engine (1985 Bukh) and biting the lead and writing the check for a new.
I have heard the one cylinder Bukh in Varuna and the one cylinder Yanma in several other small boats. Vibration and noise. Having said that I am looking for advice, experience, etc., on repowering with a twin cylinder diesel, ie. Beta, Yanma, Nanni, Phasor, Perkins, Westerbeke, or any other repower someone might have experience with.

Re: repowering

if you can squeeze it in you'll like the beta.  parts are available, people seem generally happy with them. my 1 lunger yanmar was a tight fit (for me who likes to work on things) but now its far enough forward that i can hand bomb it with relative ease.  i'll likeley have to relieve the boat a bit to fit the alternator on, but thats for later.

the hardest thing is where the keel/bilge narrows as you head aft.

you're right, the little yanmar is like a friggin jumping jack at idle (it'll shake the top of the mast) but anything past 1300 revs or so it smooths right out, cruise at 2500-2800 is pretty darn good.....

Re: repowering

If I had kept my first incarnation #318, I would have likely re-powered with a Yanmar.  The poor fellow who bought mine has pulled it out 4 times!!!  And, once it was as simple as upside down governor that the Mechanic installed!! (Even I didn't make that mistake, hee hee)

The main thing is the Room.....and making sure the bed supports the engine...there's a good repowering article, rbporter, in the main section of webpage...still there I think.

The engine is handy for when the current starts to pull on our little full keels, been there, done that, and learned to Give it Throttle when you need to!!! ;-)

You can raise up the cockpit sole a bit to accomodate a bigger engine...as the hatch comes straight up anyways...

“You get a boat for only one reason, because you want one.  If you’re worried about being practical, forget boats.”

Re: repowering

PS: My "project boat", as I fondly call her....has a Petter in it...looked well-cared for, but is rather large for the compartment, and was neglected while she sat in Montreal for a while...a long while!!!

We will likely try to get the engine running, but if we pull it...might put in something we know will run...hmm, always a decision, hey?!?!?! ;-)

“You get a boat for only one reason, because you want one.  If you’re worried about being practical, forget boats.”

Re: repowering

Got a Yanmar 1GM10 in Kazbek with the original non self draining cockpit sole. 
The engine is basically inside the cabin with the bell housing and gearbox under the cockpit.  I have had to do some work on the engine beds and I can categorically state there is NO WAY that it could have been mounted any further aft on the standard mounts.

(Its on some aftermarket ones now as the standard ones had totally failed and I decided I was willing to trade vibration at idle for shielded mounts proof against disintegrating  if a trace of fuel or oil gets on them which would also give me more stable shaft alignment.)

The amount of engine box in the cabin is quite large, but as my galley and chart table are by the companionway, its a usefull seat and worksurface.

To improve the clearance between the air filter and the corner of the cockpit sole with the cabin rear bulkhead at the companionway,  its both possible and easy to mount the air filter baseplate upsidedown (Its held by two bolts to the intake, with the hole off centre in the baseplate) which buys you several inches of vertical clearance but  you then have to be carefull where you point the intake on the filter housing so you can still get at the two latches.

Access is otherwise acceptable and I can get to any external part of the engine with a spanner or socket though if one has anything major to do from the bell housing on back, one is best off pulling the engine. (goes up the companionway easily enough on a halyard with a tackle fore and aft to control it's swing).  I've even got enough space to get a paint tray under it to catch any oil and small parts or tools while doing maintenance

If the tight access is really a major problem, one could remote the oil filter and the primary (on engine) fuel filter though  Yanmar might not be too happy from a warrenty point of view

Idle and dead slow are  somewhat similar to sitting next to a car with  a tricked out sound system at the lights: Thump ... Thump ... Thump ... with the backstays and shrouds rattling but one only runs at idle for a short time when manouvering in a marina or if you need engine backup for a harbour entrance.  At sensible throttle settings  the noise and vibration is acceptable even with no sound insulation.  There are a couple of resonances, but one just doesn't run at those engine speeds, a touch faster or slower and everything is fine.

I've got 300 hours on it this season since a major rebuild (it was over 20 years old)  with no significant trouble and on flat water, I get  6 knots flat out and 5.5 knots thottled back a little to a speed it can keep up all day

There are three things that a 1GM10 owner needs to keep an eye on besides what's in the manual.  The exhaust elbows corrode through internally and dump water into the exhaust port which *will* wreck your cylinder head if left.  When laying up, remove the exhaust  hose and cooling hoze from the elbow when laying up, preferably with the engine still warm, look up the elbow with a mirror to check for excessive corrosion (a torch down the spigot for the water hose may help spot pinholes, but *any* flaky rust isn't to be trusted), give it some good anti corrosion spray and tape a plastic bag over the openings with a fresh silica gel sachet inside.  Remove the air filter. inspect, spray the housing and base plate, and re-fit then bag the intake the same way. Use the hand crank and the decompression lever to leave the  piston at TDC on the power stroke so both valves are closed (a good policy if leaving the engine for a couple of weeks even if not laying up).  The elbow is a wear item and is *much* cheaper than a top end rebuild. If in continuous commission, check the elbow at least twice a year and if suspect, for heavens sake pull it and inspect it on the bench.  If you have low compression or excessive oil consumption, the chances are the head is rotted out due to the elbow having previously failed and nothing having been done about it.

The water pump also tends to suffer from shaft seal problems, especially in silty water.  There is a massive weep hole so as long as you keep it clean, ther is no real risk of water in the oil, but there is a steel oil line running accross the front of the engine under the pump and any drips of salt water *will* eat this pipe and if left will result in total loss of engine oil when you least want it!  I got a copper one made up using the steel one as a pattern so any future drips will do much less damage.  Apparently the water seal cant handle the chamber pressure if there is too much clearance on the rotor ends and grooves the shaft.  As there isn't a replaceable wear plate, that means a new pump though a new rotor and replacing both shaft seals with a large diameter narrow  fibre washer under the water seal to moove the lip along the shaft a touch clear of the wear groove will buy you a season or two.   

The remaining trouble is corrosion from water weeps from the thermostat gasket and Zinc anode gasket.  Keep any salt crystals washed off and  wiped dry, replace the gaskets, using a good brand of gasket dressing if there are more than traces or if you've opened them and use a good anti corrosion spray or brush on (WD40 isn't good enough and is a waste of time - you dont have an iceing problem)

Keep on top of that lot and  with the standard maintenance in the manual you'll have no trouble in the spring or during the season and the engine will probably out last you - its basically pretty bulletproof..

Re: repowering

what aftermarket mounts do you have?  i used the r&d small shear moutns (you can see in the picture) and they seem real good at isolating forward and reverse thrust.  the engine doesnt move at all when you drop it in gear

Re: repowering

R&D 800-037 Super Mounts (the smallest with a proper oil shield)
The  engine no longer hits the engine box! (Though I had to repair the lid and make a cutout in the reinforcing sheet of ply I added to its bottom to clear the highest point of the rocker cover.)

Re: repowering

I had to glass in new engine mounts when I replaced my Italian Aurona diesel with a new Yanmar 1GM10. This is a perfect size and power for my Contessa.
A water drip from my intake water hose rusted the oil line that passes under the Yanmar and dumped all my oil into the bilge. My partner was using the boat and the alarm had him shut the engine down in time. He was able to skull into the slip.
I was able to replace the oil line myself and double clamped all rubber lines in the engine room while I was at it.

The cutworms are in the hollyhocks, again!

Re: repowering

As I submit this Sam Powers is motoring VARUNA down the Chesapeake to Annapolis. He left Harpswell, ME Wed. 9/10/08 for the Bahamas. He repowered VARUNA last year with a 10hp Beta. Fits in where the the Bukh did.
He reports that it runs very smooth, quiet and fuel consumption is very low. Thats what I plan to repower EQUINOX with. Can I interest anyone in a low hour Bukh?

Re: repowering

I'm still trying to figure out why you're repowering when you have an engine that you note is low hour - is it now functioning properly? If so, why would you go to the trouble and considerable expense of repowering the boat??

Re: repowering

Tubatooter,

That 1GM10 oil line is a total pain.  I did'nt look the like of mine so as I mentioned above, I got one made up in copper pipe using the old banjo end fittings.  It *CANT* rust out again.  Wasn't expensive either.  How did you fix yours?

Re: repowering

Re: repowering

Jim,
No. The Bukh is out of the boat and is in Maine as I write. All things willing however, I'll have the motor back here in Mass. later this week when I deliver to new motor to Maine for the installation.
Tim, the boat refit "guy" has made a cradle for the Bukh and is ready to go!!

14 (edited by stefan_d 2009-02-24 13:45:27)

Re: repowering

what are you asking for the old engine?

i was wondering if your new engine comes with engine mounts, or if you have to choose them.  i used r&d small shear mounts (less than 1/2 the price of new yanmar mounts) and allowed a tighter install, and they have a nice cap on top to keep diesel, oil, crap off of them.  pretty happy with them, and they are a failsafe design, ie if the rubber insulator deteriorates to the point of breaking, the stud is still held captive in the mount.

Re: repowering

The cutworms are in the hollyhocks, again!

Re: repowering

I am currently repowering my contessa 'ROLLMOPS' with a new Yanmar 2YM15 14hp twincylinder.The old enginebed is out and the new engine sits in the garage. I lowered the old Shaftlog by one inch to get propeller-clearance of 15% for a Michigan Sailer-prop 12 R 12 .I am also cutting the mast down by 5' and change to old fashioned Gaff - rig. any comments?
Klaus

Re: repowering

That sounds like a pretty big job with little room for error (misalignment). I've pretty much decided on a an 11" three blade. Should I ever make a Bermuda run (should I ever live so long) I would replace it with a two blade or possibly a three blade Maxi prop.
Why in the world would you change that rig???

Re: repowering

Why Gaff-rig?
Sailing area -Thousand Islands-Trent canal, Rideou canal.I can lower and raise a shortened mast with electric
anchorwinch. Mast does not protrude over hull. I am an anchient mariner 71 + and like a smaller sailarea .
Besides once you are over 70 ,you can bloody well do as you wish - nobody is taking you serious anyhow anymore .
Greetings ,
Klaus

Re: repowering

klaus - where is your boat.  you sound like an interesting character.  maybe see you on the water this summer in 1000 islands....

Re: repowering

Hi Stefan !
We live in Burlington but keep the boat at Fifty Point Conservation Area (Hamilton) . Will be in the Thousand - Islands this summer for a couple of weeks. Don't know the dates yet. Have been there with our previous boat
"Gypsy Anne" many times. Glad to meet You there for a couple of drinks.
Greetings,
Klaus