Classic Perkins diesel

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grumpydog

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I am posting this on behalf of someone who has no access to the internet (he's in prison), but would like an answer to his various questions about old and new Perkins marine diesel engines. Can anyone help?

As you can see I’m temporarily stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, just prior to my ‘down’ time, I started to restore a splendid 50ft 1948 wooden sailboat. I don’t have the serial number of the engine currently in it readily available at this exact moment, but I was told by the previous owners that it was a genuine Perkins unit built in the UK. I would have to presume this is a Perkins 4-108-M base engine. What I do know is Perkins used a vehicle specced block rated at 50hp at 4,000 rpm.

I need to know, if you know where, any new running blocks are readily available, also are there any blocks available about 80hp that will match up to the size of the Perkins 4-108M based engine. Also, do you know anyone or place where there are any readily available Perkins that are marinised and still available in the UK? I’m sure if anyone would know where to direct me to find such it’s you.

Also what can you tell me about the Perkins Sabre? Is this another merger with Perkins or is this another model of engine? The one seen in a boat advertisement in Classic Boat is a 160hp. Where can one of these be obtained?

Thanks

Mr D Fitzgerald
 
Perkins lumps.

Don't know if this is any help.

Perkins made a 2.0 litre turbo engine.. fitted it to the montego and meastro (possibly some vans too), it's rated at 80 hp and delivers good fuel comsumption fugures (possibly the only saving grace for rover!)

Volvo used it and badged it as the M80T, they also used non turbo jobbies to get M40 and M50 (as far as i can see, it was only operating speeds that differed)

How do i know this boring stuff???

I have two turbo diesels sitting in my yard, waiting to be fitted to my boat. these came straight out of a pair of montego's bought on ebay for 60 earth quids.

Will i take a chance with raw water cooling... oooooh yes.

Good luck, and if anyone asks about the soap, just ignore them!

Steve.
 
aztec said:
Don't know if this is any help.

Perkins made a 2.0 litre turbo engine.. fitted it to the montego and meastro (possibly some vans too), it's rated at 80 hp and delivers good fuel comsumption fugures (possibly the only saving grace for rover!)

Volvo used it and badged it as the M80T, they also used non turbo jobbies to get M40 and M50 (as far as i can see, it was only operating speeds that differed)

How do i know this boring stuff???

I have two turbo diesels sitting in my yard, waiting to be fitted to my boat. these came straight out of a pair of montego's bought on ebay for 60 earth quids.

Will i take a chance with raw water cooling... oooooh yes.

Good luck, and if anyone asks about the soap, just ignore them!

Steve.
Click to expand...

Dont be surprised if they get nicked...
 
aztec said:
Don't know if this is any help.

Perkins made a 2.0 litre turbo engine.. fitted it to the montego and meastro (possibly some vans too), it's rated at 80 hp and delivers good fuel comsumption fugures (possibly the only saving grace for rover!)

Volvo used it and badged it as the M80T, they also used non turbo jobbies to get M40 and M50 (as far as i can see, it was only operating speeds that differed)

How do i know this boring stuff???

I have two turbo diesels sitting in my yard, waiting to be fitted to my boat. these came straight out of a pair of montego's bought on ebay for 60 earth quids.

Will i take a chance with raw water cooling... oooooh yes.

Good luck, and if anyone asks about the soap, just ignore them!

Steve.
Click to expand...

They fitted the non turbo version to the Freight Rover van too. I squeezed the turbo version into mine and made it into a half way decent 'bus! The only Freightrover that could break the Mway speed limit by a decent amount :)

But no way would I raw water cool one - the soft ally head would last about three minutes!
 
4.108

Base engines were made outside the EU under licence for industrial use, I think they are still available new but the quality is not as good as the english made ones.
Why not rebuild the one you have?
Also the 4.108 was not made in 1948 they were built from 1970 (approx) on, if it is the origional motor it could be a P4.
If you send the engine number to Perkins (next to injection pump mount) they will tell you the year and specification of the one you have, I do have some s/h 4.108-m spares if you need any.
 
There was a factory in spain that used to license build Perkins and Mercs. I had a 4-108 in a Datsun truck that was built there. As said, quality was not up to UK build. (or Germany for the M-B stuff. If rebuilding, pistons come in one size. Worn bores should be sleeved. Tho there are aftermarket pistons in oversize. Noisy but very robust engine. Bit old now, but worth fixing if not too clapped.
A
 
Old Perkies

As macnorton stated - the 4-108 wasn't made that far back. The 4-108 with it's solid cast block, evolved from the earlier 4-107 engine which itself evolved from the even earlier 4-99 engine - both of which, unlike the later 4-108, had wet cylinder liners. The 4-99 was developed shortly after the war, mainly for tractors and commercial vans and later for the marine industry, so this could possibly be your motor (although 1948 seems a tad too early for it). If it is a 4-99, it cannot be re-bored. The cylinder liners have to be replaced. They are pushed in and are sealed into the block with rubber sealing rings and the casting around the seals is prone to rotting away if the engine has been neglected.

In case you didn't know - on all 3 engines, the numbers 99, 107 & 108 all refer to the engine's cubic capacity in cubic inches. Not a vast difference between any of them and give or take a knats nad, they are around 1.75 litre capacity (ish).

The 4-99 was the lower power of the lot at around 36hp with the later 4-108's being 48hp ish.

I have a 4-107 in my old tub and as already mentioned in an earlier post - they are rather noisey. Refined they are certainly not! But frugal on fuel?.......oh yes. They will run on smelly air. Gear driven cam and injector timing so no belts to snap (except alternator of course, or possibly dynamo in your case).

For major re-build parts (bearings, liners etc), try Foley Engines in the US. They have a web site and will post world wide (postage won't be cheap though).

Good luck....oh and get some ear plugs - you'll need them :-)

DB
 
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