Diesel Engines by Marine Power Solutions

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

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Marine Power Solutions have been supplying marine diesel engines for a few years. These Chinese made engines have good specifications at a low cost. Has anyone fitted one of these? are they reliable? easy to get parts? any comments?
 
At least one member, who fitted one of these engines on this thread, is still posting:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?276957-New-engine-what-about-this

Perhaps he will be along in a while.

The difference in price in the small sizes was minimal and few people would fit an unknown new engine in order to save 200 quid. I see their prices have not changed much so the margin is now greater. If the published prices are correct, you might save, lets say, up to £1000 (bit of guesswork here, Beta) on a 20hp engine.

The downsides are unknown spares support into the future, smaller spares network, and a less attractive proposition when selling the boat on. The long term durability is also an unknown, against a massive fund of knowledge on the competition. Tough market.
 
I have no axe to grind

We have had Volvo for almost 20 years and the spares we have needed have been filters (standard parts), impellers (I think its a Johnson water pump) and exhaust elbows. Notably people are buying non-standard (stainless) elbows. This may say a lot for Volvo (or Perkins, or the Japanese company that I believe make the base engine), that they need so few spares (but we service religiously). The biggest issues with Volvo have been the 'relay boxes' on the new D series when they moved from well proven technology.

I don't know the Chinese engines in question - but what spares might be needed to a possible engine based on technology decades old (and that engine might simply be a copy of a, say, Koboto - with spares available in every corner of the world).

I would not buy one myself - but I don't think they should be dismissed out of hand - and the search for actual hands on experience is valid and valuable.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
I have no axe to grind

We have had Volvo for almost 20 years and the spares we have needed have been filters (standard parts), impellers (I think its a Johnson water pump) and exhaust elbows. Notably people are buying non-standard (stainless) elbows. This may say a lot for Volvo (or Perkins, or the Japanese company that I believe make the base engine), that they need so few spares (but we service religiously). The biggest issues with Volvo have been the 'relay boxes' on the new D series when they moved from well proven technology.

I don't know the Chinese engines in question - but what spares might be needed to a possible engine based on technology decades old (and that engine might simply be a copy of a, say, Koboto - with spares available in every corner of the world).

I would not buy one myself - but I don't think they should be dismissed out of hand - and the search for actual hands on experience is valid and valuable.

Jonathan
Click to expand...

Its interesting that you "wouldnt buy one" but are happy with VP. Some one I know and have been helping has had issues with his brand new D250 VP in a brand new boat, he tells me they have fitted 5 MDI boxes, new harness, new relays, new start panel and many months of communications trying to get it sorted. The usual answer when you contact them is contact the local VP agents. The issue is that the local agents couldnt fix it! Finally VP sent two Swedish Techs, a Spanish one and a Portuguese one and they spent two days with computers and finally an oscilloscope to spot what I had been saying all along. They are now trying to work out a fix, again! So paying top dollar doesnt always guarantee a happy life!
 
I wouldn't buy one because I do not need to. I'm a weight freak - and I'd look at Lombardini. I did not say I was 'happy' with Volvo - there are many manufacturers of bog standard marine diesels, Beta, Nanni etc, etc and they will all run for decades (as will bog standard Volvo).

The problems with the current 'D' series have been a nightmare for both Volvo and some owners (to which I alluded) and appears to have been caused (at least with the smaller engines) by a move to an unserviceable electronic relay box - though this might not be the case with the 250hp engine you quote (which is a slightly different beast and not applicable to most, or any, on this forum.

My point was - the absence of spares should not be the issue - historically most bog standard small diesels do not need spares.

Jonathan
 
Last edited:
Neeves said:
I wouldn't buy one because I do not need to. I'm a weight freak - and I'd look at Lombardini. I did not say I was 'happy' with Volvo - there are many manufacturers of bog standard marine diesels, Beta, Nanni etc, etc and they will all run for decades (as will bog standard Volvo).

The problems with the current 'D' series have been a nightmare for both Volvo and some owners (to which I alluded) and appears to have been caused (at least with the smaller engines) by a move to an unserviceable electronic relay box - though this might not be the case with the 250hp engine you quote (which is a slightly different beast and not applicable to most, or any, on this forum.

My point was - the absence of spares should not be the issue - historically most bog standard small diesels do not need spares.

Jonathan
Click to expand...
D2 50F
 
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
Marine Power Solutions have been supplying marine diesel engines for a few years. These Chinese made engines have good specifications at a low cost. Has anyone fitted one of these? are they reliable? easy to get parts? any comments?
Click to expand...
I have a 46hp one of these chinese engines fitted for the last 5 years. Now has 926hours on it .
I'm in Ireland. Got engine through UK. Guy is no good at after sales service . Never replies to emails. Had to find service parts myself on aliexpress.com
 
jimfinoc said:
I have a 46hp one of these chinese engines fitted for the last 5 years. Now has 926hours on it .
I'm in Ireland. Got engine through UK. Guy is no good at after sales service . Never replies to emails. Had to find service parts myself on aliexpress.com
Click to expand...
Hi @jimfinoc - I have a TDME-480 - I dont suppose you could share any useful links you have with aliexpress or other suppliers that might be of use. Had similar no response from the marine power chap sadly. Good to hear of someone else with one of these recently!
Many thanks

Rob
 
jimfinoc said:
I have a 46hp one of these chinese engines fitted for the last 5 years. Now has 926hours on it .
I'm in Ireland. Got engine through UK. Guy is no good at after sales service . Never replies to emails. Had to find service parts myself on aliexpress.com
Click to expand...
BTW the engine is in this boat, www.instagram.com/oldboatproject
Very few hours on the engine (37hrs according to digital display!) so any advice you might have would be great too!
 
I emailed them 10days ago to ask about buying an engine...
.no reply yet....then again nobody replies to emails these days....weird I think...
 
mattnj said:
I emailed them 10days ago to ask about buying an engine...
.no reply yet....then again nobody replies to emails these days....weird I think...
Click to expand...
From my experience with this guy, he is only interested in selling engines with cash up front.
I bought mine about 5 year ago from him. After that no support at all!!!
If anyone wants to contact me about my experiences look for me on Facebook jim O'Connell 125
 
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