engine reliability

[mercury]

Hi, I am a new user and recently purchased a fletcher arrowflyte 15ft, which is in reasonable condition for its age 1972/73. It has a renault inboard engine and a mercruiser stern drive. Are renault engines fitted as standard in this boat, are they reliable and are the parts easily obtained? It is a 1600cc engine. Stern drive serial no. 2899530. Has any one got any information on the above?
P.S. Which grade of fuel do these engines use. Regards JHW

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[longjohnsilver]

Hello Mercury, you have posted this in the wrong place, suggest you try Mobo chat, click on main index above and select.

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[Moose]

No, its been moved now

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Moose

 

[adarcy]

Re: Renault

Welcome Mercury

I'm certainly not a Fletcher "expert", but I think others here know anbout them.

Renaults are certainly not a popular engine in the marine stakes but I would suggest if it is an original 70's petrol it would be designed for 4* but could now easily take LRP having had 20-30 years worth of lead on its valve seats. I'd guess that if you take the block number to your friendly Renault dealer they'd be able to tell you the car equivalent and then parts that are non-marinised would be v cheap.

BTW you'll get more help/responce if you fill your bio in a bit - under user options

Best of luck

Anthony

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[BarryH]

Umm, Renault = French = Gutless. Do you know what size lump it is. OHC or OHV?
These weren't put in Fletchers or coupled to Merc drives as standard. So I bet someones blown the original lump and cobbled together what you have there. Bit more info would be of help though!

Oh yeah you siad didn't you, sorry. The 1600cc lumps were fitted into the likes of the Renault 12, scuse me while I go and puke, Pah, spit spit, thats better, anyway, an incarnation of this engine lived on right upto the Renault 18, think I'm gonna barf again. All be it slightly different altho the block was basically the same. A crappy wet liner block of cast iron with an ali cylinder head. The head on your one will prob be iron if its a real early engine. What can I say, yes parts are still available for that range of engines, god knows why, but they are. As most French parts, fairley costly, but cheap when compared to Volvo marine parts.

Whats the cooling on it. Raw or closed cooling with a heat exchanger. Whats the name on that if its got one. If Bowman or the like, it might be werf contacting them to find out bit more info.

If I sound a weensy bit anti french engineering, sorry but I used to run Renault Tragic vans. Worst bloody vans I ever had. Who else but the french would put a 1300cc ohv lump in a large'ish van and expect it to work!!!!
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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by BarryH on 11/04/2003 17:24 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[pistonbroke]

"Quote"
These weren't put in Fletchers or coupled to Merc drives as standard.
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Sorry BarryH, but according to my Mercury Parts software, Mercruiser used a 60, 80, & 90hp Renault engine up until 1972, so its quite possible that the engine is original.

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[BarryH]

Well thats their problem, more the fool them! Worst engines I've had the mispleasure to work on. I surprised that is fitted in to a 15 foot fletcher though.

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[adarcy]

Re: Not v nice Barry

to this presumably nice newby.
He/she has gone to the trouble to register and ask the forum's opinion having bought a 30 year old 15 ft boat. Give him/her a chance.
Anyway, if it a standard Renault block AND HAS A GOOD COOLING SYSTEM then he/she could unbolt it and easily fit a newer pokier version.
Don't blame him/her if someone is daft enough to buy gutless vans.

BTW, not too keen on Renault engines myself but that's what he/she's got, so let's make the best of it.

(Now aren't I having a good day for a Fri night preen preen

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[BarryH]

Re: Not v nice Barry

Not having a go at Mercury, just the engine itself, well more renault really,.... you know what I mean. A lot of the car derived lumps are pretty hopeless when put in a boat. Theres no substitute for cubic inches! My Volvo for one, loads of crappy engineering ideas put into that. Not an engine I would choose to buy, but it was in the boat when i bought it, but the boat was the one i wanted at a price i could afford.

Oh, did I say I hate renaults with a vengance!!!!

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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by BarryH on 11/04/2003 20:15 (server time).</FONT></P>