Engine replacement

30boat

30boat

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I've been looking for a new engine to replace my ageing Bukh DV20.I think I got quotes from most makes on the market except Volvo and Yanmar(I still may try them).
In the 20/25hp range Beta,Nanni,Thornycroft,Sole and Vetus are all evenly matched in price and probably better value than Volvo or Yanmar. Vetus is the cheapest one with the added advantage of being the most powerfull of the lot (25 HP) and also one of the smallest .
I was leaning towards the Vetus unit but the chap at Beta tells me that they're of lower quality than the Betas or Yanmars .
At the boat show the Nice Man at the Perkins stand told me that all those engines came from industrial giants and thus quality is basically assured.I tend to agree with him and dismiss the Beta sales talk as just that.
What do you think,any bad (or good) experiences?
Thanks for your input.
 
Both Beta & Nanni are based in KUBOTA industrial engines - well thought of. The Vetus is based on Mitsubishi and Volvo are based on Perkins and Yanmar are pure Yanmar. You should definately get quotes from Volvo & Yanmar for comparison, don't be put off by the (sometimes) derogatory remarks on this forum about Volvo spares prices etc. Do a comparison of various spares like Alternator, Starter Motor, filters, water pump impellors etc. Also consider wether you have a service engineer near to you. Will you DIY or be professionally installed? Some have better warranty than others - I believe Volvo is 3 years and Nanni is 2 years - but this is usually conditional on being serviced by the service agent.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
I can't really comment too much on the quality (it seems fine and very quiet) but my boat's original DV20 was replaced by a Beta 20hp unit so I guess it should at least fit quite well!
What I can say however is that I've always found the Betamarine people very helpful whenever I've needed advice.


Gavin
 
Hi

I have just replaced an old BMC?Thornycroft with a new Thornycroft; This is the same basic engine (MITSUBISHI) as used in the Sole and the Vetus.

I bought from AMC at Preston and had it delivered to Barcelona with a 70amp alternator and a deluxe panel i.e. gauges for everything not just buzzers,and top of the range Vetus mountings that retail at £47 each for less than buying the basic Sole at the factory in Barcelona. Have a word with Mike...he'll do all he can to help.

Phil
 
I'd suggest you've missed the most obvious and likely candidate - Yanmar.

They're the only engines of all you mention, designed as marine engines (all the others are marinised industrial engines).

They've probaly sold, around the world, more marine engines than all the manufacurers you mention added together.

You'll also find, apart from the greater reliability and longevity they have one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any of the engines you have so far looked at.

However, you'll probably be looking at the 2GM20 for your boat, and in common with all vertical twins, it is impossible to balance it perfectly, resulting in some areas of rough-running in the rev-range.

I've had a range of Yanmars and would swear by them.
 
Why not another Bukh?

It should slot in easily and require the minimum alterations to things like fuel feed, exhaust runs, engine bearers, cooling water plumbing, shaft length, prop size/rotation, etc.

And they too are built as marine engines, designed to run for days on end in Danish fishing boats.
 
Re: Why not another Bukh?

Certainly they are more expensive, though whether 'considerably' I don't know.

I was faced with the same problem two years ago, and in the end replacing a Bukh DV10 with another was the cheapest option because it required much less ancillary work. I was also able to hang on to a goodly quantity of spares and consumables that came with the boat!
 
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