Ford York 2400 marinised engine

wombat88

wombat88

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I'm looking at a boat with one of these. It is the engine that used to be found in Transits and Taxis. Quite old. 80hp ish. Don't know who marinised it but it has a PRM box, Bowman heat exchanger etc etc.

Searching the internet I get the impression that they are considered something of a dog, to put it politely. I have no idea if this is just talk or one person's bad experience that has grown into an internet 'legend'.

Does anyone have first and experience of this lump and would like to pass comment?
 
I had one in a tranny. Noisy smoky, hard to start , ford fitted some gizmo that sprayed in to get them started. I ended up making a jump starter for 24 volts just for the start it induced 24 v to the starter motor for 10 sec t worked a treat. So yes a dog .
 
I marinised one many years and fitted a prm gearbox (hydraulic actuation, a brilliant gearbox). Gave me perfect reliability for 15 years and was still working perfectly when I sold the boat with no smoke. It is a very good robust engine, just two things to mention: if you can't find when the cambelt was last changed, budget for fitting a new one. Easy job and quite cheep to do and they have a very long life {can't remember the recommended service interval) bit if it fails it's very expensive to put everything right. Second, they are not easy to start. Make sure you have good batteries with a high cranking current, make sure the glowplugs are working and use them. Know where the 'excess fuel" button is on the injection pump. I also fitted a thermostart system (was an option on Transit for cold climates) for winter use, once you get used to starting it it is not a problem. I had it in a motorboat which I used all year round.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
As far as I can tell it only has one heater and that in the single air inlet. No glow plug in each cylinder. This matches with Seastoke's description. Looking in a nearby locker they were quite a few cans of Easy Start...

I wonder if Plum marinised the later 2700 series (Dorset/Dover) engine which has a great reputation? The mention of the 'excess fuel' button points in that direction. The older York is an inclined engine with indirect injection where as the later one is vertical and direct injection.
 
wombat88 said:
As far as I can tell it only has one heater and that in the single air inlet. No glow plug in each cylinder. This matches with Seastoke's description. Looking in a nearby locker they were quite a few cans of Easy Start...

I wonder if Plum marinised the later 2700 series (Dorset/Dover) engine which has a great reputation? The mention of the 'excess fuel' button points in that direction. The older York is an inclined engine with indirect injection where as the later one is vertical and direct injection.
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Sorry, just checked my records. No glow plugs. Mine was the York engine. At least is sonds like the one you are looking at has the thermostart central in the inlet manifold. The excess fuel button certainly helped. I had the inline fuel pump.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Plum said:
Sorry, just checked my records. No glow plugs. Mine was the York engine. At least is sonds like the one you are looking at has the thermostart central in the inlet manifold. The excess fuel button certainly helped. I had the inline fuel pump.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
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Thanks for taking the time to check. It all helps build a picture of an engine that can be very reliable but not a great starter until you learn how. The one I am looking at has an occasional rather frightening clatter which I suspect may be the damper plate. I need to check this out and check out availability of replacements.
 
wombat88 said:
Thanks for taking the time to check. It all helps build a picture of an engine that can be very reliable but not a great starter until you learn how. The one I am looking at has an occasional rather frightening clatter which I suspect may be the damper plate. I need to check this out and check out availability of replacements.
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Lancing marine?
 
Yes, Lancing Marine is the next stop. Then it might be Marine Enterprises Ltd in Dorset though I suspect re-engining the old thing is not in any way financially sensible.
 
wombat88 said:
Thanks for taking the time to check. It all helps build a picture of an engine that can be very reliable but not a great starter until you learn how. The one I am looking at has an occasional rather frightening clatter which I suspect may be the damper plate. I need to check this out and check out availability of replacements.
Click to expand...
If you are right that the clatter comes from the drive/damper plate between engine and gearbox, I had that very same problem!!! It was the drive plate, easy to replace as long as you can get to and lift out the gearbox. On removal I discoverd that the reason why mine failed was that the engine crankshaft was not concentric with the gearbox shaft causing fretting of the damper mechanism with every revolution and it only lasted 2 years. I can't remember the details now but I do recall that there were no locating shoulder or dowels between the gearbox and bellhousing, the alignment relying only on the bolts in clearance holes. I realigned using a dial indicator and the problem never reoccurred.

Edit: if you go ahead and buy, let me know as I have now found the details of the drive plate and the company who made it. They still exist!

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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wombat88 said:
Thanks for taking the time to check. It all helps build a picture of an engine that can be very reliable but not a great starter until you learn how. The one I am looking at has an occasional rather frightening clatter which I suspect may be the damper plate. I need to check this out and check out availability of replacements.
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Now I am confused and have confused you too! In digging through some old paperwork i have found a document I produced in 1998 giving my in depth starting procedures and it clearly says there were glow plugs! Maybe they were only fitted in later engines. So, mine had glowplugs, thermostart and the excess fuel button and I could start it in any weather conditions.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Are the drive plates specific just to the engine or specific to both engine and box?

I'll PM you some pics of the beast in the morning and we can see if we are talking about the same thing. I am no diesel expert. The only ones I have had were either very 'traditional' like the Petter AV2M which I rebuilt and much, much later a Beta 20.

Perhaps I should join the Classic Transit Owners club. There must be one...
 
I cant remember but i think one of the guys from lancing set up as seahorse power for parts of some of there engines, also there is a company in poole called Mermaid marine which is part of power torque ltd coventry which is ford. They are possibly closing the poole branch so the engineers are thinking of going solo. If that is the case if you post later on this i can get a number for him if you are local to Poole.
 
wombat88 said:
Are the drive plates specific just to the engine or specific to both engine and box?

I'll PM you some pics of the beast in the morning and we can see if we are talking about the same thing. I am no diesel expert. The only ones I have had were either very 'traditional' like the Petter AV2M which I rebuilt and much, much later a Beta 20.

Perhaps I should join the Classic Transit Owners club. There must be one...
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I've sent you the drive plate supplier and part number in a PM.
 
wombat88 said:
Are the drive plates specific just to the engine or specific to both engine and box?

I'll PM you some pics of the beast in the morning and we can see if we are talking about the same thing. I am no diesel expert. The only ones I have had were either very 'traditional' like the Petter AV2M which I rebuilt and much, much later a Beta 20.

Perhaps I should join the Classic Transit Owners club. There must be one...
Click to expand...
So you want to be a trany.
 
May be worth removing and replacing it with a later 2.5 lump and marinising it, done a few of these and easily done; and you can get bits for them and have over 80 BHP.
 
Yes, as I understand it many of the 'marine' units (heat exchanger etc) that fit the York will also fit the 2.5D.

However, perhaps fortunately, the boat has been sold, saving me from life with a Ford York and Transit Owners Club membership fees!
 
Its the inevitable questions, what is your budget, how much work can you do yourself, do you want to do the work yourself, and have you got the time to do the work yourself.

Its a decision only you can make.
 
See my new thread on Ford engines...and yes, I have just spent half a day lying under our camper doing things. Most of me now hurts. Though I know how to do stuff and could do it if I have to, I think it is time to pay others to do it...it is no fun anymore.
 
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