Help- re Ford Diesel engines

[david41]

I would appreciate any advice re the reliability of Ford Diesel engines. I am buying a motor sailer that has one of these conversations fitted. How reliable are they, what sort of fuel consumption do they give - I am not sure what HP the present engine is, but it is fitted in a Colvic 31' Atlanta, the owner says it pushes it along at 6 knots?? What are the points to look for when having it checked out prior to purchase.

Thank you in advance for your response.

 

[brianhumber]

Presently have a 1.6 50hp XLD ( the old escort diesel) with over 5,000hrs. Very reliable and smoke free. Did the injectors and cambelt when bought the boat 9 years ago since then trouble free. She only gets an oil change when the oil needs it ( do not be mislead by the misguided over changing oil every Autumn) and fuel filters every year.

Spares are cheap and readily available new and from car scrappers. Engine can be worked on by the unskilled and specialist tools can be made up from bolts and angle iron for timing of fuel pump and cam shaft.
A far better engine in my opinion than the more popular cheap green crap fitted to most yachts and I have run and maintained a few types over the years.

 

[VicS]

I once had 1.6 diesel Ford Fiesta. I think the engine would have lasted for ever.
It smoked a bit in old age but that would not be a problem in a boat. The Fiesta engines had Bosch fuel systems while the Escorts I think had Lucas systems and I believe smoked less. In later models Ford fitted a 1.8 diesel. In its early days I remember some cam belt problems with those. The 1.6 was no problem there. The belt only drove the cam shaft and could be changed in a matter of minutes.

 

[bdsweeting]

I've got a 1.8 XLD in a 20ft fisher and it seems to go along quite happily.

Check into the www.lancingmarine.com website where they have HP/fuel tables for the various engines.

 

[aztec]

i will only reinforce what brian says.

the 1.6 is bombproof, very good charecteristics for a boat engine, cheap to run/mend/ get bits for.

you can replace the engine for about 100 of your earth quids. the engine revs nicely and as long as you keep a good set of heater plugs in it won't lwt you down.

now for the 1800!.. the early ones had a cast iron cam, but most of them have blown up!... noisey, two belts instead of one, not worth the extra couple of HP promised but rarely seen... i'm not a great fan!

the above statement is purely an opinion, and is qualified by privaledge (after rebuilding lot of them in the early days!)

don't worry about ford engines remember the model "T".... the same ethos is still true today, affordable stuff for the majority.

regards, steve.

 

[Bejasus]

Steve, as you know I recently stripped, rebuilt and fitted a 1.8. Later model, single cam belt. Not had any probs, runs sweet fairly quiet and no smoke. Fairly easy job really and looks good.

 

[asteven221]

Mermaid Marine in Dorset do a lot work with Ford engines and they are very helpfull.

 

[oldharry]

Parkers second hand car guide refuse even to comment on older Ford diesel engines. There are so many things go wrong on a Ford diesel that they refuse to try to list the many faults you may find. Try ringing their Used Car Guide telephone line if you do not believe me.

The only one I ever had anything to do with ran very sweetly, so you may be lucky - but do not neglect maintenance.

 

[toad]

1600=40HP@4800rpm came out about 1984. 1800=60HP@4800 came out about 1989.If it is a 1800 change the idler and tensioner wheels as well as the belts as these had a habit of failing.