How old is your engine?

[capnsensible]

I was thinking about a comment on this theme when I moaned earlier this week when I got stiffed for £37 for a dipstick for a Yanmar.

Over on Liveaboard, someone is cotemplating renewing a 1993 volvo.

Well, also this week I did a bit of routine maintenance on my own boat. 2 weekly check it out and run for a bit. Started first time as usual, chunky noise as opposed to modern revvy.

Now the yacht was born in 1977 so the engine is at least that old!! Its a brilliant Thorneycroft 90.

It's had its moments in 12 years of my custody. The oil filter is a pig to change, I renewed the head gasket in England, got the diesel bug in Cape Verdes, had to make a rocker box gasket in Grenada and repair the ally exhaust elbow in Venezuela (JB weld plus empty tin can) but, hey, 12 years. It just keeps running on.

Is it old technology? Certainly slow revving in comparison to modern donks?

So, over to you.........

 

[Matt341]

Our previous boat had a 1979 12hp Yanmar. We owned her for 13 years and never had a problem. However, we had a few bad experiences that were caused by the engine not providing enough power. For example, we were going through the lock on freeflow and the wind was blowing right through the lock, at least a severe gale 9 and with the engine at full power we were still going backwards slowly. We then had it changed to a brand new 20hp Yanmar at a cost of £6,000. Sold the boat 6 months later as requirements changed and we needed something slightly bigger for staying onboard.

Current boat has a 1980 Volvo MD11C, since we have had the boat (last September) we have had only one problem and that was due to a flat engine start battery, (now realise that 1 on the battery master switch is engine and 2 is domestic, opposite to previous boat!)

We are having it serviced this weekend as I noticed that the alternator is loose and I want the oil & filters changed before the season. They are also checking for diesel bug.

Last trip out we had a force 6 on the nose on the way back to the marina, with the engine at a cruising speed, just 2600RPM our sog was 6.5 knots (Westerly Konsort). Have heard that if looked after these engines will go on for a while longer so fingers crossed!

Ian

 

[nickbailhache]

1984 Volvo 2003. Changed oil and filters, anodes every year. Only problem was two broken injector pump springs and a leaky copper injector 'holder'.

Still going strong, 26 years later

Nick

 

[planteater]

Both of mine should probably be pensioned off but I never really bought into the throwaway society.

Inboard - '85 Yanmar 12. Major overhaul in '06 and looking good for few more years.
Outboard - '88 8hp Mercury. A real champ, never needs more than 4 pulls, even after months of not being used.

The Merc will get me home if the Yanny decides not to start when I need it. My theory is that the combined reliability of two (well maintained) old motors is at least that of one newer model, though I have no evidence to support this.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Just about every boat engine is still old technology, even the newer ones. Ours is a 1993 VP 2003, and it has only done 1100 hours. Is it run in yet? it is unlikely that treated correctly any marine engine will wear out, it isnt used enough, and there lies the problem.

What kills any marine engine is for them to be 'loved to death', if you put in high tech synthetic oil, leave it running for long periods charging batteries or 'warming' up it will die! To start with you will glaze the bores and it will start to use oil, be a pig to start and blow smoke. They are built to work hard, dont run it on low revs unless you are berthing, put in the right oil, API CD will be best for MOST engines. Even Volvos own brand oil is to high a spec for their own engines except the newer mobo engines.

Vyv Cox of this parish is the expert in this field, look him up.

 

[Herringchoker]

1965 4cyl Ford Parsons. 50hp@1600rpm.

Still running well. Rebuilt it 10 years ago when replacing lube oil pump. Engine had to be completely stripped to get at the pump. Marinised version of Fordson Major tractor engine also used in Thames Trader truck.

 

[r_h]

Same age as the boat - 1991. It's a Yanmar 2GM that's seen a lot of use - it's an ex charter boat and when I bought it the hour meter had stopped working just before the 10,000 mark. In seven years it's never missed a beat, although I did have the injectors cleaned a couple of years ago (at a cost of €20 - Greece may be more expensive than it was, but it's still much cheaper than the UK for some things

The small boat in the UK has a 5hp Mariner outboard from the mid 1980s that still seems to be going strong.

 

[Vara]

Volvo 2003, 22 years, runs well, touch wood, just serviced, tappets adjusted to spec, runs like a sewing machine (albeit a noisy sewing machine).

However an engine fund has been opened just in case.

Apparently if you shout "If you don't go I'll buy a Beta" as you push the start button it makes them last longer.

 

[nimbusgb]

1985 Perkins 4-108. Something over 6500 hours on it.

Oil pressure gets a little low at idle when its good and hot.

 

[NormanS]

My 1955 Gardner was still going strong when I sold my old boat three years ago.

 

[RAI]

I changed a Volvo MD21A vintage 1977 after 31 years. The spare parts were getting difficult to find.

 

[pampas]

649 engine built in 1973 by Sabb,slash lubrication, never missed a real beat in 12 years except once and then it was caused be a water pump failure.

 

[bikedaft]

1973 sabb diesel. head off a few times, and a new silencer.

 

[yellowspinnaker]

1975 Volvo MD6a. Just got over an overheating indication, waterways in exhaust manifold clogged. Starts and runs fine, gives me 6 knots at full chat in my Westerly Pageant. Dynastart will be examined and cleaned before long.

Outboard is a 1978 Seagull Model 110 (That's a Silver Century with Forward / Neutral / Reverse, they didn't make them in 1975 or I would have hunted one down). This only gives me 3 and a bit knots, but that's fine as a third source of propulsion.

Don't know about the Volvo, but the Seagull has years left in her.

 

[fishermantwo]

My 1955 Gardner was still going strong when I sold my old boat three years ago.

As far as I know the Gardner 6 LW main engine in my fishing boat is the original from 1945. These engines started life as army truck engines in 1928, used for years in double decker buses.

In the last 22 years I have retensioned the timing chain and had the injectors checked. Replaced the exhaust manifold for a truck version, mounted upside down.

Best bit of kit to come out of Britain.

 

[aquaholic]

1981 Volvo Md7a same vintage as boat, had new exhaust elbow and recon alternator, smokes a little but other than that no complaints

 

[Ardenfour]

43yrs MD1 - still going (just)

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

my engine

1972 VP MD21A

still going strong though a bit smoky at start up. Doesn't burn excessive oil though it should burn some anyway.

did major cooling system overhaul two years ago otherwise its sound and starts first time every time.

slow plodding. Boat does 6 knots at 1600 rpm.

I use mineral oil designed for old engines and religiously change oil and filter twice a year. Otherwise no issues yet though i know it won't last forever.

 

[Boreades]

1988 Volvo Penta 2003. 950 hours only. Never raced or rallied.

I also get an ocassional "squark" from the overheating warning thingummy a few minutes after starting, but there plenty of water squirting out of the exhaust, and after a while it stops squarking. Any advise on how to fix that? (apart from disconnecting the squarker)

 

[Searush]

My old MD2B was 33 years old when I final got fed up with fixing it every other year and £1-2k to fix it each time!

The replacement Yanmar 3YM(?) has been brilliant for the 3 years since. It is quieter, smoother, more powerful, starts like a dream - well worth the money. I am looking forward to another 30 years (I'll be over 90 by then)