life of a Yanmar

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stravaig03

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What is an approximate life span of a Yanmar deisel engine?
I am presently selling my 33Ft yacht and at least one person has been put off by the engine hours 2,500, on a 3GM 30F.
Having asked at the local engineering workshop (not a Yanmar dealer) they laughed and quoted a local small fishing vessel as having 27.000 hours before requiring a serious engine overhaul.
A Marine Engineer assures me that most yacht engines wear out from corrosion because a) there not used enough and B) the air intake isn,t sealed off when wintering.
I,m sure there is probably an average somewhere between the two examples but does anybody out there have actual examples or reliable knowledge of the lifespan (hours run) of Yanmar engines used in yachts. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

ps I've emailed barrus but I presume it will take a few days for a reply
 
It wouldn't put me off, I presume from the fact you know the hours that you have kept a service schedule and changed the oil regularly.

I would be more put off by a 12 year old engine with 200 hours to be frank.

Just accept that the people are idiots or don't understand the concept of used or come on here to get advice, there are always people who think a 2nd hand yacht should still have price tags on the motor or the buyer demand a new engine!

I would be more concerned with the rig, but then I don't really want a motor boat that does not go under low bridges.
 
Tom
The guy that was "put off" by the engine hours was/is a real wally. At 2500 hrs the engine is only just "run in".
At the worst you could expect an absolute minimum of 10,000 hrs of use.

Nah, what you have there is an engine with the "sharp edges" knocked off and is ready for use.

Peter.
 
Commercial fishing boats here usually seem to average around 1,000 - 1,500 hours of use per year - and I have seen quite a few engines that are 10 or 12 years old (and a few older) that are still going strong - and then they might have a re-build, all ready to do another 10,000 hours at least.

And look at diesel generators - folk would be howling with rage if they couldnt get at least 20,000 hours of work out of them before a major overhaul. OK, they might perhaps lead a more sheltered life at constant speed than a propulsion engine, but they are still both diesel engines.
Hence as has been suggested above, 2,500 hours is just about 'run in'!

Our Volvo 2003 engine is 15 years old now (10 years in our ownership), yet I would estimate that it has had less than 600 hours of use, partially because we usually sail everywhere, and have a solar panel for battery charging, but I am well aware that this is not good for the engine - I have to make a conscious effort to give the engine a good run under load occasionally. The (minor) problems we have had with it have been age and corrosion related, definitely not as a result of hours run!.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The guy that was "put off" by the engine hours was/is a real wally.

[/ QUOTE ]I would say that is being polite, still I suppose on open forum it is about as strong as one dare go these days. 2½K hours (IMHO) is nothing if the engine has been serviced regularly. Anyone who walks away from a boat because the engine has done 2½K hours should not be allowed to own a boat as they obviously know SFA about them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
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My YSE 8 is just over 32 years old and still starts first time. I have twice suggested to the local Yanmar dealer that surely the time has come to replace it but his view is that there is no point when it goe as as it does.
Can't give engine hours though.

Max
 
If the engine has been serviced regularly, it looked well looked after, started, revved, stopped and didn't smoke or leak oil then I can't see the problem. The person who looked at your boat must also have been put off by the fact the mast had done several thousand hours too and perhaps the heads had seen too many backsides over the years as well!!! Suggest your 'customer' buys a new boat = no engine hours!! Problem solved /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
My son was an engineer on a flotilla boat in Turkey, living in the lead boat. They motored everywhere, leaving sailing to the punters. Engine on that boat was a Yanmar 30, hour meter had passed 9999 and was going round again. He said it was perfect, just like new.
 
can't speak for that model but Barrus advised me that my 4lha had a 10,000 hr expectation before 'major rebuild'. And that's a relatively highly rated engine at 240hp / 3.54l capacity!

As others have said it's about the maintenance cycles for the big bits and the working/installation environment for the perhipherals. The only other consideration I would have is whether an engine is going to be working extrememly hard ie it's at the bottom end of the power rating for the size of craft; in this area the latest trend towards larger engines in yachts bodes well for longevity of the basic block/etc
 
all depends how it has been looked after - revved hard on or immediately after startup, or switched off immediately after a hard run, drastically shortens the life of any engine - if demo-ing engine to a buyer make him feel that you give it plenty of tlc when using it as well as regular oil changes etc.
Given the above then I would expect at least 20000 hours
 
at 8 Hrs/day thats about 312 days if an engine does not last that its a poor engine.
Look at all the Diesels in lorrys and commercial boats they are not rebuilt every year ,so I think the chappie wants something for nothing.
 
generally lorries and comercial versions of marine engines are a lot less stressed! My Yanmar is similar in a lot of ways to my Landcruiser engine 4 clylinder, 3.54 rather than 3.0 ltr capacity both turbo intercooler but ones' 240hp and the other more like 110! The marine has max power at 3300 and the car 4200 - although of course on long runs they are both at a constant 85% of max throttle setting........ /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
My thanks to all who posted.
Barrus haven't repied to my email so I phoned. The basic reply was that as distributors they didn't hear too much after the first 2/3 years, this was supplemented by a) 2500hrs didn't seem a lot and b) why not try a dealer/ repairer.
 
Would the collective here think that over 8,000 hrs on a Yanmar 3GM30 was excessive (6 years old) reportedly fully serviced, however no mention of an overhaul.

Not sure how much to factor in my budget for yacht purchase. I would have thought that at this number of hours an overhaul might be due pretty soon.

Any ideas of the overhaul costs appreciated, these might be needed in future negotiations.

Thanks

Mike.
 
Just try this reverse calculation... In a car avrage speed overall is around 30 mph (it is , believe me) 2,500 hr is around 75000 miles. Nothing for a diesel, even a fancy OHC turbo jobby.
 
I agree, but I was asking more about 8,000 hrs.

So at 30 mph that would equate to 240,000 miles, at which I would expect an overhaul.

I do appreciate that marine engines are run at more constant rpm and this is also another factor.
 
Isn't the engine hours an indication of the use of the boat?
If the vessel was just a few years old then 2500 hours would suggest a fairly heavily used boat (although probably not the rigging!) ... however if it was more than that then it could be classed as average use...

I was browsing around and saw a 2003 vessel advertised with 2500engine hours - it was an Ex-Sunsail charter boat ...

Perhaps the guy was just being polite and used the engine hours as an excuse to walk away...

Engine hours tells you a lot more about the boat than just the state of the engine...
 
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