Lombardini Engines

[Sinc]

Does anyone have any experience of Lombardini engines as replacements in sailing boats for Volvo 2000 series.
Excuse my ingnorance, but they're not a name that seems to come up that often and internet research hasn't revealed a lot.

 

[sailorman]

Does anyone have any experience of Lombardini engines as replacements in sailing boats for Volvo 2000 series.
Excuse my ingnorance, but they're not a name that seems to come up that often and internet research hasn't revealed a lot.

High reving Italians

 

[macd]

I presume you've found this: http://www.lombardinimarine.com/prodotti.aspx?type=mtr

Big company, but so far as I'm aware there's no UK agent for their marine products, although this outfit deals with the base engines:
https://www.lombardiniengines.co.uk/liquid-cooled-engines

 

[cryan]

FPT (Iveco)new 4000 series are based on Lombardini engines. They are available from Mermaid Marine dealers. Lombardini make a huge amount of diesel engines for industrial and domestic use. PM me if you want more info and I will email it to you.

 

[Jim@sea]

FPT (Iveco)new 4000 series are based on Lombardini engines. They are available from Mermaid Marine dealers. Lombardini make a huge amount of diesel engines for industrial and domestic use. PM me if you want more info and I will email it to you.

I thought it was the other way round. Iveco make the Engines and Lombardini marinise them.
Its a shame that no one in the UK fitted Iveco in small boats as my last boat, (French 1986) had an Iveco diesel and it was brilliant and if I needed parts the engine was the same as in the Iveco Van and parts were available everywhere, and cheap.

 

[tillergirl]

Not a boaty application but my neighbour is a 'Stumpbuster' and his machine uses a small Lombardini for power - all day, every day. All he ever had to do to it, is service it!

 

[Tranona]

Does anyone have any experience of Lombardini engines as replacements in sailing boats for Volvo 2000 series.
Excuse my ingnorance, but they're not a name that seems to come up that often and internet research hasn't revealed a lot.

Never made much impact outside Italy. Lightweight and uses more aluminium than others. Plenty of alternatives from Volvo, Yanmar, Beta, Nanni etc that are well established in the UK with good support for re-engine projects. Little to choose on price, efficiency, reliability etc so choice is usually around ease of installation, positioning of service points and such things as exhaust in relation to your specific installation.

 

[30boat]

Aluminium block and head,overhead camshaft driven by belt and I seem to remember some were common rail.I prefer the low tec cast iron,pushrod approach of the Kubotas.

 

[SpottyDog5]

Not a boaty application but my neighbour is a 'Stumpbuster' and his machine uses a small Lombardini for power - all day, every day. All he ever had to do to it, is service it!

I fitted a 14hp one into a Bucker I had, sweet little engine, but still wouldn't make her go more than 6/7 knots. Terminal hull speed I guess.

 

[Wansworth]

Ihave a 13hp in my vega,everyone thinks its a grat Little engine

 

[rotrax]

IIRC many new Springer narrowboats had Lombardini air cooled diesels fitted in the mid to late '70's. They were cheap, pretty reliable and easy to repair and service but they were bloody noisy!

 

[cryan]

Never made much impact outside Italy. Lightweight and uses more aluminium than others. Plenty of alternatives from Volvo, Yanmar, Beta, Nanni etc that are well established in the UK with good support for re-engine projects. Little to choose on price, efficiency, reliability etc so choice is usually around ease of installation, positioning of service points and such things as exhaust in relation to your specific installation.

I think its unfair to say Lombardini never made an impact outside Italy. They supply engines to most high end agricultural and construction plant manufacturers in Europe.
Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT formerly Iveco) are using the lombardini as as the base for the 4000 series which is specifically aimed at yachts and the small leisure market. FPT are one of the biggest marine engine producers in Europe. They are becoming increasingly popular in the UK with the larger series of engine becoming almost standard fit in a lot of new build commercial craft. The UK entry into the round the world challenge will use FPT engines.
The 4000 series is a very modern engine which offers excellent fuel economy and emmisions which lets face it will start to become an increasingly important issue in the yacht industry, even if only because the EU will soon insist on taxing the backside out of anyone with old tech. After sales back up is not an Issue as FPT has established a good network in the UK. Lombardini also has its own network which means that most parts will be available from a choice of outlets. Basically a good solid engine with top European quality and extensive customer support accross the globe but especially Europe.
The only difference between the likes of Penta, Beta and Nanni is colour, they're all painted white.

 

[Tranona]

I think its unfair to say Lombardini never made an impact outside Italy. They supply engines to most high end agricultural and construction plant manufacturers in Europe.

The OP was specifically asking about a marine engine - so my comment was valid. There have been several attempts to market Lombardini in this country with a number of different importers, but have never made any inroads. Some of the features of the engines, particularly the extensive use of aluminium are not necessarily a benefit in a marine environment. Whatever their technical merits, there are other engines that are much better established in the market place with proven performance and extensive support. So difficult to see why anyone would want to buy an engine that is not popular in this country. If the boat were based in Italy the answer might be different.

 

[yodave]

www.goldenarrow.co.uk import Lombardini Marine engines. We have one fitted in our Macwester Malin and it seems to be a well-made, reliable piece of kit. Gem Engineering near Falkirk can also supply parts and consumables if you happen to be on the Forth or nearby.

 

[Daydream believer]

I had a 10 hp one in my second Stella
Ran beautifully until i had an alternator problem
I took it to be serviced ( seized bearing) & the service chap charged £25-00 & returned in 4 hours
He then gave me a list of the cars that used that alternator & the part nos in case i had troubles abroad
The same for the starter etc
Part nos included fiat, renault & lucas.
long term service wise the lombardini should be cheap to run. My model was - so he said - based on a generator engine
When i sold the boat the new owner had problem with the starter & got one quite easily from a breakers yard using the details i had passed on
I would research what parts the new ones use & if ok i would go for it
Economy & emissions wise all manufacturers are offering improvements so slight variations in fuel economy etc are less of a problem than long term maintenance on a boat

 

[A1Sailor]

The OP was specifically asking about a marine engine - so my comment was valid. There have been several attempts to market Lombardini in this country with a number of different importers, but have never made any inroads.

Depends on your definition of "impact" and "inroads". Without either, how did boats in the UK get fitted with Lombardini engines?

 

[Sinc]

Thanks to all for the input. For clarification, my interest came from considering a boat which had been re-engined with a 35hp Lombardini 1305M 10+ years ago. Not the usual replacement for a 2000 series VP - so just wondered if there was any general opinion.
I guess what I'm hearing is that there isn't a huge following (with apologies to those who have personal interest in them) for these engines in the UK, and therefore a possible issue with parts/maintenance etc.

 

[penfold]

IIRC many new Springer narrowboats had Lombardini air cooled diesels fitted in the mid to late '70's. They were cheap, pretty reliable and easy to repair and service but they were bloody noisy!

So just like every other aircooled diesel in the world then!

They're as good as any of the other marinised industrial diesels; aside from a paucity of convenient local dealers(easily overcome in this age of internet everything and they are used in a lot of industrial and agricultural equipment so sources do exist) there isn't much to distinguish them from the competition.

 

[Ridax]

I have replaced my Volvo MD21 with a Lombardini 2204. Being in Sweden, I don't know much about the uk market, but here they are pretty common and the importer here (Rodahl) has a fabulous reputation for good service, which I fully agree with. I have no regretd so far and the comment about belt and aluminium might be valid for certain engines (focs), but not mine (chd). The focs engined with belt and al top have a good reputation as well and I have not heard anyone with it complain, but instead some that praise it.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Also used in Paguro generators...