Maxi 95 new engine

[AndyBell]

Has anyone replaced the engine in their Maxi 95? if so what did they replace the Volvo MD11c with.

Andy

 

[maxi]

Hi Andy,

Yep, I have replaced the horrid green thing with a 28hp Kubota (identical to Beta 28). Managed the changeover single handed in just 3 days, with which I was very pleased, as indeed I am with the outcome.

The only modifications were, that I had to use two pieces of angle iron, suitably drilled with 8 holes, to fit over the existing flexible engine mounts and provide fixings for the engine feet - scrap metal so no cost.

And, I found that I needed a slightly longer prop shaft. This can be sorted by inserting a bobbin behind the gearbox but I chose to have a new bi-metal shaft made for little more than the cost of a bobbin.

And finally, the raw water inlet fitting needs to be a slightly larger diameter than for the Volvo - dead simple.

If I can help, contact me and/or, if you are around the Hamble area at all I would be pleased to show you the boat & engine.

 

[Wanderlust193]

Can I see yr engine please

Hi
Have seen your post about fitting beta in maxi 95 and would love to come and have a look. My maxi is in France but had engine probs this year with the original Volvo and I am trying to decide on new engine and all parts from here - without being able to measure everything. Seeing a new beta installation would be fantastic.
Am at Southampton boat show today and could visit otherwise will make return trip from Devon.
Robin Barker

 

[Wanderlust193]

Beta 30 in Maxi 95

Hi Andy

Would love to come and see your Maxi asap.

Am, now back from Hamble, but thinking of buying Beta 30 at Boat Show prices ...

Do you have photos? And even more important do you have info on lengths of prop shaft, prop, wiring loom - and what the existing engine bearers are made of (ie are they timber or metal, and could I tap threads into them ????

For direct contact pls my em is robinbarker@tiscali.co.uk

Cheers

Robin Barker

 

[AndyBell]

Thanks for replies gents. I'm coming down in favour of the Beta 25 which is just slightly more 'grunt' than the Volvo MD11C though lower torque. Rule of thumb figures suggest about 5HP per tonne of displacement for a cruiser so with the Maxi 95 at 4 tonnes that should be enough power. I wonder why 'Maxi' decided on a 28HP engine rather than something closer to the MD11C 24HP and whether he replaced the original 2 blade prop with a three blade when re-engining - something I'm thinking about - to make use of the additional power?
Sorry guys, but if anyone wanted to view the boat it's up on the West of Scotland so quite a long trip. She's number 542 by the way so quite an old lady.
Beta will make up special engine feet (I think about £270) to correspond to the original engine mounts so it's a (relatively easy) drop in though, if you're up to it (I'm not), as 'Maxi' suggests you can use angle iron or similar. The MD11C must have been just about below water level but managed not to draw back water using an airvent which fitted within the engine housing/table. I think I may have to breach that housing to fit a higher vent for the new engine. It will be nice to have an engine which doesn't spurt smoke, leak oil, get water into the gearbox and have working instruments but having saisd that, once running, the old engine did just keep on going.

Cheers

Andy Bell. 'Pelorus'

 

[maxi]

Chose a 28hp engine 'cos it was just £1400 fully marinised and identical to the Beta product, and NO NO NO, I did not fit a 3 blade prop - had to change the "hand" of the prop and the "pitch" - I still want #533 to sail as well as she has always done.

 

[oakleyb]

Chose a 28hp engine 'cos it was just £1400 fully marinised and identical to the Beta product, and NO NO NO, I did not fit a 3 blade prop - had to change the "hand" of the prop and the "pitch" - I still want #533 to sail as well as she has always done.

£1400 seems cheap

 

[maxi]

Not cheap, just very very good value. I had waited some 3 years for the right opportunity to come along, and it came.

 

[Wanderlust193]

Beta 30 ordered

Hi
Have just ordered Beta 30 following good investigation of all the options. It's more expensive that the 25, but the engine feet are the same width as the MD11C so am saving on special feet and also get better Alt included so it works out about the same.
On balance am going with 3 blade prob. Will cut .25 knot off sailing speed maybe, but Maxis aren't good in tight turns in marinas and this will help.
There are loads of different thoughts on the anti-siphon device, but am hopeful I can keep a new one under the table. Some say it has to be 300mm above waterline, others 400mm. Aiming to collect in Feb and fit myself with mechanic friend.
Would eb good to compare notes on different options / measurements etc - my problem is the boat's in France, I'm in Devon and I want to buy everything here but I forgot to get detailed measurements for:
Engine bearers - width and length - and are they wood or metal (ie can I drill and tap into them?)
Wiring loom - how long do I need?
New prop shaft - old one will be too short, what do I need (I plan to get 1.8m and cut down).
Recommended prop is 15x13
Cheers all
Robin

 

[Helen Adams]

Has anyone replaced the engine in their Maxi 95? if so what did they replace the Volvo MD11c with.

Andy

What did you go with in the end? Many options seem too big to go under the table but the Beta 25 seems quite small and looks like it will do the job... Thanks, Helen

 

[Tranona]

What did you go with in the end? Many options seem too big to go under the table but the Beta 25 seems quite small and looks like it will do the job... Thanks, Helen

Helen

Have you seen my reply to your other post. Any of the latest 30hp engines will fit. They are all smaller than the Volvo. I posted a link to a boat with a Beta 30 fitted. Either a 25 or a 30 will both fit and the latter needs less modification to the beds. As you can see from the posts above you will need a new prop size of which will depend on which gearbox you choose and you may need a new shaft.

 

[Helen Adams]

Thanks but I have looked at the Yanmar 3YM30E and the Vetus M3.29 and they both look a bit tight, esp the Yanmar. I dont think I want to risk those which seems to leave me with the diminutive Beta 25 and 30 which posters above have installed and they both, from what is said above, seem to fit. Apparently the feet on the Beta 30 dont need any adjustment to fit in the moldings for the md11c feet.. I hope I have got this right. Was a bit confused by identity of Andy Bell vs Tranona and who had done what!
Thanks for the help all and any further comments welcome. Helen.

 

[SaltIre]

Thanks but I have looked at the Yanmar 3YM30E and the Vetus M3.29 and they both look a bit tight, esp the Yanmar. I dont think I want to risk those which seems to leave me with the diminutive Beta 25 and 30 which posters above have installed and they both, from what is said above, seem to fit. Apparently the feet on the Beta 30 dont need any adjustment to fit in the moldings for the md11c feet.. I hope I have got this right. Was a bit confused by identity of Andy Bell vs Tranona and who had done what!
Thanks for the help all and any further comments welcome. Helen.

Have a good look at the Vetus and work out which bits you would need access to regularly. I had a Sadler 25 with an 11HP 2 cylinder Vetus crammed in and the dipstick, impeller and other bits to which I might need access were on the stbd side. The previous owner had had lots of access holes cut out of a longitudinal bulkhead to get access from a pilot berth, but even then it was pretty difficult to get to the engine.
There's a post here: Vetus Engines - are they any good??? with some pics of the engine and from the manual.
I realise you are considering a 3 cylinder Vetus but the design might be similar.

Edit:
Here's the pic of the stbd side from the manual, copied from that post, and just about everything you need access to (fuel/water filter, oil filter, fuel lift pump, impellor etc) were pretty inaccessible.

 

[Helen Adams]

Have a good look at the Vetus and work out which bits you would need access to regularly. I had a Sadler 25 with an 11HP 2 cylinder Vetus crammed in and the dipstick, impeller and other bits to which I might need access were on the stbd side. The previous owner had had lots of access holes cut out of a longitudinal bulkhead to get access from a pilot berth, but even then it was pretty difficult to get to the engine.
There's a post here: Vetus Engines - are they any good??? with some pics of the engine and from the manual.
I realise you are considering a 3 cylinder Vetus but the design might be similar.

Edit:
Here's the pic of the stbd side from the manual, copied from that post, and just about everything you need access to (fuel/water filter, oil filter, fuel lift pump, impellor etc) were pretty inaccessible.

Thanks. I will take another look at this but I think the feet are too wide to fit in the physically constrained space. I would feel more assured if someone had got the M3. 29 which is the current model. In under the table. Also, the table narrows near the top and I can't be sure there is enough space there. So hard to say when you don't know exactly how high the engine will sit on the feet..

 

[dankilb]

Speak to Beta. They’re incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. If nothing else, they can talk you through the key dimensions and options for custom mounts/brackets (which they can fabricate themselves to customers’ spec)

 

[Tranona]

Thanks but I have looked at the Yanmar 3YM30E and the Vetus M3.29 and they both look a bit tight, esp the Yanmar. I dont think I want to risk those which seems to leave me with the diminutive Beta 25 and 30 which posters above have installed and they both, from what is said above, seem to fit. Apparently the feet on the Beta 30 dont need any adjustment to fit in the moldings for the md11c feet.. I hope I have got this right. Was a bit confused by identity of Andy Bell vs Tranona and who had done what!
Thanks for the help all and any further comments welcome. Helen.

All of the engines (as I have said before ) are smaller than the Volvo except on some the ancillaries such as the alternator and the air filter can be a bit wider- but really is easy to measure.. While it is useful to have the same width engine beds as with the Beta 30, adapting to different widths is really not a problem. I have just seen a Beta 20 which has the 370mm width replace an MD11 in a Centaur with simple fabricated metal brackets. You can buy these from Beta. You will almost certainly have to adjust the height of the beds as not only does the height of the mounts to the engine centreline differ, but the drop from the centreline to the output flange that lines up with the shaft varies according to the gearbox you choose. So the only thing in common with the Beta and the Volvo is that the mounts are at 410mm. They will still need modifying for height and the fore and aft spacing of the bolt holes on the mounts are different.

None of this should cause any problems for an experienced installer - or even a DIY once you understand what is involved. I have done 2 engine replacements myself and did all the necessary modifications, and even the latest one with the Beta 30 I did the quite significant mods myself to the measurements determined by the installer. Partly to save money and partly it was relatively straightforward.

Your installation will be a dream compared with most as you don't have to work in confined spaces, crawling under bridge decks or through hatches in cockpit floors and so on.