Slowtack
Well-Known Member
Anybody with experience of these - in particular as replacement for VP2003 with saildrive?
Mitsubishi craftsman engines
- Thread starter Slowtack
- Start date
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Think you will find the only sensible replacement for a Volvo saildrive is another Volvo saildrive - a D1 30 in your case. Although some engine manufacturers will do an adaptor to fit to the saildrive you will almost certainly have build a new engine bed. Also the saildrive is the potentially weak point and putting a new engine on a 30+ year old drive is not a good idea. If the drive does go it can only be replaced with the latest drive which has a different reduction ratio so you need a new prop as well - and a bill close to £6k just for the drive, prop, diaphragm and fitting.
Better to bite the bullet and replace the lot - you will find Volvo dealers will do a good exchange deal and it is almost a direct swap.
Better to bite the bullet and replace the lot - you will find Volvo dealers will do a good exchange deal and it is almost a direct swap.
yoda
Well-Known Member
The small vetus engines are also Mitsubishi based and I have to say that mine is a great little engine even if it is now well over 20 years old. I have just looked at the Craftsman web site and I can see why you are considering this option. I have to agree that unless your saildrive is quite new and in excellent condition then you may as well rip out the whole lot and start again but Craftsman have obviously gone to the trouble of enabling the fit of their engine onto a VP saildrive. Don't forget there is money in both engine and saildrive that you remove as VP spares are not cheap.
Yoda
Slowtack
Well-Known Member
Many thanks for your advice
Jcorstorphine
Well-Known Member
A friend had a new Beta engine married to his old Volvo saildrive. Total disaster as the new engine would not tickover slow enough with the result that due to the reduction ratio of the sail drive, he did about 4 knots at tickover and could not approach his berth at a slow enough speed.
Slowtack
Well-Known Member
Hmmmmmmm more food for thought, thanks Jcostor......
Hadnt thought about that - My VP 2003 ticks over at about 600rpm.
I re-engined my last boat fitting a Beta 14hp but that was a straight shaft drive.
Hadnt thought about that - My VP 2003 ticks over at about 600rpm.
I re-engined my last boat fitting a Beta 14hp but that was a straight shaft drive.