New engine choice, volvo or beta?

[Donside]

Ok, as a new member who has long looked on , I want to seek the forum's wisdom.......I have decided to re engine my sigma 36.
My yard offers me a volvo D1/30 or a beta 30, for basically the same money, give or take.
I know volvo spares are expensive, but am more interested in the performance, and economy, of the units, as well as their reliability, seeing as how they'll have to see me alright for ten years or so.

I may not have the name of the beta engine correct, but, their nearest to 30 horse version.

What is the forum's view of these engines?

Thanks

 

[Neeves]

You say the yard offers you the engines that you option 'for basically the same money' - is this fitted or the base engine? Much depends on the engine and prop 'drive' in the Sigma. If they are simply quoting base engine cost then installation can vary enormously - for example if you need to buy a new sail drive for one or not the other and whether the engine beds is of a size to accept one but not the other.

More information needed.

 

[Tranona]

Welcome

There is essentially no difference between the two. They are both based on Japanese industrial engines, Kubota for Beta and Perkins for Volvo. The basic layout is the same and so will be the performance and fuel economy (this is directly related to the power you use) and no reason why reliability and life should be any different if properly used and maintained.

There are differences in detail specs on things like alternator and range of gearbox availability which may be important to you and may make a small difference to the final price. You will almost certainly need a new propeller, but you may be able to avoid this with one of the Beta gearbox options. Important, however to replace or upgrade some of the ancillaries such as exhaust sytem, shaft seals, fuel systems etc to go with a new engine.

Personally I would probably choose the Volvo (I have one!) as while spares can be expensive, routine servicing is not, and the chances of needing major spares is very small.

 

[Donside]

Thanks, very useful.
The costs are for complete installation, as in, in the water and ready to go., so little difference between them.

 

[tillergirl]

Agree with Tranona. Eons ago when making a similar decision I went to the Southampton Boat Show and listened to the Volvo, Nanni and Beta. I thought the Volvo the quieter and smoother (it may have ben the installation of course but each Maker went to each of the yachts for me to listen. I thought the Beta a rattly shaky thing). I compared the ancilliaries and preferred the Volvo for its electrical insulation so it didn't need an anode for the heat exchanger AND it didn't require an annual inspection/strip (as Beta required) of the heat exchanger - so for Beta you would have to save the coolant or renew it each year! I thought the Beta heat exchanger rather small - nice and compact of course but I thought I preferred the larger exchanger on the uneducated thoughts that it might be less marginally. Of course the equivilent models are now different.

 

[Fascadale]

I'm on my third "Beta". I'm very happy with them. Not had a great deal of experience of Volvos other than on others' boats, but they seem OK as well.

Never had any problems with the Beta heat exchangers (I check mine every 2 or 3 years) but then my boat is kept in fairly clean sea water.

 

[Concerto]

I have a Beta in my boat as the boat had already been re-engined, but would have been my manufacturer of choice. Based on the Kubota industrial engine, parts are widely available from numerous sources (compared to Volvo) and a lot cheaper.

Also I have chatted with them at Boat Shows and found them to be very helpful with advice. When my heat exchanger became partially blocked due to not cleaning it, they were very helpful when the engine would not restart. It was nothing to do with the heat exchanger, but an easily fixed electrical connection. To change the anode in the heat exchanger is simply undo the bolt and replace with a new bolt with anode built in, about 5 minutes maximum.

Overall I have had no other problems and it is now 8 years old. I do like the integral sump pump to remove the oil, and how the water pump and fuel filter are at the front of the engine.

My engine is the 28hp (now rated at 30hp) and find it very economical at 1900 to 2100 rpm in my Fulmar with a Gori folding 2 bladed prop. It can easily provide plenty more revs but the consumption increases, especially over 2600rpm.

 

[geem]

Before you make your choice dont rule out the Yanmar 3ym30. We installed one of these in our last boat. Very quite engine and nicely put together. The engineer who did most of the installation work said he had done a few Beta installs but if he was re-engining his boat he would go for the Yanmar. He said it just seemed better put together than the Beta. They are rated at 29hp and a nice smooth three cylinder

 

[Quandary]

After decades railing against VP I had a D1 30 for eight years which changed my opinion of them completely, I do not know how much of that was due to the VP folding prop but the combination was excellent, so I would recommend a green one.

 

[Tranona]

Before you make your choice dont rule out the Yanmar 3ym30. We installed one of these in our last boat. Very quite engine and nicely put together. The engineer who did most of the installation work said he had done a few Beta installs but if he was re-engining his boat he would go for the Yanmar. He said it just seemed better put together than the Beta. They are rated at 29hp and a nice smooth three cylinder

The Yanmar is really in the same category as the other 2 (as well as Nanni). Beta and Nanni concentrate on the re-engine market and major on making life easy for the DIY installer. In the OE market the split (in Europe) is roughly 50/50 between Volvo and Yanmar with some builders using either.

Of course like everything else individuals have their own personal preferences but the reality is that this type of engine is now a commodity and you won't go wrong with any of them. My last re-engine ended up with choice between Nanni and Beta. The former won because the blue paint blended better with the upholstery in the boat.

 

[Donside]

All very helpful, thanks.
So no great advantage to either.
Economy and noise being similar?

 

[jordanbasset]

Agree, no great difference, I would go with the volvo purely because it is the engine I know better, but others may go for the Beta for the same reason.

 

[Tranona]

All very helpful, thanks.
So no great advantage to either.
Economy and noise being similar?

Economy is the same assuming they both have properly matched props. Thermal efficiency of diesels varies very little from make to make. expect between 1.5-2L an hour depending on the speed you choose for cruising. Volvo runs at lower revs so expect to cruise at 2100-2200 for 5.5 knots, Beta a little higher 2400-2500, but both will be drawing the same power.
Noise is more to do with the installation. The Volvo has a lower pitch sound and the Beta sounds a bit more buzzy - at least the ones I have used. Presumably you currently have a 2003, in which case the new one will feel more refined.

 

[Donside]

Thanks very much for the help.
Much heartened by the response, well informed and very useful.
Thanks.

 

[rgsmg53]

I had a Beta 43 in my last boat (a 30ft motorsailer) and thought it was a lovely little engine. However I do not have any experience of the equivalent Volvo.

One thing I did appreciate about the Beta was the UK customer service which I found excellent. They are based in Gloucester and not only could one get to speak to a technical expert if need be but also they were happy to let me pick up spares 'over the counter'.

On the one occasion when I had an 'unusual' problem (eventually found to be nothing to do with the engine itself) they were able to look up the test records for the unit's factory test. The previous owner of my boat had re-fitted her with the Beta (previously a Volvo) and told me that Beta were happy for him to witness the factory acceptance test in person and they also painted it whatever colour he wanted. Oddly, he chose green!

 

[Neeves]

I think the Volvo comes with a bigger alternator.

 

[Sybarite]

FWIW when i was looking at the possibility of replacing a 50hp, the local mechanic recommended Lombardini.

He said that it was much cheaper and was just as reliable as the other marks.

No personal experience though.

 

[jwilson]

Before you make your choice dont rule out the Yanmar 3ym30. We installed one of these in our last boat. Very quite engine and nicely put together. The engineer who did most of the installation work said he had done a few Beta installs but if he was re-engining his boat he would go for the Yanmar. He said it just seemed better put together than the Beta. They are rated at 29hp and a nice smooth three cylinder

I have a Yanmar 3YM30 and would certainly not choose another unless it was a straight swap to avoid changing mounts and shaft etc. Spares costs are ridiculous compared to Beta, and it has needed two new starter motors at £550 each, a new water pump, exhaust elbows etc. Engine mounts are £700 a set and Yanmar say they should be replaced every 4 years or 1000 hours.

I cannot however fault their local dealer's service, and when in use it is a nice smooth engine .....

 

[Moonbeam]

Volvo ... the heat exchanger...didn't require an annual inspection/strip

Having had a nasty heat exchange failure on a Vetus that "did not require annual inspection/strip" I'd opt to give it the once over every year regardless.

 

[Neeves]

Interesting thread in that other than a few specific gripes most people are happy with their engines. They appear very reliable - and do what it says on the box.

Choice is based on cost, which is part determined by whether it fits.

My only gripe is why don't the engine manufacturers make up a small panel with each filter attached by a bracket and relevant hoses. The installer/commissioner could then instal the panel in an easily accessible location and with an added drip tray and possible fitting container to sit on the drip tray all the mess would be confined to one location.

The current situation is, on our Volvo, 2 filters fuel and oil both attached directly to the engine casting and it is impossible to catch all the drips - inevitably oil and diesel get into the base of the engine mount - and its not the most convenient spacing to clean out.

A member of the forum, I cannot recall who one of the Normans, Tranona?? made such a manifold and panel and it seemed an excellent idea.

Having a panel with all the filters in one location would make it easier for the boat builder who currently needs to have easily removed panels on every side of the engine.

Servicing of all of the engines actually seems straight forward, even cleaning the heat exchanger is hardly difficult. Its only when you get to 1,000 hours and you need to look at the exhaust elbow that anything interrupts the schedule.