Murv
Well-Known Member
Purely out of interest, are a pair of these from 1970 likely to be trouble?
Perkins T6.354 - 145hp, reliability?
- Thread starter Murv
- Start date
Latestarter1
Well-Known Member
Very much so, don't even think about it, great motors in their day, however 50 years on their day has passed.
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
The T6.354 145hp rating now has spares availability issues, no pistons available.
Exhaust manifold is cast iron and salt water cooled so it rots out, replacements are £1000.
Charge cooler body is same, but about £100 cheaper at a mere £900.
So an older engine is a ticking bomb unless there has been recent significant expenditure.
They leak oil.
I ran a pair that had been fully rebuilt with new manifolds and coolers and had a 100% reliability record for 9 years. They are a lovely old tech low stressed engine but coming to the end of the road.
Exhaust manifold is cast iron and salt water cooled so it rots out, replacements are £1000.
Charge cooler body is same, but about £100 cheaper at a mere £900.
So an older engine is a ticking bomb unless there has been recent significant expenditure.
They leak oil.
I ran a pair that had been fully rebuilt with new manifolds and coolers and had a 100% reliability record for 9 years. They are a lovely old tech low stressed engine but coming to the end of the road.
Murv
Well-Known Member
Superb, thanks both, much appreciated.
To tackle it from a different perspective, if you were looking for a twin engine, shaft driven cruiser in the 30-35' range on a limited budget, what are the oldest type of engines that are worth considering?
e.g are the slightly later Perkins 175's worth a look? or are Perkins in general just too old now?
Number 1 requirement is reliability and straightforward servicing.
Sorry for the vague question, just trying to formulate ideas.
To tackle it from a different perspective, if you were looking for a twin engine, shaft driven cruiser in the 30-35' range on a limited budget, what are the oldest type of engines that are worth considering?
e.g are the slightly later Perkins 175's worth a look? or are Perkins in general just too old now?
Number 1 requirement is reliability and straightforward servicing.
Sorry for the vague question, just trying to formulate ideas.
penfold
Well-Known Member
Anything dating beyond 1985 is likely to be a pain for spares, so Ford Dorsets and derivatives(Parsons, Thornycroft, and other marinisations), Perkins P6 and 6.354, any BMC, Leyland, AEC, Commer, Foden or other more obscure British engine builders. By contrast the american Detroit Diesels are well served for parts and even 70 year old engines can be rebuilt.
Murv
Well-Known Member
That give me a good idea, many thanks.
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
Cummins B, Perkins Phaser or Ford Dover.
I guess there's some Green ones too.
I guess there's some Green ones too.
Murv
Well-Known Member
Thanks for those, can I assume that *most* Volvos will be OK?
There are an awful lot of T6.354 powered boats out there!
scottie
Well-Known Member
No especially the Peugeot based 21/32 series and early 40a engines
Murv
Well-Known Member
OK, thanks for that. To be fair, there don't appear to be many old Volvo diesels out there anyway, I certainly haven't found any.
All of the old boats that we've been looking at are either running Thornycroft, BMC or Perkins engines.
Latestarter1
Well-Known Member
Plenty of VP experts look in here to put you straight.
Penfold is spot on re older Brit stuff, also remember Darlington built Cummins small and large V engines, parts available going way back but at a price you would not want to pay to keep one of these noise generating monsters in service!
Murv
Well-Known Member
Thanks very much, your help is appreciated!
Last question... the Volvo TDM40's, are they generally OK?
penfold
Well-Known Member
It depends on the vintage, as Thornycroft have marinised many different manufacturers engines over the years, mainly Ford and BMC in the age of vessels you are likely to encounter, but it's a good idea to confirm identity before dismissing them; I think they do Mitsubishi these days.
Murv
Well-Known Member
Ahh, thanks for that, I think I've been confusing myself.
Googling Thorneycroft revealed some vintage type lorry engines, which seemed about right, so I assumed that's what they were. I didn't realise they were now a marinising company.
Although, in the boats I've been looking at, I imagine they probably are BMC's. (Seamaster 30's, mainly)
I think we're going to have to scrub the idea of changing boats. To get anything late 80's onwards is serious money, we'll probably end up selling ours and coming back to it in a few Years time I think.
I need something reliable, I just can't cope with any more problems!
Thanks for your help
Divemaster1
Well-Known Member
Problem is where you're looking....
CAT 3116's .... http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...re/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp&boat_id=1973887
CAT 3208 http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...0&url=&hosturl=parisibroker&&ywo=parisibroker
Volvo - http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...oker&&hosturl=parisibroker&&ywo=parisibroker&
scottie
Well-Known Member
No especially the Peugeot based 21/32 series and early 40a engines
Latestarter1
Well-Known Member
Ahh, thanks for that, I think I've been confusing myself.
Googling Thorneycroft revealed some vintage type lorry engines, which seemed about right, so I assumed that's what they were. I didn't realise they were now a marinising company.
Although, in the boats I've been looking at, I imagine they probably are BMC's. (Seamaster 30's, mainly)
I think we're going to have to scrub the idea of changing boats. To get anything late 80's onwards is serious money, we'll probably end up selling ours and coming back to it in a few Years time I think.
I need something reliable, I just can't cope with any more problems!
Thanks for your help
Thrornycroft is real confusing, iconic name from British transport industry has no connection whatsoever with with current users of the name who simply marinise Mitsubishi engines.
Transport Equipment Thornycroft was taken over by AEC, they became by default part of British Leyland empire, then became part of another British long forgotten automotive engineering company Beans Engineering, then management buy out, Thornycroft at one time manufactured their own engines gasoline and diesel at their Reading works, the Handybilly was hugely popular marine engine in the 1920's and 30's and later went on to marinise engines from British Leyland including the Land Rover diesel, Cummins, Ford, Hino and even had short dalliance with Scania. TET went into liquidation in 1989.
Murv
Well-Known Member
Problem is where you're looking....
CAT 3116's .... http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...re/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp&boat_id=1973887
CAT 3208 http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...0&url=&hosturl=parisibroker&&ywo=parisibroker
Volvo - http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...oker&&hosturl=parisibroker&&ywo=parisibroker&
Very nice! A bit of an upgrade over a 70's boat, that's for sure!
Ah, OK, that's the last one crossed off then!
Thanks for that, fascinating stuff! I'd never come across Thorneycroft before, but then, I had no reason to.
Are there any elderly engines that are any good? Late 70's to early 80's?
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
Yes, the Perkins T6.354.
Just be aware of it being 50 year old technology and parts availability becoming more difficult/costly.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
anyone (well actually Latestarter1) got a view on Caterpillar 3116 6 cylinder 6.6 litre circa 1998 vintage..
