Re-Engine with Common Rail or Conventional?

[Old Bumbulum]

I have the awkward choice of repacing my underpowered 3GM30 with a Beta 38 at £5.5K (no trade-in) or a Yanmar 3JH40 at £7400 with trade-in.

The Beta wll require quite a bit of work on the engine bay to make enough room - being a 4 cyl it is that much longer so it's a bit of a trade-off.
But what I am really interested in is the practicality of having a common rail engine in a sailing boat where I want to do my own maintenance etc. Is this the right way to go?

 

[Seajet]

No idea if common rail injection is worth it, but for a sailing boat I'd think not; and the significantly cheaper engine also allows you to sell the old one which should fetch a fair bit.

 

[Bobc]

Beta every time.

I would steer well clear of common rail on a boat, as you are getting into a) a load of electronics to control the engine and injectin system, and b) ultra high-pressures in the injection system and tiny apertures that can get blocked by crud in the fuel (the tinyest bit of crud can also ruin your injection system and cost you thousands in repair bills.

Beta engines are great because they are low-tech industrial engines with no electronics, which are designed to run for thousands of hours on building sites and in farms.

You will also be able to sell your old 3GM30 on ebay for a grand if it's still running, making the Beta almost half the price.

 

[Lightwave395]

Replaced my 3GM30 with a 3YM30 three ago.
The 3GM30 was a good runner, once started, you had be patient, have good batteries and preferably with nobody moored just downwind (for their sakes) It ran like clockwork, used virtually no oil and very little fuel. I listed it on ebay and sent a video of it running to a couple of bidders, one guy from Spain sent his mate to check it out, I sold it for £1300 and crated it for them, they arranged collection and when they finally got it left me excellent feedback.
I don't know the Beta engine but I would check cost of fitting carefully, I considered a Sole engine (Mitsubishi diesel) which was very good value but it would have cost half the engine price to make it fit. The 3YM30 was fitted in a couple of hours with just half hour of yard crane and labour
Assuming your 3GM30 was a good runner, + / - £1200 for it would make your Beta a good deal

 

[Topcat47]

+1 for avoiding a common rail engine on a boat. Electronics and salt water don't mix very well.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

+1 for avoiding a common rail engine on a boat. Electronics and salt water don't mix very well.

+1 Also, I have just re-engined with a Beta 43, ( going from a 3 cylinder Volvo to a 4 cyl Beta, I lost a storage shelf in the saloon as it is a bit longer), and the choice of options was wide, the manual is very clear, and the guarantee allows me to do my own servicing. As said, you can arrive in Outer Bongo-Bongo Land and buy Kubota filters in the nearest mud hut. Definitely Beta!

 

[Laysula]

Technology is great.................................Until it goes wrong.

 

[Old Bumbulum]

Thanks, much as I thought then.