Replacement engine

bilbobaggins

bilbobaggins

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A friend seeks my advice on replacing his 'donk' - an elderly BMC Tempest. It has proved unreliable - frequently - but every time, it's been peripherals and ancillaries. We've always sailed it out of trouble.

Options seem to include:

A: Spend money on the peripherals and a major overhaul?
B: Spend more money on a new engine and peripherals?
C: Do nothing.

If A: then who to advise on what, how, where.....

If B: then what flavour of 'new 'donk'......

I want your advice...... This is *not* a troll.

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If the engine in it's self is sound then the most if not all of the peripherals and ancillaries are removable and can be properly serviced and sorted. Most of the bits are still available as new items. keeping the engine. If it has to include a major overhaul the bite the bullet and re-new the engine with a modern new one.
 
Get a new one, we too had a BMC that lasted about 25 years then we went through the same cycle as your chum 5-7 years ago, even had a recon.

Eventually we bit the bullet and changed to a Beta. Not cheap in the short term but the difference in performance and fuel consumption, not to mention a nice clean bilge makes it all worthwhile.
 
A friend just replaced his BMC with a Beta 'cos spares were getting scarce - was aslo able to ditch a couple of bags of sand from the bow!
 
Thanks, guys.
We talked it through and the 'replace engine and other bits' came up favourite. He was thinking Volvo, and I thought 'lotsa ongoing cost for spares'.

I suggested one of the new Yanmar 3YM30s.

The ball's in his court now.

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You could replace all the peripherals and spend more than a new engine. We re-engined our old 2003 with a 2030. The old gearbox had so much play in it etc .

Things to watch out for are does the prop rotation change direction? ours did so we had to have a new prop - wwe chose a folding and its worth up to half a knot.
 
Don't forget that when replacing an engine you may also have to replace the exhaust hose, water trap, muffler, gooseneck etc etc.. You may be lucky and still be able to use the existing hoses if they are the same size. Also investigate wether you will need new engine bearers.
I replaced my Thornycroft T90(BMC 1.5) with a Beta as although it wasn't the cheapest(Vetus/Mitsubishi was) but Beta made the engine mounts wider to suit the original bearers(£100 extra) plus the access points were easier on the Beta(the jabsco pump was at the front; it included an oil drain pump, spares kit thrown in etc etc)
Also consider replacing all the sound insulation with the latest thickest type. I also fitted a 'high up' inlet water strainer.
Oh, and there's a good market for old BMC's on ebay!
 
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