Spare parts survey.... what do you use?

[Nostrodamus]

I was just curious to know how many people go for "genuine parts" or alternatives when the need to service or repair something.

If anyone has also found any difference between "genuine parts" and parts made by alternative suppliers it would be useful.

We all want to save money so are alternatives as good as genuine parts?

 

[capnsensible]

Its been my experience that the further you go from UK in particular and Europe in general, the harder it is to get genuine parts. Having said that, there are some very resourseful engineers out there and 'make do' can often end as permanent!

Always have JB weld onboard.....fixed a blown exhaust with the (yes, really) cut up baked bean tin, jubilee clips and JB weld. Was in Venezuela.

So be prepared to improvise when spares, genuine or not aren't available is my reccommend.

 

[KellysEye]

We always used genuine parts because the quality is guaranteed. When we've looked at non genuine parts many are of questionable quality. For example, when we bought our boat we inherited some diesel filters that didn't have a pressure relief system to handle a blockage. The Volvo filters do have it. We also found that not genuine impellors lasted much less time than the genuine ones.

 

[Norman_E]

I voted for genuine parts, because I use them whenever possible, particularly things like impellers, but I do for example buy "non genuine" replacements for things like fan belts where the engine manufacturers "genuine" spare part is in fact another make, rebranded. In such a case I just go for a recognised brand if possible.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I know someone on here will know better but how many "genuine parts" like filters and other genuine parts are actually made differently from "non genuine parts" or are they made by the same company, re badged and the prices quadrupled.

 

[macd]

I know someone on here will know better but how many "genuine parts" like filters and other genuine parts are actually made differently from "non genuine parts" or are they made by the same company, re badged and the prices quadrupled.

Nostradumus, take a bow, because you have manufactured precisely as many oil, fuel and air filters as have Yanmar and Volvo combined: none. 'Genuine' parts of that sort are supplied by specialist manufacturers, packaged according to the engine company's requirements and sold at a considerable mark-up. Buying the same spec filters from reputable companies is doing nothing that Volvo et al don't do in the first place, but cheaper (and they'll switch suppliers just as readily as you will if the price warrants it). Same applies to belts and impellers.

 

[prv]

Buying the same spec filters from reputable companies is doing nothing that Volvo et al don't do in the first place, but cheaper

Yep - although the one thing that the engine manufacturers do do is make it easy to find the right bit. If you buy an oil filter sold for (say) a 2GM20, you know it's the right one. To buy the cheaper one, you need to work out what Fram (etc) part number matches all the same specs. Hence KellysEye's filters without the bypass valve - they weren't missing it because they didn't have Volvo written on them, they were missing it because whoever bought them didn't think to check that and got something nearly right but not quite. The next page of the catalogue would probably have had the correct part with the valve.

I know what non-branded bits I need for my current engine, but am going to have to learn again with the new one. Complicated by the fact it's a new model so not much info out there yet.

Pete

 

[Blueboatman]

Another good example are raw water pumps and marine engine manufacturers' mark ups.
Quite handy to carry a spare starter motor, alternator and water pump but not nec at badged boxed prices... Why give all yer dosh to a marina whilst hanging around for some fed-exed part ( original or pattern) to be sources when you could instead , swap out the duff one and repair to a bar to celebrate the hard earned astute result, eh? Difference between weekend sailing and wot the OP is doing or intending doing, heading off across the pond to remote and inexpensive bars....nice blog btw

 

[Nostrodamus]

I believe the Volvo MD22 was also used in the Montego so presumably all or a lot of the parts are available from car shops at a fraction of the price.

Anyone know of engines that the same parts are readily available elsewhere?

 

[Burnham Bob]

i think there is a difference between spares that are generic and marked up for marine use and genuine marine only bits and pieces. for example I always use genuine replacement impellors. however, my beta is a marinised kubota and the unipart oil filter is a lot cheaper than the beta spare.

 

[Tomahawk]

A Yanmar impellor is expensive
Yanmar do not supply a raw water pump bearings & seal kit together with shaft.

Johnson supply a shaft and impellors .. because haven't put them in a box that says Yanmar...

SKF bearing as the best in the world... and used by Johnson Pumps in the pumps they supply to Yanmar...

 

[Heckler]

I believe the Volvo MD22 was also used in the Montego so presumably all or a lot of the parts are available from car shops at a fraction of the price.

Anyone know of engines that the same parts are readily available elsewhere?

The MD22 is indeed a Montego/Maestro/LDV Van/Perkins Prima engine. The oil filters are the same mostly although some have slightly larger threads so measure first before buying, the fuel filters are the same, the lift pump is the same, the injectors can be tricky, the injector pump is slightly different but at a push can be used. The fresh water pump is different, as is the exhaust and inlet system. The starter is different, its on the oppo side and so the mounting etc is different. The alternator is different, chassis earthed for instance but could be used at a push. There is an outfit in the states that sells perkins prima parts at half the price of VP but getting them here is the prob.
Stu

 

[jdc]

'Genuinely' from the mariniser or from the OEM?

I have a Beta 50HP, which is of course based on a Kubota v2203 engine, but extensively marinised. I've also a generator based on a Kubota OC60.

I use Kubota filters and engine parts (because I can buy them from my local tractor dealer). Now these are not marked 'Beta' so are not genuine, but are marked 'Kubota'. But then again neither they nor Beta manufacture filters anyway! So are they 'genuine'?

I buy impellers and other pump parts from Johnson or Jabsco (depending on which OEM's part was fitted) - again is this genuine or not?

I think this approach should ensure the best quality.

I think engine manufacturers would do us, and probably them, a good service if they would tell us the OEM's part number so we could get a quality generic part. This is particularly important for Beta I think - one reason to chose their engines is that they're based on an engine with a world-wide dealer network, but Beta won't publish the Kubota part number equivalents! It's taken some research to discover the OEM part numbers.

 

[tudorsailor]

Stop solenoid

Once needed a stop solenoid for my Yanmar. Ordered one through Yanmar agent. When it arrived and I opened the box, I found that it had Bosch stamped on it with a Bosch part number.

I then searched the Net and found that this Bosch part was a standard diesel engine item that I could buy locally with ease

I returned the incredibly expensive "Yanmar" part in its box, and got most - but not all - of my money back. Then went to local diesel parts dealer and bought the Bosch part for 20% of the Yanmar price.

The main problem is finding out the original manufacturer of a part before ordering from Yanmar

TudorSailor

 

[Nostrodamus]

I was told of a company in or around Southampton who had a big run in with Volvo. As a result they set up a business where they sell all the Volvo parts they can from alternative sources. They are the same parts but unbadged and at a fraction of the cost. Anyone else know of this company?

 

[tcm]

mostly you’ll be fine with non-genuine ... if they are real, valid parts. I can make genuine impeller last lest than a minute, for example.

 

[Nostrodamus]

mostly you’ll be fine with non-genuine ... if they are real, valid parts. I can make genuine impeller last lest than a minute, for example.

Which is another point I suppose. Can some non genuine parts such as the "speed seal" on the impeller be actually better than the genuine part they replace?

 

[Grumpybear]

Which is another point I suppose. Can some non genuine parts such as the "speed seal" on the impeller be actually better than the genuine part they replace?

Quite so, although that example is more a case of a freelance design improvement, applicable to a range of manufacturers' engines, than a simple component replacement.