vire 7 hp engine

[Cloona]

this drives my boat really well when it decides to work ....

but are they really a complete waste of time ? and always unreliable and best junked ??

 

[earlybird]

A 2-stroke can more temperamental than a 4-stroke. Compression, crank-case seals, mixture, ignition settings etc. need to be good.
Given that though, a Vire should be a dependable engine.
My first cruising boat had a Vire 7, but that was 30 years ago, they're all a bit long in the tooth now.
It drank petrol on big throttle openings though.

 

[andsarkit]

I used to have a Vire 6 many years ago. It was very strong and simple but the weak point was the Tillotson ex chain saw carburettor which blocked easily. A change to a diesel almost doubled the range for the same quantity of fuel.

Link to spares and advice if you haven't found them yet:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-just-brought-a-ex-mirror-offshore-20ft/page5

 

[rob2]

I used to sail on a Contessa 26 with a Vire engine. It was a temperamental starter and didn't like to be closed down to tickover. After the new diesel was fitted (a great improvement) the owner discovered that the relief hole in the crankcase pump mechanism had become blocked by aluminium oxide due to the salty environment. So when you closed the throttle, it continued to pump enough fuel for full thottle, wetting the plug and stopping the engine! A quick twiddle with a drillbit through the hole and the engine worked perfectly - too late!

Rob.

 

[DanTribe]

They were good little units in their day. Especially when compared to the alternatives, probably a Stuart Turner ********. But at the end of the day they are still an ageing 2 stroke petrol engine and likely to be temperamental.
Fitting a new diesel into my old Stella was a game changer, made a new boat of her.
I now shudder when I think of the risks we took sailing with young kids on the East coast in a leaky boat with a petrol engine that probably would not start.

 

[Tam Lin]

Judging by the number of forumites who have changed to a small diesel I think you have your answer!

 

[wombat88]

I rebuilt one of these a couple of years back. More out of curiosity than anything else.

It is/was a well designed and quite innovative engine, very light and well made. It is also quite light for its size and reliable when happy. It is however somewhat fiendish and requires rather a special approach. Parts are both expensive and hard to come by as are people who are happy to work on them.

If it works leave it alone. If it doesn't or is unreliable I'd just get rid of it. I would not spend any money on it.

 

[oldharry]

Judging by the number of forumites who have changed to a small diesel I think you have your answer!

Not at all. There isnt anything like the Vire on the market, so if you are changing from a 40 year old + engine you dont have any real choice. Vires were and are an extremely good engine. No engine will be at its best after 40-50 years of service in a boat, including many more recent diesels like the Volvo and Bukhs of the 70's 80's

A good Vire is well worth having, lightweight, simple and pretty foolproof. Many Trident 24s were fitted with them, and some are still going strong. Their owners swear by them. They are two strokes which means that seals, bore and carburation have to be right, as anyone who own a 2T outboard knows, but otherwise they are a first rate and well engineered little engine, a great deal liugther than anything you can get today. I could hoist mine out, put it in the car boot and take it home for winter maintenance!

The 6hp version was interesting as its cylinder block and head were cast as one, so no head gasket! The whole thing just bolted to the cranckcase.

 

[neil_s]

I had a Vire 6 in a Folkdancer sloop. I bought it second hand and installed it myself. It proved reliable. The diaphragms in the Tillotson carb needed replacing regularly to maintain slow running ability. Still started and ran, though - just fast! I remember approaching Salcombe bar in rough weather and finding the battery had gone flat. I went below with a piece of rope to wrap around the flywheel - it started straight away!

 

[Greg.McVee]

I purchaswed a boat here in australia last year which is now moored in a bay in Sydney harbour. I have generally found nick in the UK extremely helpfull and the amount of information thats available through is website is amazing. I have had to refurbish the Dynastart and as a matter of course replaced both the solenoid and regulator but mainly because physically they looked a little tired but also because it was easier to get to with the dynastart out. I am not about to put a refurbed carby in as mine is leaking. When the motor was running it seemed to work very well. I have a Roberts designed 26' and unfortunately it would appear that the motor mounting was made to suit the vire which appears to bevy narrow at the base between mounts than any diesel that I have had a look at. If I wanted to replace it the cost including the motor looks like it would be very expensive. I have recently found a local guy who has a boat with a vire 7 as well. He obtained a host of spares from another guy who was previously the vire agent in Sydney. Am hoping to catch up with him early november to gain some deeper knowledge of the motor and its maintenance. he swears by this motor as being a solid and reliable engine when maintained.

 

[Softy42]

I'm in Brisbane and looking for Vire 7 parts - Can you help ?