What did you replace your Bukh DV20 with?

[snooks]

I'm in the process of thinking about, maybe, replacing our ageing Bukh DV20.

We have a Sadler 32, and we're looking at an engine between 20 and 30hp.

I know there are lots of people who have had to replace their Bukhs, so it would be good for me to know:

What you replaced it with?

How did it go?

Are you happy (or what problems have you had since)?

What you would have done differently?

Thanks for any replies
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15/5/12 UPDATE HERE

 

[waterbuffalo]

I replaced my Bukh with a Beta 20.

It fitted on to the existing bearers with a packing piece to lift the Beta slightly.

But had to change the prop as the gearbox o/p was in the opposite direction.

The Beta seems to be a more powerful engine and is a lot smoother.

 

[samwise]

A lot of people love their Bukhs so much they get them refurbished.

 

[beserksail]

Bukh 24.

 

[snooks]

A lot of people love their Bukhs so much they get them refurbished.

Our Bukh was a refurb in 2002.

Last year we replaced the exhaust elbow, and discovered all the wiring is oxidised.

The year before we replaced the cylinder head, head gasket and rocker shaft thermostat and alternator.

Oh and it leaks oil, lots of oil

There is no love lost between us.

 

[photodog]

Get someone to sponsor some trial of a hybrid system.... that would be

A) Cool.
B) Great if it worked.
C) Potentially free.

 

[snooks]

Get someone to sponsor some trial of a hybrid system.... that would be

A) Cool.
B) Great if it worked.
C) Potentially free.

Our boat is not a test bed.

All this new technology is great when it works, but a real PITA when it doesn't.

I'm not prepared to waste the enjoyment of another season testing technology that has its faults.

 

[VicMallows]

Bukh 24.

Why?

 

[VicMallows]

A lot of people love their Bukhs so much they get them refurbished.

Some people's Bukhs have worked HARD for over 25 years with nothing touched whatsoever.........just frequent running and sufficient oil changes.

Vic

 

[snooks]

Why?

Probably because it's the easiest option. Out with the old, in with the new.

 

[30boat]

I replaced Bukh engines with Betas ,twice.The first time on my boat the second on a friends, both Fulmars.I should have ordered the engine feet to match the Bukh ones.Based on my experience I advised my friend to order them and the installation went a whole lot easier. I had to reshape the bearers on my boat,a few days of hard and unpleasant work.
I installed a Hallyard Aquadrive,my friend din't and my set up is much smoother than his although he's not complaining because according to him the Beta is much smoother than the Bukh anyway.We both kept the shafts and props because the gearboxes were ordered to match what we already had.I installed an expansion tank on my engine because it kept expelling cooling fluid.That completely cured the problem.My friend did the same and has had no issues.
My friends engine is a 25 and mine is a 20 by the way.I believe that the extra HP is worth the extra money.In a bout of cheapiness I bought a Radice folding two blader, a move I've regretted ever since.My friend has (I think) an Autoprop and the difference in motoring performance is huge.I don't believe it has to do with the extra power because it's noticeable at all engine speeds.
One thing I do advise is to redo the engine room soundproofing while the engine is out.I did, my friend didn't and while you can have a normal conversation below with the engine running on my boat the same can't be said for his.HTH

 

[photodog]

Our boat is not a test bed.

All this new technology is great when it works, but a real PITA when it doesn't.

I'm not prepared to waste the enjoyment of another season testing technology that has its faults.

Youve got sails dontcha?? Wots the problem?

 

[oldfatgit]

On previous boat changed Bukh 20 with Beta Marine 28. The 3 cylinders resulted in a smoother running engine and being coolant cooled we never had worries about lime scale clogging up the cooling ways in the block and head (as had happened with the Bukh in the Med). Combined with an autoprop resulted in a fantastic system. However, I remain a fan of the Bukh which can withstand tremendous punishment; ours ran for years with a crack in the head between the tops of both cylinders (its a long story). If I were in the same situation again I'd research having the Bukh refurbished and replace the raw water cooling with coolant and heat exchanger; not cheap but might be a better alternative to buying new.

 

[Tranona]

If you are happy with the performance of your current engine then a Beta or Nanni 20 will be more than adequate. You can go to the 25, but probably better to put the £500 or so difference towards a Featherstream prop. Nanni might be a better choice if you fancy a change from a red engine to a blue one!

 

[prv]

Traditional Bukh is a great piece of engine, and now - as far as I know - the only real marine engine still produced.

What about Yanmars - as far as I know they're not marinised versions of something else?

Only drawback of Bukh I know is raw water cooling

Never really understood what people have against raw water cooling. What's the benefit of all the extra gubbins for an indirect system?

Pete

 

[prv]

Those Yanmars I've seen cannot, for example, be hand started - they have de-compressors, but lack heavy flywheels necessary (superman can do without).

I believe the xGM series are hand-startable, but once they made the small design tweaks to turn them into xGMxx that ability was mostly lost. They still have hand-cranks but, as you say, lack the flywheel mass to make it practical. Nevertheless, every now and then I try to start my 2GM20 by hand, just to see if I can. Haven't succeeded yet

Pete

 

[cliff]

Bukh 24.

+1

Bukhs are built like brick shit houses - they go on and on and on IMHO the only proper small marine engine on the market - had a "marinised" tractor engine in previous boat - not mentioning any manes but it rhymed with zeta - no end of problems - next boat Sadler 34 had the original Bukh DV24 - threatened to change it - boys from West Coast Marine came down and refused to change it - ½ hour later she was running sweet as anything - comment was come back to see us in another 25 years and we will look at it again - maybe fit another Bukh if you really want to change. Friend just changed his Perkins to another marinised tractor engine - rhymes with Fanny - what a disaster - he is now looking for another Perkins to rebuild/refurbish and fit.
Did I mention the DV 24 comes with a starting handle! only used it once when SHMO left the batteries on both and proceeded to run all batteries flat - hair drier, TV, fridge, freezer etc - next morning donk no start - no electrons left in batteries - crank handle and donk running and alternator having a hissy fit recharging the batts (thank you Mr Sterling).

IMHO either rebuild the 20 or fit a new 24 or the new 30 (turbo charged 24) though I am not keen on turbos for an auxiliary engine

Stick with Bukh - you know it makes sense

 

[snooks]

Youve got sails dontcha?? Wots the problem?

Last year we motored from Largs to Howth in no wind...and I mean no wind.

29 hours continuous motoring. Find me a hybrid system that can do that

No amount of sails would have helped.

 

[reeac]

Get someone to sponsor some trial of a hybrid system.... that would be

A) Cool.
B) Great if it worked.
C) Potentially free.

I thought that the concept of hybrid systems for boats had been disposed of. There was a good deal of fanfare about a while ago it but, personally, as the main plus point for vehicles is to be able to incorporate regenerative braking and save some fuel I don't see it as appropriate to boats.

 

[Paragon]

In the middle of replacing DV20 with Beta 20, everything from prop forwards being done including an aquadrive. Bukh was running fine but I was always conscious that if anything went wrong it could be a major expense. It was also fairly noisy and being two cylinder had a fair amount of vibration.

This will be my third Beta in various boats and I am expecting, with new soundproofing throughout, a quiet and smooth installation that will make the engine far less obtrusive to the "boating" experience when running.