Inboard diesel hours life expectancy

[Midnight]

G'day Humdinger,
What size outboard do you currently have, and what sort of speeds do you get?
What do you hope to gain by going to a diesel stern drive set up, over the outboard?

A 3208 natural will weigh close to 800kg and make 210hp at 2800rpm. I am not sure what make of stern drive you could use, and how you would mate it to the Cat.

Much better options out there for sure.

Cheers,
Myles

[Humdinger]

hi myles
currently have a 225 evinrude 2 stroke on it get about 55 kph , very thirsty engine
hoping it will be cheaper to run as a diesal . i have the 3208 already sitting here . was thinking of running a bravo 2 leg .
just a thought at the moment . would be cheaper than 32k for new 4 stroke

cheers brett

[Midnight]

No worries Brett,
I think the shear weight of the Cat will probably make it unviable really. You would really have to mid mount the engine and run a jack shaft to sterndrive, as the 900 odd kg's Caterpillar and Bravo 2 sterndrive mounted in the rear of your boat would most likely upset the trim of the thing something awful.
The Bravo 2 may handle the HP no worries, but you would have to check it for torque capability. Propping it would be the next drama.

Can you sell the Cat to help finance another diesel option? A 210-225hp Cummims 6BT and Bravo 2 would be nice. Great reliable engine with a long history, rebuild kits are cheap, no aftercooler to worry about.
Or maybe a 200hp 41 Series Volvo and 290 Duoprop sterndrive.

The 3208 Natural is really better suited to a displacement hull set up, where the weight of the Cat isn't going to really disadvantage the hull.

Cheers,
Myles

[BM]

Couldn't agree more. The 3208 and Bravo drive all hanging in the back of that boat, strewth, you would need to install a viewing panel in the hull bottom amidships so you could see forward to drive!!

Big jack shaft would be only plausible solution but even then the weight may simply make the boat wallow, sit too low in the water and be a general pig.

I'd be concerned with any diesel sterndrive being potentially unsuited to that hull other than the new breed of high revving, highly stressed, short life units we have been speaking of.

I'd reckon a chat with a naval architect would be money well spent before turning a spanner.

[Humdinger]

thanks fellas i think i will do some more homework . maybe better off selling the outboard and cat to help finance a new 4 stroke . i know i can hang 600 kg off the back but the extra 300 might stuff it .
i only went for the cat idea cause i have always been around them

[Midnight]

Yep, and fair thinking too Brett. They are a good beast, but just not really the best option for your hull.

Keep an eye out for some auctions to find a new outboard maybe, or look at bringing one in from the USA.

If you really want to go down the diesel route, and keep it to the style of engine you are used to, then maybe look for a 6BT Cummins. They are a simple mechanical engine and very robust. Their only real weakness is the original Sherwood raw water pump, but there is an excellent aftermarket pump for them now. A Bravo 2 should work with that, however I'm not familiar with the Mercruiser drives to the extent of how it mates to a 6BT Cummins.

A 4LH 230hp Yanmar would be even better weight wise. These are a magic little engine.

Choices choices haha

Overall though, the most sensible choice of all, would probably be, sell the Cat and the current outboard, dog, wife, child etc and buy a 200 Suzuki 4 stroke.

Cheers,
Myles

[dugggy]

To get the Cat in there you would be looking at a similar set up to this I would expectv50.jpgjackshaf.jpg

Cummins V504 around 900kg with a shaft to a 290DP

Doug

[Humdinger]

thanks . i think i will go the 4 stroke way . will be a lot less work .
now to sell the wife

[Midnight]

That's a wild set up Dougy,
What boats that in? Some thinking went into that one. Did it work well?
Cheers,
Myles

[dugggy]

Its in an F233 frankenboat Ive taken on as a project.Ex government I am led to believe by the P.O. Must admit cant see anyone else spending that much money on an engine install in a trailer boat.I havent had it in the water yet as I am still trying to get time to bring it down from FNQLD.
Doug

[Midnight]

Ah ok cool. A mate's son bought a 233 a while back that had a 454 petrol in it with a jack shaft to a big TR leg. I reckoned it was a good candidate for a diesel repowered and keep the mid mount config, but they were stripping it and going to pod it and put a big four stroke on the back.

Got any more piccies of your project Doug?
Any idea of performance?

Cheers,
Myles

[Jarrah Jack]

thanks . i think i will go the 4 stroke way . will be a lot less work .
now to sell the wife

Ebay auction, no reserve..................