Re-power help

Repowering will be costly.
Have you considered a rebuild?
Check with the 'PerkaPillar' folks in your area and see if they offer an oversize piston/ringset kit which you can drop into the newly line-bored holes.

Re-power...??

To newbe:

A key word in your post is: SEMI-PLANING.
When you hang out in this zone - fuel economy can drop
like a stone. - Over a certain mph.

We all, would like to belive that: the original builder, did
a careful job - of making a fully INTREGATED design.
All the way; from the dihedral aft - to the projected
weight - to the RPM/hp and anticipated prop speed.
A VERY NARROW band of RPM and cruising speed was
established, as a bench mark.
- Right at the beginning.
- Well before pencil was put to paper.
- Or saw was set to wood.

It's way to late, in the game, to look for any significant
gains in speed. - With more horses. - Or magic gears.
(With the hull..maybe. - Will save that for later....)

Even if she does go a bit faster. The fuel rate will quickly
escalate to a point where it will be like throwing handfulls
$ 50 bills over the stern.
{ Yeah... I know guys. That's not unknown to happen in
the world of yachting......As I know well, myself.}

Anyheew... it serves to establish the most economical
fuel, flow rate - tied to RPM. At the PRESENT, best
cruising speed. - And live with it.
By the way - an accurate "fuel flow to RPM/mph meter"
is one of the most cost effective gizmoes - one can
have on board. In my opinion.

In summation:
I will be quite suprised - if careful TESTING, will indicate
that any real jump in power is advisable - or useful.
Also; the slower, older diesels - often have amazingly
long life spans. So sometimes; re-building is a better
choice, over re-powering.
(As also suggested above by, Loren Schweiser.)

So I suggest that the most productive procedure is:
- Find the most TRUSTED diesel mechanic and/or
dealer for engines, in your realistic hp range.
Close to where you dock.
15 mins. with them, will answer a lot of your concerns.
i.e.
A lot of water has gone by - since Perkins started
making diesels - so if you do decide to re-power, be
open to considering - on their advice:
- Maybe.........going with a different manufacturer.

Good Luck and Cheers !

Hi,

Newbee, just few questions / suggestions:

1. Do You want her to be faster ?
Very doubtful... Especially, if calculations of propulsion transmission are lost... but, of course, everything can be recalculated. But would not recommend.


2. Is that possible to trace running hrs of her engines ? Please, try to find out.
If she made 100 rhrs / year since 1972, then, may be even not necessary to rebuild...

If You find out, that total rhrs since last overhaul (if any) appx 15 000 hr,
dismantle the engine, take all measurements.
Only then it's possible to make a decision. (overhaul or replace).
P.S. Sometimes I have to deal with engines of same size what have 60 000 - 80 000 rhrs ... and one even 120 500 rhrs...

3. I find, that Your boat is great, special. If I understand correctly, not so many people have the same boat...
So if You keep original engine, that will be very respected (my opinion).

Best regards,

Andrei

Have a look at a Lugger L1066T it's a pretty close match I also believe that it is the same short block as the John Deere 6068

Hi,

If you can rebuild the old ones you wil not look back.

The block, Pistons, Rods and Cranks are very very robust and long and hard wearing items in those engines

They were not known as "Perkins perpertuities" for nothing in their non Turbo versions.

Every one I have ever seen was a bit of a smoker when first getting going.

These guys look like pretty well established reman engine boys, it might be worth getting a comparitive quote from them.

http://www.foleyengines.com/home.html

Good luck and please keep us posted on what the outcome of your rebuild/repower dilema is.

To newbee:
Nice looking boat....worth fussing over.
As far as a " fuel flow to RPM/ mph meter " goes - I don't have a specific
unit to reccomend.
Although; there are several directions I will be going for myself, in search
of such instramentation - soon.
i.e.
Many HYBRID cars have devices like this. To let the driver know when
they are in the most economical gear. Or when to shift up or down.
However, hooking such a device up to an " old school " engine may be
an issue.

So my first stop will be a lab or dyno. shop where they do this type
of testing all the time.

Cheers !

Read K1W1's post and pay heed.
The old rule of thumb was that an engine transplant, including labor and ancillaries, cost roughly double the price of the replacement motor.

May be even more today w/increased labor rates.

Hi,

If rhrs are true (3500 / 1600), then go for dismantling / only checking first.

If You have trustable workshop, ask them to dismantle and measure everything, especially:

1. Liners dia. / ovality. If it's ok, then just do some honing.
2. Crankpin dia. / cone of crankpins and their bearings.
3. Main journals dia.
4. Check 1 or 2 main bearings. How they look like ?
5. Eliminate "watermarks" (if any) on crankshaft.

If all a/m ok, You will have to do only minor overhaul.

Normally, with such rhrs, it's only necessary to check injectors, belts, valve clearance, filters...

But, considering situation "low rhrs but overhaul long time ago", I would replace piston rings, injector springs, valve springs for sure.
Just becuse they are "tired" to be compressed for long period, .

As K1W1 mentioned, older engines blocks, crankshafts, pistons are robust.
So, I hope, that Your engine is one of those...

Please keep us posted bout Your project.

Best regards,

Andrei

Hi,

I have bee thinking aboutn these engines a lot since replying to this e mail yesterday.

I was involved in a number of Truck repowers replacing a BMC 5.7LT Diesel with the 6-354 in the early 80's. I still can remember that the CAV Injector Crack off pressure was 175 Atm and the Fuel Filters PART No. was CAV 7111-296.

For anyone interested in reading about these old dinasours I found an interesting history of the engine family here:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...v=/images?q=Perkins+6-354&svnum=10&hl=en&sa=N

Practical Perkins

To newbee:

The techno. guy in me, leans towards " counter rotating ". Because, it sounds so cool!
But also it has real, practical advantages.
So I hear...

Also, any time, you get a fixed price, anything. It's good news.
And it sounds like you have found a mechanic, that knows a wrench from a skrewdriver.
- As was suggested by me.
So you appear to be in good hands.

By the way, in respect to the consensus here on re-build:
-There is a wise saying,
" That if three people, in a row, make the same suggestion
- 'tis a brave fellow, who goes " counter " to their advice."

Hi,

Tri Star/ Would you care to elaborate on what the advantages are of counter rotating engines?

Newbee -

Do these guys rebuild your engines or give you an already done one and accept yours as a return if the big bits- Block, Crank, Camshaft is serviceable?


I would be inclined to ask them what they do to the crank itself. Ask them if they measure it, polish it, crack test it?

It would be be worth asking them for these figures say you would like to have them on hand for the next time they are stripped you or the next guy can see how far gone the whole thing is. Be cautious if they say they regrind to .020" undersize or more in a single cut, when I did my apprenticeship it was standard practice that the cranks should really be re nitrided (hardened) every .020" of undersizing.

It reads as though you have a pretty straight and competent guy dealing with these things for you so don't treat any unforeseen replacements as a crooked deal.

Being an ex mechanic myself I would like to say don't be surprised if you find a few things that need to be replaced in addition to what you are getting as package from these guys. By this I mean Coolers/Fuel Gear/ mounts if they are resilient/ starters.

Good Luck, I hope it goes smoothly for you.

Please keep us posted.

To KIWI:

As a mechanic - I'm sure - you are better qualified than I am, to give advice. - In these matters.

So please advise us, on the following:
-As space below, is limited.
Does it not help to have the oil caps
of both engines, inboard ? Facing each other ?
Ditto - the other things requiring the most servicing ?
Or if the engines are counter rotating.
Are the props doing the same thing ?

Or are you teasing / testing me......?

Cheers !