Shown is a 675-lb 3.0-liter engine mated to a Mercury outdrive. Mercury Marine diesels are based on Volkswagen’s well-established TDI engine technology. With these thoughts in mind, let’s get a look at what’s available in today’s market when it comes to new diesel engines. Getting a look at the qualified dealer network on a global level should be a major consideration if you’re thinking about a long-distance cruise to a remote location. So, globetrotting sailors or trawler owners will probably want to be carrying backup components. It’s likely that the onboard electronics will be destroyed and you’ll be without an engine until that qualified technician gets to look things over and replace burned-out electronics. What happens to your engine, and possibly your engine controls, after a lightning strike is yet another good question. For the long-range cruiser, finding a qualified engine technician in Fiji might pose some problems. These new engines, much like the engine in your car or truck, now require the use of electronic diagnostic scanners to troubleshoot running problems. Unlike older engines with mechanical fuel injection systems, where bleeding of air-bound fuel injection systems was not too difficult for a relatively handy boat owner, it is not possible and in fact potentially dangerous to attempt these sorts of tasks on these newest extremely high-pressure diesel engines. If you go much beyond routine engine oil and fuel filter changes, cooling system maintenance, and maybe replacing a water pump impeller, you’re going to need both special tools and engine-specific training to get any job done. Why is all this important to the new engine owner? Maintenance, troubleshooting, and the inability to DIY some of the traditional tasks are the big change. The details and enforcement dates for the different categories and emission tier levels for these requirements are a bit complicated, but suffice it to say that beginning in 2016, the Tier-3 standards apply to virtually any recreational diesel-powered boat, regardless of size or engine horsepower. This is no doubt a result of the EPA Tier-3 emission requirements. What about maintenance? More and more marine diesels these days are equipped with computerized, electronically controlled “common rail” engines. Volvo Penta’s D3-220 is one of a series of modern common-rail diesels equipped with electronic controls and intended for a range of marine applications. If you’re hoping to repower with an engine not identical to the OEM engine, access to things like water pump impellers, filters, and bleed screws for the injection system are all factors to think about. Also, physical dimensions and the motor mount footprint will need to be considered in a repowering situation. Besides horsepower, the weight of the engine itself must be taken into account as part of the whole power-to-weight ratio for the entire boat. A 25 to 50 HP differential can make a huge difference in actual performance. Think of a boat as an airplane with no wings: The power-to-weight ratio is important. Keep in mind, too, that if you’re sea-trialing a new boat, it’s not going to have all the normal cruising gear you might normally be carrying on board. Often, though, there may be options within a power range, so in the case of new boats it pays to run sea-trials with the various options already installed to get a feel for whether your need for speed can be met with the standard power package, or if the optional higher horsepower setup might be a better choice. In the vast majority of cases this is something that has been narrowed down for you by the boatbuilder. How much power? One of the first decisions you might face is how much power you’re going to need. Pick a brand with professional service and parts available near your cruising waters.Make sure you'll have access to service points on the engine.Sea-trial models with different power options. The Four Winns Vista V375 is an example of a mid-size production cruiser that can be ordered new with either gasoline or diesel power.
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