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Replacing an Engine


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I'm looking at Marine Enterprises at some used engines as I feel it would be easier to replace the aging BMC 1500 to something more reliable and efficient. 

 

With a budget of £2500 which seems to give me a good range of choice. What would be a good replacement considering the following:

 

48ft Narrowboat HP requirements 

 

Keel cooled or Heat Exchanger in terms of providing additions like hot water etc

 

(The BMC current set up uses an additional powered cooling fan much like a car with no external water intake)

 

Brand including availability of spares, reliability etc

 

Thanks in advance ?

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1 hour ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

With a budget of £2500 which seems to give me a good range of choice.

Just remember that if you do not replace like-with-like you could need some considerable structural work doing to the hull to alter / cut out / replace the engine bearers.

There will no doubt be modifications due to things like exhaust position, inlet manifold, wiring etc etc.

 

In all likely hood you will also need a new gearbox (an engine does not normally include the gearbox) or at absolute best having an adapter plate made to convert the gearbox mounting bolts from 'BMC' spacing to whatever your new engine has.

 

I would suggest spending no more than 50% of your budget on the engine (a recon gearbox could be approaching £1000)

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Does your boat have a skin tank that is serviceable or is this to be fitted in the price for keel/tank cooling. If it has one is it large enough.Although I dislike them immensely for canal use it will probably be easer to fit a heat exchanger engine.

 

My choice would be that Bukh DV36

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1 minute ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Who is going to be doing the installation? If paying someone, then anything other than a direct replacement BMC 1500 is going to need a lot of fabrication work and alterations, which will get expensive.

 

Or one of these?

Boathorse_Queenie2.jpg.b15f01bbc408cc46781f3da39ab3c9ab.jpg

But has the OP got a mast

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£2500 for the engine which would normally include a gearbox 

36 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Does your boat have a skin tank that is serviceable or is this to be fitted in the price for keel/tank cooling. If it has one is it large enough.Although I dislike them immensely for canal use it will probably be easer to fit a heat exchanger engine.

 

My choice would be that Bukh DV36

Yes it does whether it's serviceable is questionable. I was leaning towards heat exchanger options tbf 

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1 hour ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

I'm looking at Marine Enterprises at some used engines as I feel it would be easier to replace the aging BMC 1500 to something more reliable and efficient. 

 

Is there anything actually wrong with the existing engine? Any replacement will not be noticeably more efficient, and if you are looking at a second hand engine, not necessarily more reliable either.

If it is just generally worn out you can still get exchange reconditioned units, which would save all the alterations associated with a change of engine model.

 

  • Greenie 1
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3 minutes ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

 

Having come from sailboats is it not just a question of engine mounts and prop angles etc ?????

 

If you're lucky. But might involve changes to engine beds, possible replacement of sternshaft and prop, modification of cooling water arrangements, new exhaust, reconnecting engine controls and instruments, fuel line, engine electrics etc. And while you're at it and the old engine is out, you should take the opportunity to clean and repaint the engine bay.

  • Greenie 1
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8 minutes ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

Having come from sailboats is it not just a question of engine mounts and prop angles etc ?????

They are certainly important characteristics, if they are different on your new engine that is when you will need steel fabrication work done if the existing engine bearers are (say) too narrow then they will have to be cut out to allow the engine to fit in between them, and new bearers welded into the hull at the correct width.

The old exhaust manifold is unlikely to fit, a new exhaust manifold will probably need a new exhaust fabricating.

Is the direction of rotation the same ?

Lots more little things

 

 

Edit to add

David Mack has covered most of them.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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12 minutes ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

In terms of direct replacement some of the options what are BMC direct replacements.

 

Another BMC, and probably not a lot else??

Find the right rebuilder, and I would have thought £2,500 would allow you to have a BMC rebuilt so it did start well, and didn't smoke much.

(However much you spend though, I guarantee it will dribble some fluids into the bilge - if it doesn't do that, at least a little, it's probably not a BMC! ?)

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14 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

They are certainly important characteristics, if they are different on your new engine that is when you will need steel fabrication work done if the existing engine bearers are (say) too narrow then they will have to be cut out to allow the engine to fit in between them, and new bearers welded into the hull at the correct width.

The old exhaust manifold is unlikely to fit, a new exhaust manifold will probably need a new exhaust fabricating.

Is the direction of rotation the same ?

Lots more little things

 

 

Edit to add

David Mack has covered most of them.

And it is the little things that add up to lots of money.

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5 minutes ago, TheSaintlyOne said:

http://marineenterprises.apolloduck.net/detail.phtml?id=386286

 

One option listed is the Thorneycroft that appears to be a BMC 1500D.

 

I also know from experience that Betas tend to be drop in as they have adjustable feet designed for just that reason.

 

What is the acceptable HP for a 48ft Narrowboat 

20 hp is  more than enough unless you push a lot of flow with regular river use?. As Tony says the Bukh would be my first choice if I could find one for your price which I doubt. A superb, proper marine engine.

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1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Who is going to be doing the installation? If paying someone, then anything other than a direct replacement BMC 1500 is going to need a lot of fabrication work and alterations, which will get expensive.

 

Or one of these?

Boathorse_Queenie2.jpg.b15f01bbc408cc46781f3da39ab3c9ab.jpg

I dont think horses are allowed these days for general use?

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Does the boat go OK? Are you looking for better shove or holding back power? If you are happy with its performance I would look at overhauling the present engine (And checking that the present propeller is a really good match for it as well, the propeller is the important thing, the engine is sort of secondary)  Personally I would not choose a BMC 1.5 to go into a newbuild but if I had a boat and there was a running BMC in it I would happily live with it.

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The Canaline engines are the same configuration as the BMC1.8D, not a lot different than the BMC1.5D, it is a drop in swap for the 1.8D. 

They are adaptable to fit your existing gearbox, that saves money.  Now very popular with hire fleets.

As I know that the 1.5D swap requires only the engine mount heights to be packed up I would suggest that this is the easiest and most straightforward swap

However you will be very lucky to find a second hand one I would think and new will exceed your budget.

 

Edited by Boater Sam
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15 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

You need to get the OK from CaRT for each trip, or regular service. See.

BW refused me permission many years ago - they said the canals weren't suitable for horses.......

Just as well - a potty idea -

Hire a boat

borrow / build some cross trees

Box my Irish Draught-cum hunter- failed showjumper all the way up from Sussex.

 

The horse would have loved the job - he enjoyed working in harness.......

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