BMC 2.2 modern(ish) replacement ideas...

[Quattrodave]

Evening all,

 

I keep toying with the idea of a re-power, swapping out the (old but functioning fine) BMC 2.2 diesel engine...

Any idea what a decent replacement might be, a little extra power wouldn't go a miss either 😄

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Edited January 10 by Quattrodave

[Bee]

Depends on the budget really, Beta 43 is roughly the same power but probably develops that power at a different speed, there are many automotive engines that can be marinised, VW, Peugeot, Ford, Mercedes,  most manufacturers have a 2 to 2.5 litre diesel in their range somewhere. Thing is that to get a bit more power you will probably need to change the prop and more bits and pieces as well as the plumbing and you might get cooling problems with more power too. Personally I would stick with the 2.2 if it runs OK

[Tony Brooks]

12 minutes ago, Bee said:

Depends on the budget really, Beta 43 is roughly the same power but probably develops that power at a different speed, there are many automotive engines that can be marinised, VW, Peugeot, Ford, Mercedes,  most manufacturers have a 2 to 2.5 litre diesel in their range somewhere. Thing is that to get a bit more power you will probably need to change the prop and more bits and pieces as well as the plumbing and you might get cooling problems with more power too. Personally I would stick with the 2.2 if it runs OK

 

I would suggest that it depends upon the gearbox. If it is the mechanical DC series, then I doubt there are any spares, so this may be the time to avoid a problem in the future. However, if it is a DC box then I am sure they are longer than modern boxes, and it may have a dropped or offset reduction box, so an engine change may be a larger job that at first sight.

[Tracy D'arth]

Maybe time to go electric and beat the rush?

[David Mack]

17 hours ago, Quattrodave said:

I keep toying with the idea of a re-power, swapping out the (old but functioning fine) BMC 2.2 diesel engine...

Any idea what a decent replacement might be, a little extra power wouldn't go a miss either 😄

For years many narrow boats managed perfectly well with BMC 1.5 engines, and the 2.2 was considered to be on the large side. Why do you think you might need some extra power?

[Onewheeler]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

For years many narrow boats managed perfectly well with BMC 1.5 engines, and the 2.2 was considered to be on the large side. Why do you think you might need some extra power?

With a boat called Seaquest it might not be a NB.

[Quattrodave]

Thanks guys,

 

Sorry probably should have said the boat in question is a project boat 30' GRP cruiser with an outboard leg & is currently on a river.

 

6 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Maybe time to go electric and beat the rush?

 

Somthing i have thought about and i don't think would be too difficult but charging would be a major issue!!!

 

19 hours ago, Bee said:

there are many automotive engines that can be marinised, VW, Peugeot, Ford, Mercedes,  most manufacturers have a 2 to 2.5 litre diesel in their range somewhere. Thing is that to get a bit more power you will probably need to change the prop and more bits and pieces as well as the plumbing and you might get cooling problems with more power too. Personally I would stick with the 2.2 if it runs OK

 

One of the engines ive looked into is the Ford Transit 2.5DI (banana) engine...  Not too worried about all the plumbing...

Juust wondered if there were any reasonablly priced engines out there that ive over looked, somewhere around the 70hp mark i think would do nicely....

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[magnetman]

If the 2.2 is running alright then why change it?  Is it smoking too much? 

 

They are good engines. Not a lot has happened to Diesel engines since the BMC even if some people say they arrr obsolete other than for pirate ships.

 

 Yes some modern Diesels have common rail controllable fuel injection, turbos and special electronic gubbins but at the end of the day a Diesel engine is a Diesel engine. Basic thermodynamics are in charge of the situation. 

 

You could spend a lot of money and not get any particular improvement. 

 

If the old lump is nackered or broken badly then it needs replacing but if not I don't really see an argument in favour. 

 

 

 

 

[Quattrodave]

To be honest that's a fair argument.  I wouldn't want anything with comon rail or a turbocharger.

 

It's a bit on the noisey side, a bit on the rattley side and does blue smoke a bit... but its oil pressure is OK, it does hold fuel pressure and starts on the button...

 

You're quite right, I could spend a hell of a lot of money and really be no better off 😁

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, Quattrodave said:

t's a bit on the noisey side, a bit on the rattley side

 

Diesel knock can sound very like a rattly engine, so when were the injectors last overhauled? A low opening pressure and/or a lack of atomisation would make diesel knock worse. It could also make exhaust smoke that, although black, can appear bluish.

 

When were the valve clearances last adjusted? An engine that old may well have wear holes in the rockers, so they may needs adjusting  by using a DTI (or patent clearance adjuster).

Edited January 11 by Tony Brooks

[magnetman]

I had to replace the rocker shaft and a rocker on one of my BMC 1.5D engines shortly after I bought the Boat. Not many hours on the engines and it had been left unused for a while but I think someone had done something before I got it. 

 

 It was playing up and took a while to figure it out. One of the oil ways had obviously become blocked. Also some of the tappet screws were made of marsh mallow. 

 

MGB parts are the same some tappet screws replaced and the shaft and one rocker and it was running a lot better after this. 

 

 

Needless to say I did keep the old shaft. 

 

[Quattrodave]

37 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Diesel knock can sound very like a rattly engine, so when were the injectors last overhauled?

 

Both the injectors and pump were overhauled last year.

 

37 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

When were the valve clearances last adjusted? An engine that old may well have wear holes in the rockers, so they may needs adjusting  by using a DTI (or patent clearance adjuster).

 

Valve clearances were last adjusted in the spring (9 months ago) using usual feeler guages and the opposite cylinder rocking method, never used a DTI...?

Edited January 11 by Quattrodave

[Tony Brooks]

9 hours ago, Quattrodave said:

 

Both the injectors and pump were overhauled last year.

 

 

Valve clearances were last adjusted in the spring (9 months ago) using usual feeler guages and the opposite cylinder rocking method, never used a DTI...?

 

DTI = Dial Test Indicator.

 

If the valve stem has worn a hole in the rocker, then feeler gages will not give an accurate measurement of the actual clearance. The actual clearance would be the thickness of the feeler gauge plus the depth of the pit. So you need a method that allows for the pit. There are/were patent tools or the DTI clamped to the engine.

 

However, if the injectors were overhauled, I think we can rule poor atomisation and the resultant knock out of the rattle.

[kiwiSteve]

On 12/01/2024 at 07:56, magnetman said:

If the 2.2 is running alright then why change it?  

 

They are good engines. You could spend a lot of money and not get any particular improvement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 11/01/2024 at 10:38, Tony Brooks said:

 

I would suggest that it depends upon the gearbox. If it is the mechanical DC series, then I doubt there are any spares, so this may be the time to avoid a problem in the future. However, if it is a DC box then I am sure they are longer than modern boxes, and it may have a dropped or offset reduction box, so an engine change may be a larger job that at first sight.

 

 

 

Ive just been through this whole scenario.. dont be fooled an engine change is like a snowball the problems  just get bigger as you roll... weight, horsepower, bed length, gearbox rotation, prop size, drive shaft length, reduction, modern wiring loom, slip fees more costs, etc, etc... mate its a nightmare then you find something nasty that will need sorting before you can get it all finished... even more fees and hidden expense...

 

Stick with what you have or you would be better selling and buying what you want already sorted... trust me..... a bloke i know set out to change his engine he already owned the engine he was going to use and he still ended up spending $13,000.00 NZD (6339.38 GBP) and ended up selling to pay the bill... Bugger!

 

of coarse if you know a mate of a mate that can sort it cheap and do the job ok then good on ya, give it a go... I'll pray for you  

Edited February 20 by kiwiSteve

[john.k]

Took a 4LW Gardner out of my boat and put a 4/71 Detroit in ......about 50% more power.......downside is a bit more noise .....job took a week ,but I do have a machine shop ,or whats left of my old one,and a crane truck to lift the engines in and out .....My knees dont bend to engine room standards any more,so I did have to hire some help for a week.