Age of Colecraft 2

[Dominic M]

Hi,

 

It does sound like a 2.5 BMC a big engine for a narrowboat, even a 70 footer, you will have problems, as an engine this size does not work hard enough and this will damage the unit.

 

A unit this size will not be very economical to run.

 

Many people 'over engine' new boats, a pal who used to work for Barrus could never believe the size of engine people specified in their narrowboats and got fed up with complaints over poor running etc.

 

I would proceed with caution in this instance and arrange to tow a loaded buttty round to make the engine work hard (which is what diesels are designed to do).

 

Best of luck.

 

Albi

 

Absolutely right. I met a man not long ago who had a perfectly good engine in his 58ft narrow boat - a Beta 1505 I think - and he had it removed and replaced with a new engine rated at 50hp (forget what it was now). When I asked him why he had gone to this large expense (£6k?) his response was that he "wanted to take it on the the Thames". Crazy!

 

The hp ratings are misleading for marine engines - usually rated at 2,800 or 3,000 rpm, which you are simply not going to be doing 99% of the time anyway. Torque is surely what really matters, which is why older engines like a JP2 rated at, say, 18hp, have so much oomph - and no one seems to mention that much anymore.

 

To the OP - if you really like the boat and the price is right, considering factoring in the cost of a new engine and negotiate accordingly. You could also commission an engine survey.

[Malarky]

Hi,

 

It does sound like a 2.5 BMC a big engine for a narrowboat, even a 70 footer, you will have problems, as an engine this size does not work hard enough and this will damage the unit.

 

A unit this size will not be very economical to run.

 

Many people 'over engine' new boats, a pal who used to work for Barrus could never believe the size of engine people specified in their narrowboats and got fed up with complaints over poor running etc.

 

I would proceed with caution in this instance and arrange to tow a loaded buttty round to make the engine work hard (which is what diesels are designed to do).

 

Best of luck.

 

Albi

 

Also a power take off for a big genny and saw blade on the stern gunwhale!

[twocvbloke]

Would a 32BHP 602CC 2CV engine push a narrowboat along?

[Priston]

I've now have the number 25V/598B-D2151, Who are AMC?

If the engine numer start 25********* it is a 2.5 the 2.2 are always prefixed 22*******.

As far as a 2.2 or a 2.5 being too big for a narrowboat, well my 45 foot has been engined for thirty years with a 2.2. Spares are a little tricky but AMC can usually help

[RLWP]

Would a 32BHP 602CC 2CV engine push a narrowboat along?

 

Yes, but....

 

How big a NB, how fast, where would you keep the petrol, how would you cool it, how would you mount it, how would you connect it to the gearbox, how would you link the controls, how big an alternator, how to heat the calorifier, how big a propellor, how to work out the gearbox ratio, how, how, how.....

 

Carry on and let us know how you get on.

 

Richard

 

It's only an engine in a boat after all.

[alan_fincher]

If the engine numer start 25********* it is a 2.5 the 2.2 are always prefixed 22*******.

As far as a 2.2 or a 2.5 being too big for a narrowboat, well my 45 foot has been engined for thirty years with a 2.2. Spares are a little tricky but AMC can usually help

Thanks, most helpful - and interesting that you have the 2.2.

 

Is the 2.5 broadly the same thing with a larger bore, please ? Do you know if we are talking about the black FX4 taxi engine, or is this something different, please ?

[twocvbloke]

Yes, but....

 

How big a NB, how fast, where would you keep the petrol, how would you cool it, how would you mount it, how would you connect it to the gearbox, how would you link the controls, how big an alternator, how to heat the calorifier, how big a propellor, how to work out the gearbox ratio, how, how, how.....

 

Carry on and let us know how you get on.

 

Richard

 

It's only an engine in a boat after all.

 

I think the answer would be "Very carefully" to them all...