Engine & Box [Question]

[Lady Ga]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

[Bones]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

 

as long as it has been well looked after, about whatever is left of what hasn't been used.

[Robbo]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

 

I expect it too out live me!

[GSer]

Alot will depend on the make of engine, it's use and it's service record, plus you need a little luck of course.

 

If it rattles, smokes, is hard to start and leaks oil badly it could still last for years and a perfect sounding engine with no obvious faults could fail tomorrow.

 

Paul

[Tony Brooks]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

 

 

As others have said, it all depends. However if the engine starts easily from cold, does not smoke over much and has 50psi+ oil pressure when revving and hot I would say many, many years. With respect, if you are typical of the demographic found on canals then you do not need to worry too much about it.

 

The exceptions I would give to this are belt timed engines - Ford XLD & Lombardini. They could go bank at any time, especially if you re not right on top if belt servicing.

 

The gearbox is another matter and that really will depend upon its make and use. Generally I would expect a shorter life out of a mechanical box than a hydraulic one because they can be heavily stressed when slammed form full ahead to full astern. However some boxes will fail with a repairable fault if only the parts are available (I think early Velvet drive boxes fall into this category). As far as boxes are concerned I think hope for the best and plan for the worst. Then we have the inland fun with the Vetus mounted Technodive boxes!

[RobinJ]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

Ok I'll dive in with a couple too!

 

25 years later and an engine still running happily!

6 years and its needs replacing!

 

Gearboxes should last at least 5 years, some will last forever.

I've known some go after 12 months.

 

Depends on treatment, running time, serviceing and luck!

[steamraiser2]

I rebuilt an old diesel engine that had done 10 years in an electricity board van, then five years further use powering a mobile fish and chip shop. bunged rings and injectors in it and it did a further 34 years in a narrow boat...long enouigh for most people

 

I rebuilt an old diesel engine that had done 10 years in an electricity board van, then five years further use powering a mobile fish and chip shop. bunged rings and injectors in it and it did a further 34 years in a narrow boat...long enouigh for most people

[twinpot]

I rebuilt an old diesel engine that had done 10 years in an electricity board van, then five years further use powering a mobile fish and chip shop. bunged rings and injectors in it and it did a further 34 years in a narrow boat...long enouigh for most people

 

I rebuilt an old diesel engine that had done 10 years in an electricity board van, then five years further use powering a mobile fish and chip shop. bunged rings and injectors in it and it did a further 34 years in a narrow boat...long enouigh for most people

Are they both still running.

[Keeping Up]

Our engine has done about 10,000 hours without anything more major than the standard oil changes and a couple of rubber seals being changed - but we are on our third gearbox.

[J R]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

 

 

The man from Isuzu when asked how long will the engine last from new reckonned 'around 100,000 hours if looked after and serviced regularly'.

[Daio]

The man from Isuzu when asked how long will the engine last from new reckonned 'around 100,000 hours if looked after and serviced regularly'.

 

Road vehicles average about 30mph overall (wide sweeping generalization - no corrections needed!) so I've always assumed that a boat should manage 10,000 hours, equating to 300,000 miles on tarmac, which is what I'd expect out of a well-serviced diesel and the boat engine will have an easier life so rather more should be forthcoming. But 3 million miles! Wow!

 

Now someone will post to say they've got 8.4 million miles out of their Toyonda and never opened the bonnet.

[ditchcrawler]

Ok, hypertherthically, if you buy a second hand boat, with an engine that has been regularily serviced, what sort of life span could you expect from the engine and box before it needed replacing?

Maybe you should post this on the "Ownerships" forum, They have changed lots of engines over the years and should be able to give a good average for a modern diesel engine in a boat

[WotEver]

Are they both still running.

[steamraiser2]

We often rebuild engines from fishing boats. Crabbing boat engines , in particular, run winches which spend a lot of time hauling in pots. Very hard work indeed! These engines tend to be spotless and often require no more than rings and shells to bring them back to top form. Canal boat engines tend to waffle along under insufficient load and are often coked up and have glazed bores. The moral of this is : its important to know exactly how its been used and maintained. The number of hours its done is less important than it may seem. The quality of oil used and frequency of servicing is the main thing.

 

I rebuilt an old diesel engine that had done 10 years in an electricity board van, then five years further use powering a mobile fish and chip shop. bunged rings and injectors in it and it did a further 34 years in a narrow boat...long enouigh for most people

 

 

 

Yes still running happily, it'll be the big 50 for it next year!

[Lady Ga]

oki koki then, thanks for all your great responses!

 

(and amusing replies:- twinpot)

[Chertsey]

Ok I'll dive in with a couple too!

 

25 years later and an engine still running happily!

6 years and its needs replacing!

 

Gearboxes should last at least 5 years, some will last forever.

I've known some go after 12 months.

 

Depends on treatment, running time, serviceing and luck!

Warrior's gearbox needed a bit of attention after seventy years. Fortunately the second supplier we tried had the necessary bearings, new, sitting on their shelf.

Where they'd been since the fifties.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Chertsey

[WotEver]

Warrior's gearbox needed a bit of attention after seventy years. Fortunately the second supplier we tried had the necessary bearings, new, sitting on their shelf.

Where they'd been since the fifties.

Like I always say when SWMBO wants me to have a clear out "You never know when they might come in useful"

 

Tony