Dong Feng vintage diesel engine

[MtB]

This looks a mighty fine narrowboat engine for not very much money. A real vintage diesel by Dong Feng of China. Current winning bid is £275. Shame there is no transmission included.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320765757667&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

 

And there was me thinking our Gleniffer was rare

[cereal tiller]

DONG FENG had a stand at earls court boatshow some time around the late 70's

 

i recall that these machines were copies of GARDNERS or similar.

[RLWP]

The dataplate says it was made in 1975. When do we consider Vintage to end?

 

Richard

[Proper Job]

The dataplate says it was made in 1975. When do we consider Vintage to end?

 

Richard

A good question, well presented.

 

RN still being produced............

[alan_fincher]

Not sure I'd fancy having to tell people I have a large Dong, when they are peering inquisitively into the engine hole !

 

I guess the question I might always ask in cases like this is.....

 

"If it was so superb in your narrow boat, what prompted you to change it to something else!"

[Athy]

When does "vintage" end? At a little over 2,000 rpm, I'd say.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

They call it a high speed engine? and if it has been running a 240v alternator it will have run all day long.

[MtB]

RN still being produced............

Are you SURE about that?

[carlt]

The dataplate says it was made in 1975. When do we consider Vintage to end?

 

Swmbo says definitely before 1973 but after 1966

[Chertsey]

Are you SURE about that?

Yes, what is the current state of play at RN?

Certainly though they were producing new engines until very recently and even if they have stopped it may turn out to be a brief hiatus. If there is another rescue plan. It would be sad as in various ownerships they had an amazingly long record of continuous production.

[carlt]

and if it has been running a 240v alternator it will have run all day long.

Not if it was a standby generator.

[by'eck]

With a 135mm bore & 140mm stroke that makes for fair old thump & slightly larger cylinders than the biggest Lister diesels.

Edited October 3, 2011 by richardhula

[OldGoldy]

Not sure I'd fancy having to tell people I have a large Dong, when they are peering inquisitively into the engine hole !

 

I guess the question I might always ask in cases like this is.....

 

"If it was so superb in your narrow boat, what prompted you to change it to something else!"

 

4000cc

 

probably a bit thirsty!

[alan_fincher]

Yes, what is the current state of play at RN?

Certainly though they were producing new engines until very recently and even if they have stopped it may turn out to be a brief hiatus. If there is another rescue plan. It would be sad as in various ownerships they had an amazingly long record of continuous production.

I know that at least one article a month or two back, when the new owbership was announced, admitted they had had a lean time recently and few new engines had been sold for a while, (I think it was also stated none at all had been sold this year).

 

IIRC they had reduced the price of a new engine by £3K, but that still makes them as expensive as many people's complete boat, unfortunately!

 

4000cc

 

probably a bit thirsty!

It doesn't really make that huge a difference though, does it ?

 

The "big engine" boys with massive cylinder sizes often claim hourly consumption rates not massively different from a modern engine.

 

You can buy massive amounts of extra diesel, versus the likely cost of changing an engine to one that's a bit less thirsty.

[MtB]

I know that at least one article a month or two back, when the new owbership was announced, admitted they had had a lean time recently and few new engines had been sold for a while, (I think it was also stated none at all had been sold this year).

 

IIRC they had reduced the price of a new engine by £3K, but that still makes them as expensive as many people's complete boat, unfortunately!

 

 

It doesn't really make that huge a difference though, does it ?

 

The "big engine" boys with massive cylinder sizes often claim hourly consumption rates not massively different from a modern engine.

 

 

Yes I can confirm this. I think it's the energy needed to push the boat through the water that has the biggest effect on fuel consumption, not the cylinder size.

 

I've owned and lived with five widely differing engines so far, a BMC 1.5, a Beta 34, a 3.5ltr litre Beta BD3, a 4ltr Kelvin K1 and a 4ltr Gleniffer DB2. All if these had the same fuel consumption to my surprise, roughly one litre an hour when cruising the cut.

 

I wouldn't mind betting Graham's K3 also uses about one litre an hour!

[Chertsey]

Yes I can confirm this. I think it's the energy needed to push the boat through the water that has the biggest effect on fuel consumption, not the cylinder size.

 

I've owned and lived with five widely differing engines so far, a BMC 1.5, a Beta 34, a 3.5ltr litre Beta BD3, a 4ltr Kelvin K1 and a 4ltr Gleniffer DB2. All if these had the same fuel consumption to my surprise, roughly one litre an hour when cruising the cut.

 

I wouldn't mind betting Graham's K3 also uses about one litre an hour!

Warrior's 3 cylinder National was about 4 litres and used one to one and a quarter litres an hour.

[mattlad]

It's the weight that intrigues me...........

 

Since when was 670kg approximately 1.5tones (whatever a tone is!)

[Speedwheel]

Yes, what is the current state of play at RN?

Certainly though they were producing new engines until very recently and even if they have stopped it may turn out to be a brief hiatus. If there is another rescue plan. It would be sad as in various ownerships they had an amazingly long record of continuous production.

 

Well unless Dave and Deb bought RN with the intention of shutting it down, or something has gone very wrong very quickly, they should still be going.

[soldthehouse]

It's the weight that intrigues me...........

 

Since when was 670kg approximately 1.5tones (whatever a tone is!)

I did wonder then realised it was a badly keyboarded half ton as in 1/5 ton

[MtB]

Blimey it went for £320..... Blinding bargain for someone!!!!