Which diesel engine would people recommend for a narrowboat

[rusty69]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

That's handy - I bet it has a fully factory refurbished gear box with it as well !!!

Yes. I guess you know him too

[RLWP]

7 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

A quick audit of the engines I have owned suggests that green are the most reliable, followed by the blue one

I thought Green only made aero engines

[peterboat]

4 hours ago, Tumshie said:

That was exactly what I was going to say.

-------------

Ooh Beta Marine Hybrid anyone?

Brilliant setup cant fault it

3 hours ago, Dave_P said:

Calcutt were still putting brand new (Turkish built) BMCs in their clipper boats until very recently.  Do you know that they have stopped?  You can certainly still buy an 'off the shelf' recon BMC engine from Calcutt.

Why buy something with a very old engine in it? at some point parts wont be available or it will be a long wait until some or made. Not my idea of heaven I am afraid

[13-10]

7 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

A quick audit of the engines I have owned suggests that green are the most reliable, followed by the blue one

I've got a blue one, but it is a Barrus Shanks so does one cancel out the other???

[Dave_P]

17 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Brilliant setup cant fault it

Why buy something with a very old engine in it? at some point parts wont be available or it will be a long wait until some or made. Not my idea of heaven I am afraid

Answer: Because the boat you like has an old engine in it.

At some point, parts for any engine will become scare.  At the moment and for the foreseeable future, BMC parts seem pretty easy to get.  They're cheap, economical to run and easily worked on.  Any half-decent boat mechanic knows them inside out.

I would tend to avoid a very unusual older engine unless I was an enthusiast but BMCs are common as muck in boats.

[alan_fincher]

54 minutes ago, 13-10 said:

I've got a blue one, but it is a Barrus Shanks so does one cancel out the other???

Out of interest, how have you fared with the Shanks engine?

They didn't seem to remain available for very long, and  seem to create very mixed opinions.

[13-10]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

Out of interest, how have you fared with the Shanks engine?

They didn't seem to remain available for very long, and  seem to create very mixed opinions.

So far not too bad, I've only done about 40 hours so far. Have just had a big service done as previous service history was a bit sketchy.

I'd read mixed reviews so was a bit iffy but liked the boat so took a bit of a chance

Seems to run ok and about average for fuel when I compare it to other boaters I've spoken to

I'm going to start doing my own servicing so I'll see how I get on sourcing parts etc

If I remember Ill update at the end of this year when(hopefully) I'll have clocked up a good number of hours 

 

 

[koukouvagia]

3 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Does anyone know what became of IAN? I never seen the boat around.

I think I can answer that.  It was bought by the father of the chap who bought Owl.  I think it's going to be properly looked after and is, or was a few months ago, awaiting rebuilding at Tim Carter's place at Dodford.

 

[WotEver]

14 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

awaiting rebuilding at Tim Carter's place at Dodford

I know it’s been asked before but, a bit like Trigger’s broom, when does a rebuilt boat cease to be the original boat?

[MtB]

1 hour ago, WotEver said:

I know it’s been asked before but, a bit like Trigger’s broom, when does a rebuilt boat cease to be the original boat?

 

Never, obviously.

Unless all of it is replaced in one go.

[Captain Pegg]

3 hours ago, Dave_P said:

Answer: Because the boat you like has an old engine in it.

Missing the point. Rearrange those words to "you like the boat because it has an old engine in".

[Tumshie]

2 hours ago, koukouvagia said:

I think I can answer that.  It was bought by the father of the chap who bought Owl.  I think it's going to be properly looked after and is, or was a few months ago, awaiting rebuilding at Tim Carter's place at Dodford.

 

I am glad. 

[mrsmelly]

3 hours ago, WotEver said:

I know it’s been asked before but, a bit like Trigger’s broom, when does a rebuilt boat cease to be the original boat?

Very much like cars isn't it? Lets face it there are thousands of those horrendous land rover defender things about and if they are over about two years old the chassis will have been replaced as will everything else. I think its a case of just keep screwing the old number plate or Boat registration to the latest bit and freds your auntie 

This one is much mended

Edited February 12, 2018 by mrsmelly

[Dave_P]

1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

Missing the point. Rearrange those words to "you like the boat because it has an old engine in".

Only if you’re an old engine loony. 

[TheBiscuits]

7 hours ago, rusty69 said:

7.5 here!

Found this while looking for photos in the other thread and thought of @rusty69 with half a boat ...

 

[peterboat]

7 hours ago, Dave_P said:

Answer: Because the boat you like has an old engine in it.

At some point, parts for any engine will become scare.  At the moment and for the foreseeable future, BMC parts seem pretty easy to get.  They're cheap, economical to run and easily worked on.  Any half-decent boat mechanic knows them inside out.

I would tend to avoid a very unusual older engine unless I was an enthusiast but BMCs are common as muck in boats.

Not true Dave I had a BMC 1500 in the bathtub and waited a long while for some parts that I needed, and the spill rail is unavailable and bodging it is a BSS fail, I did try multiple suppliers. In the end I pulled it out and fitted a Lynch electric motor ready for a cheaper, cleaner, and quieter future

Edited February 12, 2018 by peterboat

[nbfiresprite]

1 hour ago, TheBiscuits said:

Found this while looking for photos in the other thread and thought of @rusty69 with half a boat ...

 

Someone misread the divorce court ruling that all assets were to be spit 50/50.

[Tumshie]

1 minute ago, nbfiresprite said:

Someone misread the divorce court ruling that all assets were to be spit 50/50.

Misread - I don't think so. Misread on purpose maybe.  

[reg]

13 hours ago, Nightwatch said:

Replaced both alternators in the last three three years, had an issue with the engine eating drive belts three or so years ago,

Another vote for Barrus Shire but the original alternators were prone to eating belts, I've had no problem with belts since I changed from my Barrus 110a to a generic  90a.

I think there was a number of problems with the original barrus alternators circa 2005, made in South America (Argentina or Mexico I think) the company that made them is no longer in existence and nobody chose to take up continuation of the model. 

Only other problem I have had, which again was a known problem, was with the engine meter no displaying engine hours. 

Apart from that very few problems other than standard maintenance equipment. E.g. Replace starter motor once and ignition unit twice(not marinised so cheep to replace) 

Engine itself has been good with parts readily available from 3rd parties as Yanmar spares. 

Edited February 12, 2018 by reg
Spekchkr thinks it's an engine belonging to Barry's and the alternator was a Barrister

[jonathanA]

12 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Our lister lpw4s requires regular oil changes, although I've heard it's possible to fit a larger oil filter to extend time between changes. 

 

Yes it is - I always fit the larger filter as a matter of course. The lister manual suggests this could extend the time between changes to 250 hours. I was advised that it’s still a good idea to change the oil more regularly than that. 

PM me if you want the part no of the larger filter

[Dave_P]

1 hour ago, peterboat said:

Not true Dave I had a BMC 1500 in the bathtub and waited a long while for some parts that I needed, and the spill rail is unavailable and bodging it is a BSS fail, I did try multiple suppliers. In the end I pulled it out and fitted a Lynch electric motor ready for a cheaper, cleaner, and quieter future

The one for the 1.8 is available and I believe you can get an adaptor to allow it to fit a 1.5. 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/non-private-boats/part-2-inboard-engines/flexible-hoses/spill-lines-(2002-2007)/

Edited February 12, 2018 by Dave_P

[Wanderer Vagabond]

37 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

Yes it is - I always fit the larger filter as a matter of course. The lister manual suggests this could extend the time between changes to 250 hours. I was advised that it’s still a good idea to change the oil more regularly than that. 

PM me if you want the part no of the larger filter

I've always done the oil change on my LPW4 at the 250 hour mark and it still seems to be running well on it (taken it from 1100 hours to 6200 hours so far), although this could obviously be tempting fate. I tend to go as much on the oil colour/appearance on the dipstick and at 100 hrs it still looks like new oil so I don't see the purpose in changing it that quickly. I'm now up to about 220 hrs on the current oil change and it is starting to darken a bit which to me says it is starting to get ready for a change sometime in the next couple of weeks.

[brassedoff]

Beta Marine for a turn  key.

I now want a tug boat with a room just for the engine.

If you want a simple life with a small amount of engine attention then I would recommend a beta marine engine.

 

I have one myself.

[peterboat]

46 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

The one for the 1.8 is available and I believe you can get an adaptor to allow it to fit a 1.5. 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/non-private-boats/part-2-inboard-engines/flexible-hoses/spill-lines-(2002-2007)/

I wasnt offered an adapter I was just told when they had enough orders they would have them produced! No good if you need a BSS now is it?

As I said not for me, plenty of modern DI engines out there in boats which are newer and 20% more economical than a IDI engine which is why car/plant makers went that route for diesel engines

[rusty69]

Looks like @FluffyVal has some reading to do