Gardner 5L3

[Aussie Guy]

Hello my friends, I’m looking at purchase a project boat that has a Gardner 5L3 motor, 95 HP, and I’m struggling to find any information on fuel consumption. I read they are reliable and efficient but was wondering if anyone could give me some information on the fuel burn and anything I should look out for. It’s done 50 hours since rebuild and has a 2UC 2:1 gearbox. I have been told it does 8-9 knots at 900rpm with a porter 36/21 prop. Any help is greatly appreciated. 

 

 

[mrsmelly]

9 minutes ago, Aussie Guy said:

Hello my friends, I’m looking at purchase a project boat that has a Gardner 5L3 motor, 95 HP, and I’m struggling to find any information on fuel consumption. I read they are reliable and efficient but was wondering if anyone could give me some information on the fuel burn and anything I should look out for. It’s done 50 hours since rebuild and has a 2UC 2:1 gearbox. I have been told it does 8-9 knots at 900rpm with a porter 36/21 prop. Any help is greatly appreciated. 

 

 

I take it this engine is fitted in a proper boat shaped boat not in a glorified skip like many of us use over here?

[Aussie Guy]

Yes, it’s 16m x 5m x 2m commercial steel fishing hull. 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Aussie Guy

[bizzard]

London Transport should know and ight still have mpg figures in their archives of the ''100 hp Omnibus''.

[cuthound]

Half a pint of diesel per kilowatt hour works for akmost all diesel engines, especially for diesel generators.

[Split Pin]

Fuel consumption in gallon and lbs along the bottom of the graph

 

Looks to be around 3.6 Gall per hr if fully loaded at 900 rpm

 

The gearbox will be a 3UC not a 2UC

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Split Pin

[Aussie Guy]

6 hours ago, Split Pin said:

Fuel consumption in gallon and lbs along the bottom of the graph

 

Looks to be around 3.6 Gall per hr if fully loaded at 900 rpm

 

The gearbox will be a 3UC not a 2UC

 

 

 

Thanks Split Pin, from the looks of things the quoted RPM is full throttle. Any suggestions on what RPM they are happy to run at all day long, can’t imagine flat out is a good idea. Modern engines would t like it but not sure about what these “old girls” are like. 

 

Re: 2UC, it definately says that on the documents I have. 

[Split Pin]

The books that I have relating to L3 engines list the Marine version as 900rpm max, Industrial versions were rated up to 1200rpm intermittent

It would appear that the info given on the sales information is for max engine speed.

I'm sure that it would run quite happily at full throttle all day long, although I can imagine that most would be run slightly below this for comfort.

I don't have any experience of running an L3 (LW and L2 being my area of expertise)

If you are on facebook you might try the Gardner Diesel Engine group for more information , I know that there are some members on there running L3's.

Re the gearbox, 2UC boxes wont fit on L3 engines, (they are considerably different in size) It maybe that it has a 3UC type 2 which is causing the confusion.

 

Steve

 

[Aussie Guy]

Thanks Steve, you’re a wealth of knowledge.