Blocks: Perkins 4-107 vs Westerbeke 40

[Fishman_Tx]

We're pulling the Westerbeke soon and are going to work it over. How close are these blocks to each other, really? I've been told the Westerbeke 40 is just a Perkins 4-107 block with orange paint and slightly different external plumbing. How true is this? Is the similarity restricted to the "short" block, "long" block? After looking at the manuals, I see a LOT of similarities.

Thanks!
Fish

[Jesse]

They are identical to my knowledge, I have one of each and a 4108 with Westerbeke 40 externals. However the 4107 & 4108 differ slightly internally, head bolts and cylinder liners come to mind.

[Fishman_Tx]

4-107 40hp vs 4-108 50hp, I think....
Same block, larger pistons?
Anyway, I gotta replace a timing cover that resembles Swiss cheese. Some shmuck tagged the ground there and when the zincs ran out, guess what was next? We got a quote for $400 dollars for a cover (new or salvaged?). HIGHWAY FRICKEN' ROBBERY! This keeps up, I'm stickin' with JBWeld in mass quantities......

[Jesse]

I gave a 4107 that had seen better days to a buddy a few years back, it had the Westerbeke externals and the timing cover was intact, I'll check with him and see what became of it. The Perkins engine we are talking about was produced in three stages, the 499, 4107 and 4108. The HP output from the same engine would vary with the task it was to perform, usualy between 30 and 51 HP. They powered a variety of things from mining equipment to taxi cabs and lots of marine applications and were produced in at least a dozen different countries. The one I gave to Ray had a stamped steel timing cover with a water pump">raw water pump mount on the front, is this what you are looking for?

[Fishman_Tx]

Yep yep yep. Our raw water pump is a Sherwood(?) on the upper right of the block. If he's willing to offload the whole enchilada, I might be able to convince my Bro into springing for it. The cover for sure. Here's a pic below of the mess we had to deal with before we cleaned it up a bit. It's coming out shortly for blasting, paint, and replumbing. Believe it or not, it runs. Had oil in the water jacket and all the hoses had at least a quarter inch of "tar" caked inside. This came from the oil leaking out the timing cover causing the engine to overheat, then boiling the water out the tanks. The head would warp just enough to allow oil into the water jacket. Took 4 days of our week in Florida to clean it out and patch the cover. Now runs 169 deg at 1200rpm (prolonged) with no further oil intrusion. Haven't had the chance to fully load test as she was hauled out and shipped to Rockport,Tx. shortly thereafter.

[Jesse]

Good photo, I'll check with Ray and see what is left of it, he was going to bone it out for spare parts. I hope your 4107 can be rebuilt, if not a 4108 long block will accept the Westerbeke externals and has the advantage of glow plugs instead of the scary flame injector cold starting.

[Fishman_Tx]

In the parts manual, I noticed the 4-107(actual) has 3 different types of cover while the 'beke only had the one. It was the version in both manuals that had 2 shaft holes.

[Jesse]

I just talked with Ray and found out he used the cover on his engine and nothing else was worth saving. But there's more than one way to skin a cat. 4108 parts are a direct bolt up except for the head which has larger bolt holes, so the covers will exchange and there is a used diesel engine and parts exchange on the net. And there might be someone on the forum who knows about another cover. Meanwhile I'll ask around up here and see what I can find.

[Fishman_Tx]

Here's a clipping from the parts manual.