BMW Diesel Inboard

[boatsmith]

i had a small BMW diesel in a !984 bot new and woud not want another one. It always ran and leaked oil like an old Harley

[Jim Cate]

Fwiw,

We had a D-35 BMW in our previous boat, installed in 1983. When we sold the boat in 2004, the engine had over 6000 hours on it, and was still running fine. Only problems we had were due to its being salt water cooled, and the usual blocking of cooling passages with precipitated deposits. The D-50 is a 3 cylinder version of the same engine, sharing most parts and design features. If it is a freshwater cooled version, I reckon it would be ok.

Both of these engines were based on a Hatz industrial diesel, and as of 2004, parts were available from those people. They had a parts depot in Sydney, and were helpful. I do not know what the current situation is, but some internet research should address the parts question. Should note that the only parts we ever needed were gaskets required when we pulled the head to get at the cooling system blockage, and one stud which we broke by over torquing it (dumb).

As always, ymmv.

Cheers,

Jim

[Gooosberry]

Originally Posted by never monday

Again, I've asked twice trying to help you. What is the exact model designation of your Volvo.
With the model of Volvo we can point you to a better, newer replacement.

The Volvo is an MD17C 23 hp - however it is too light for the boat 34' 7 tons so my question is not so much about what a comparable engine would be but more what does the forum community think of the BMW D50.

In fact I have just picked up the BMW because it was pretty much a give away in the end ($1500) and has been fully reconditioned.

Thanks to a comment from Thataway on TheHullTruth who gave details on hours of use on the same engine, AND Jim Cate above - which gave me some confidence.

[never monday]

Originally Posted by Gooosberry

The Volvo is an MD17C 23 hp - however it is too light for the boat 34' 7 tons so my question is not so much about what a comparable engine would be but more what does the forum community think of the BMW D50.

In fact I have just picked up the BMW because it was pretty much a give away in the end ($1500) and has been fully reconditioned.

34' and 14k pounds is a light boat. It can be pushed by 35hp easily. The BMW is both much heavier, and over powered. Consider a newer Kubota based 35hp, a Yanmar 30, or Volvo 30. You'll spend a little more up front for the newer engine. But it won't bleed you dry long term. Replacing the MD17 with a D50 as Gord sadi taked you out of the frying pan and into the fire.

[Gooosberry]

Guys - I am new to this forum - but statements like "bleed you dry" and "out of the frying pan into the fire" are not at all helpful.

If you were to explain from your experience and wisdom WHAT it is that causes you to say such things you may actually be helping me.

For example if you say that additional power could demand that you change the shaft to a larger diameter, and will require a new prop - that is helpful!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Gooosberry

Guys - I am new to this forum - but statements like "bleed you dry" and "out of the frying pan into the fire" are not at all helpful.

If you were to explain from your experience and wisdom WHAT it is that causes you to say such things you may actually be helping me.

For example if you say that additional power could demand that you change the shaft to a larger diameter, and will require a new prop - that is helpful!

Yep, I think that you will have to change both shaft and prop to utilize the additional HP, and that could run up the costs significantly. Props are not so very dear, but having to change to a larger diameter shaft can mean changes to the stern tube, strut and other bits of the boats structure.

Good luck with it, mate!

Cheers,

Jim

[Gooosberry]

If you have been following this thread - I have opened a new thread - more appropriately headed "Engine Change" where I have outlined the things I have learnt along the way (so far).

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nge-58326.html

Hope it is of some use to other newbie's

[Dulls]

Originally Posted by Gooosberry

I am exploring the possibility of changing my Volvo Penta for a BMW - has anyone had any experience with one?

We have a BMW D35 So far so good has 700 hours but has been in the boat for 15 years. All of our problems have been seal related and not mechanical. Can get parts from v12 in Canada but have not used them yet. The seal issue may relate to the lack of use prior to our purchase. We have only had 200 hours in our ownership so my help is only based on a small window of experience.

[rlangtry]

Gentlemen,

The first rule of repowering is always repower with an identical unit. Changing brands is cheap only if you do the work yourself.

The comment one of you made was correct. The D50 is more power than the boat will need.

The opinion of prices of parts can be very subjective. The price of our BMW parts are much higher than comparable to automotive parts.

It is correct that the last of the new BMW Marine engines came to market in 1987. These parts were not part of the transfer by BMW to Mercury in 1988. Parts continued to be available for the Hatz based engines in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Finland, Norway, Germany, the UK, and the United States. Today parts are still available in most of these jurisdictions.

Our subjective observation is the parts supply of these BMW engines is better than any other brand of engine manufactured prior to 1990. In fact, it is possibly better than any obsolete engine manufactured by Volvo Penta, Yanmar and others.

The BMW D50-1 was sea-water cooled. The D50-2 has dual cooling circuits. From a maintenance point of view, the D50-1 has less problems. Some of these engines were fitted with the ZF BW7 transmission. After fifteen years, these became a problem due to the unavailability of parts.

We have customers with 4000, 8000, 12,000, and as high as 18,000 hours cruising the world with their D50s. Typically, the head never needs to come off for a valve job. The major problems for parts availability are the oil cooler and the stop solenoid.

In summation, replacing the Volvo with a BMW, a good BMW D50, if obtained cheaply, is not a bad idea. But if the repower is for a sense of security AND warranty, then a new engine is the only choice. We have seen this cost of repower in a Nordic tug total US $20,000 taxes included.

Best regards,
Rich Langtry
V12 Engineering

[DeepFrz]

I wonder whatever happened to Gooseberry? Gooseberry, did you ever get your engine installed?

[Jim Cate]

Isn't it funny how the introduction of real, factual data about these subjects tends to shut down the thread?

I too wonder if he carried on with the project, and if it was successful!

Cheers,

Jim

[Gooosberry]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I wonder whatever happened to Gooseberry? Gooseberry, did you ever get your engine installed?

Here I am, been busy what with life and all.

So, an update:
We found that the cold start lever was stuck - pulled it straight, and things improved, not to perfect, but to ok for a 30 year old engine!
We sailed our boat up the coast, and my partner arranged a local diesel mech to service the much better but smoky engine. He took the head pff, removing the water intake pipe in the process. Unfortunately, he neglected that little handle thingy (stopcock). Some days after he left the boat, (I guess) the stiff pipe sagged to below the water line, and of course - glug, glug glug!
Fortunately a fellow sailor thought the freeboard was a touch dodgy at less than half what it had been, and so with help, they broke in and pumped out the water. But not before the now open engine had allowed all its oil to be washed through the interior!

We have since cleaned her out, and started a reasonably significant refurbish, which includes:
- new Yanmar 39hp diesel
- new shaft, we found the previous owner had ground down the 30mm shaft to fit a 25mm coupling!!?
- new prop to cater for new power
- revised exhaust
- new gennoa
- re-wired electrics
- and of course it is time for another round of anti-foul, flares etc!

I will let you know how the next stage goes, in the mean time, I am taking my family off to Greece where I have chartered a Sun Odyssey 439.

Keep on keeping on

[Gooosberry]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Isn't it funny how the introduction of real, factual data about these subjects tends to shut down the thread?

I too wonder if he carried on with the project, and if it was successful!

Cheers,

Jim

Keep on wondering . . . .

Goosberry!

[SkiprJohn]

Congratulations on the repower. Good choice.
kind regards,