Craftsman Diesels - Any Experience ?

[Spirit28]

Am about to replace my dead 25yr old Sole Mini-34 (31Hp) and have narrowed the replacement options down to a either Yanmar 3YM30 or a Beta 30Hp which is meant to be a new release to replace the current 28Hp version and not available in Australia until September. My mechanic phoned me this morning recommending I look at a Mitsubishi based Craftsman as well.

I'm pretty constrained for space - length (motor mounted midships behind the mast), width & sump depth (thanks to Mr Farr putting a floor frame just where the Nanni sump needs to be!!). The Craftsman is only a few mm different to my Sole in its basic dimensions (Sole is Mitsubishi based as well).

I hadn't come across this brand before and was wondering if any one has any knowledge of these motors (good/bad) to help make a decision.

Company website:

http://www.craftsmanmarine.com/

Need to select English (top right hand corner)

Cheers

Bill

[shakey doug]

Bill,

WM marine in Sydney also marinize Kubota based units their priceing is very competitive against Beta & Nanni but bean counters love Diecon engineering in Brisbane priceing.Yanmar, mitsibishi & kubota base engine spares are readily avaliable, it is the marine parts that are expensive and can be hard to source particularly thru lesser known agents.

[Jetexas]

Take a look at the Craftsman marine parts versus some of the other marinized Mitsubishis out there. As Shakey Doug mentioned, it's the marine parts that are expensive and possibly hard to find if they fail.

I bought a Kubota-based Phasor, and I found that all Beta Marine parts will also work and about half the Universal parts will work although Universal uses a different impeller pump, heat exchanger, and exhaust.

If the Craftsman looks pretty standard to everything else, you can probably mix and match parts.

[Laidback]

I understand that these engines are merely marinised by Craftsman in the Netherlands.
I have recently had very good results with Zenith Engineering in Brisbane where they marinze naturally aspirated Isuzu engines.
NB I have NO commercial interest with the company. - if you want info : PM

[3wtk]

Those Craftsman engines look an awful lot like Vetus engines with a different color paint.

[Craftsman NL]

Dear Bill,

I am sorry for my late response but your question was just brought under my attention.

As a lead engineer at Craftsman Marine in The Netherlands, I can assure you that our network of dealers around the world is still expanding, but since we are new to the market you have to give us some time. Check our website for our current network. Every distributor you find there has a dealer network in his own country. Just contact All Marine Spares in Mona Vale and check out their dealer network for support of our engines.

Our engines are indeed Mitsubishi based because of the proven reliability and spare parts. We keep stock of all the marinisation parts so spares should not be a problem. And by the time you will need spares, our dealer network will surely have had a major boost!

In case of extreme emergency and with proper technical knowledge you can indeed use other marinisation parts from Mitsubishi based engines. But keep in mind that your warranty will then end so we clearly advise endusers to use original parts only! It's easier, secure and probably cheaper too!

So if the Craftsman Marine engine fits your engine room, don't hesitate and contact All Marine Spares for a good offer, you won't be sorry!

[David M]

I would still go ahead and make a comparison by checking for parts availability and checking the cost of replacement for things which commonly fail or need to be replaced. Perhaps do something like find out the availability and cost of a water pump">raw water pump, alternator, starter motor, injector and injector pump and then call dealers for both Yanmar and Craftsman. Find out the price and how long it would take to get each part.

[capnorv]

Bill,
If I may be so bold as to ask, what happened to your Sole. I have one in my 34 Hans and maybe I can prevent whatever happened to yours happening to mine. thanks orville

[mrohr]

Craftsman? as in Sears? Have purchased Sears products for years ,consistently dissapointed ,wouldn't gamble on them;but have no experience with their diesels.

[redhead78]

Bill, I am very happy with my 35 HP beta marine engine I installed last year.I know its only 1 season, however I am confident with proper maint it should serve me well. I think with proper maint all the engines you guys are talking about will work out. I was impressed with the amount of support I got from my Beta Marine dealer in Conn,it made a tough job a lot easier. Good luck with the job...Red

[Craftsman NL]

I know this is an old thread, but just want to make clear that we don't have anything to do with Craftsman parts or tools bought at Sears.

Craftsman MARINE manufactures all kind of accessories for pleasure boating, like engines, portholes and hatches, tanks, bowthrusters etc.

We don't make tools or compressors and also don't have any ties with companies that make these items. Please check out our website before making any assumptions.

[link removed - send PM to Craftsman NL for further information]

thank you very much!

(To Bill.... in case you still get these posts... what engine did you buy?)

[Mark10]

Craftsman seems to be a real Mitsubishi s2,3,4,ls serie from the mitsubishi factory in japan.
Vetus engines are Mitsubishi engines.

MHI-VST Diesel Engines Pvt. Ltd :: Supply locations, MVDE Quality Policy, Management Policy, Service Support, Parts Distribution, Mitsubishi Genuine Parts, L2E Engine, L3E Engine, S3L2 Engine, S4L2 Engine

[Katiusha]

Any new experiences with Craftsman engines?

How does it compare to, let's say, Vetus, which are also marinised Mitsubishi/Hyudai engines?

[eric e]

bit of a late follow up but last year i bought a boat, here in NZ, where the previous owner had killed the 2006 vetus 2.16 (mitsi 2LE base) through lack of knowledge and servicing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pT5LWzFVAk

(no? coolant changes had led to heat exchanger corrosion, blocked core + leaks, which may have been the cause of an overheat? which led to a conrod bearing spinning out and scoring the bore etc)

faced with a full rebuild it was 50/50 to replace the engine

internet searching turned up diamond diesels in the UK with the craftsman CM2.16 (mitsi 2LE) quite a bit cheaper than the virtually identical vetus

it was shipped to NZ at a very reasonable rate and i was able to install it on the mooring by using the boom and mainsheet blocks to hoist it out of the dinghy and down the hatch

kept the vetus 2.5:1 gearbox and engine mounts but otherwise the craftsman bolted straight in, except for different hose sizes for the snorkel on the heat exchanger

only a few hours so far but the engine seems to be running well and can keep using my stock of vetus fuel filters, prop anodes + belts

vetus; head, injection pump, alternator, starter motor, injectors will be kept as spares or sold off to those in need