Howdy-
There are a number of things to look for when
shopping for a boat, and especially when it comes time to evaluate a diesel.
If you're comfortable around engines and a knucklebuster by choice, you'll have no difficulties with the 4-107. If you're at the other end of the spectrum, and you've indicated that you've never owned a diesel before, I suggest a thorough
survey of the auxiliary, along with a thorough
survey of the boat by someone certified to provide that service. Most towns through out the world stock some Perkins parts. Heck, they were even used for a few Series I and II Land Rovers.
I just completed a
rebuild of my Westerbeke 30 (VERY similar to the 107 and 108 Perkins block). Yes, many parts are interchangeable. This is basically a British engine, and the parts are priced a bit on the high side for my blood, but anything labeled "Marine" is going to carry a
health sticker
price.
You did not indicate if the engine had many hours on the Hobbs meter. A low hour engine in a boat of this age could suggest that it wasn't run enough and lubricated regularly. A high Hobbs meter reading you might think would be a bad indicator, but I conjecture that it is actually a good thing. A high reading would suggest that the boat was run regularly, and that there's little chance that
corrosion set-in, in places like the
water lift muffler and/or
exhaust manifold. What condition is the
water pump">Raw Water Pump Impeller? How are the hoses and belts? Is the engine clean looking and appear to be well maintained? Is the gasket material soft and pliable? Are there maintenance records for the Perkins? Are there any noticeable
fuel and or leaks/ordors or stains in the engine room?
This are the sorts of questions I'd be looking to ask myself when evaluating a boat for
purchase.
Best of Luck and happy hunting!
Chuck Bullett
S/V
The Chester P
PS: Pictures of the Westerbeke 30
rebuild are on my flickr page. Go to flickr dot com, then search for my name followed by forward slash photos, the another forward slash and my name spelled out in one word. A search for "Westerbeke 30 rebuild" may get you there too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy_Y
I'm shopping for my next boat, and I'm looking at a 1973 sailboat with a Perkins 4-107 engine. It would be my first diesel, so I'm leery of anything old -- the issue of reliability is important, but the issue of attaining reasonably priced replacement parts is even more important.
On this site, some owners have spoken about the Perkins 4- 108 as being "bulletproof" and having a wide availability of parts, but what about the 4-107? (Some of the info I googled up on the net in general seems to indicate that the 4-107 and 4-108 are close to being the same model.)
Any warnings or endorsements for the Perkins 4-107?
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