Perkins engine photos

[AndyC59]

Hi all,
I'm new on here and this is my first post. Hope you can help.
I've attached photos of a Perkins 4 154 diesel engine on a boat I'm thinking of putting a offer on. It will be my first boat and even though the boat is reasonably cheap. I know that replacement engines aren't!!
Any thoughts and comments welcome. I can see that its been re painted and signs of rust etc. But i'm definitely no expert.
Thanks Andy.

[CSY Man]

Ouch, looks bad.
An knowledgeable owner or operator would have dealt with corrosion, loose wires and not paint engine mounts etc.

Looks like the owner is careless, pays no attention to detail and have skipped proffesional maintenance.

I would not buy a boat from him

[Sailmonkey]

How does it run?

[pcmm]

It's a Perkins 4.154 so parts are going to be an issue. It wasn't as popular as the 4.108 so there are more issue getting parts and they cost $$$$$ . That engine has a number of issues. oil breather not connected, lots of belt dust on the alternator. bodged engine mounts, exhaust tubing that is oriented incorrectly just to mention a few biggies. If you really want this boat, factor in a replacement engine into the price discount as its for sure coming in the near future.

[Captsteve53]

Andy,

These are good older models that were and still are very reliable, that said pictures dont really tell many stories and if recently re painted only bring more concern, here's a few things to look at or consider:

1) Hire a surveyor?
2) Do a sea trial and note the water temp and oil pressure/look at exhaust for undue smoke and it's color
3) Note how quickly the engine starts/ check batteries are charging
4) Look for obvious oil or water leaks/check good flow of water at exhaust outlet
5) Note how well the gears engage (lag time)/check boat speed
6) Look for any undue vibration/run at full throttle for 10 minutes and note all of above
7) Check engine oil level prior to running and after and if there's any water in the oil (milky color)
8) Check belt condition and tightness

From your photo's the hose clamps look ok as do the rubber hoses, and looks like there is a new raw water pump fitted, ask if the exhaust riser has ever been changed out(where the sea water is injected into the exhaust pipe prior to the water trap) if this is old replace it ASAP due to causing many engines to be flooded, these engines normally come with Bowman heat changers (good quality) and spares easily available.

One thing i note from the front photos is that the rubber belts are wearing un duly as there's plenty of black rubber coating the front engine parts, this is caused by miss-alignment or more commonly rust/ corrosion on the pulleys which means the engine has been sitting for long periods, to remedy all the pulleys need cleaning well with fine emery paper until they shiny and new looking,( I quite often cheat and use a 4" grinder with a soft flap abrasive disk wheel and turn the pulley , does a nice an quick job with out the muscle use,

Cheers Steve

[AndyC59]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

How does it run?

I only run it at idle, but it sounded surprisingly good and did start up quickly with minimum effort.

[AndyC59]

Originally Posted by Captsteve53

Andy,

These are good older models that were and still are very reliable, that said pictures dont really tell many stories and if recently re painted only bring more concern, here's a few things to look at or consider:

1) Hire a surveyor?
2) Do a sea trial and note the water temp and oil pressure/look at exhaust for undue smoke and it's color
3) Note how quickly the engine starts/ check batteries are charging
4) Look for obvious oil or water leaks/check good flow of water at exhaust outlet
5) Note how well the gears engage (lag time)/check boat speed
6) Look for any undue vibration/run at full throttle for 10 minutes and note all of above
7) Check engine oil level prior to running and after and if there's any water in the oil (milky color)
8) Check belt condition and tightness

From your photo's the hose clamps look ok as do the rubber hoses, and looks like there is a new raw water pump fitted, ask if the exhaust riser has ever been changed out(where the sea water is injected into the exhaust pipe prior to the water trap) if this is old replace it ASAP due to causing many engines to be flooded, these engines normally come with Bowman heat changers (good quality) and spares easily available.

One thing i note from the front photos is that the rubber belts are wearing un duly as there's plenty of black rubber coating the front engine parts, this is caused by miss-alignment or more commonly rust/ corrosion on the pulleys which means the engine has been sitting for long periods, to remedy all the pulleys need cleaning well with fine emery paper until they shiny and new looking,( I quite often cheat and use a 4" grinder with a soft flap abrasive disk wheel and turn the pulley , does a nice an quick job with out the muscle use,

Cheers Steve

Steve,
Thanks for that comprehensive list and answer.
I have made an enquiry to a surveyor today and like you said they also suggested a sea trial.
The engine does have a bowman cooler fitted and you are right the present owner is 85 and lived onboad her for two years on moored on the Thames in London. So she has sat idle.
I'll be sure to follow you advise.
many thanks,
Andy.

[AndyC59]

Originally Posted by pcmm

It's a Perkins 4.154 so parts are going to be an issue. It wasn't as popular as the 4.108 so there are more issue getting parts and they cost $$$$$ . That engine has a number of issues. oil breather not connected, lots of belt dust on the alternator. bodged engine mounts, exhaust tubing that is oriented incorrectly just to mention a few biggies. If you really want this boat, factor in a replacement engine into the price discount as its for sure coming in the near future.

Ok, thanks for the heads up. I'm gonna chase up cost tomorrow. I also thought about giving Perkins a call?

[Blue Stocking]

Do some research and find other uses for that engine. Skidloaders and backhoes use engine of that size, as did refridgerated shipping containers. OEM basic parts a lot cheaper from those sources. Found my Mitsubishi 127 cu.in on a Case tractor.

[oldcal46skipper]

The 4.154 is a very good engine. Many were built by Mazda for their pickup trucks under license. While rebuild kits are more expensive (3X) than for the 4.108, labor is about the same. With proper maintenance and care, it should last over 10,000 hours.

Check oil pressure, look at exhaust color, feel around for leaks, get the maintenance history.

I have two Perkins 4.154's in my shop now waiting for rebuild and buyers.

[svHyLyte]

Note that in photo 3 the raw water hose to the heat exchanger is is "kinked" at the mid-point, likely due to stiffening due to aging. Further, in the last photo, there is a broken hose clamp lying on the hull somewhat below the shaft log, which has, on one side, a single clamp and an adjacent "rust ring" stain where the broken clamp was likely attached before it ruptured (likely due to the expansive force of rusting). In the photo of the water-lift muffler, the hose clamps all seem to be badly rusted/wasted.

Based upon the foregoing, it would appear that all of the hoses and belts should be replaced as well as all of the hose clamps.

FWIW...

[AndyC59]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Note that in photo 3 the raw water hose to the heat exchanger is is "kinked" at the mid-point, likely due to stiffening due to aging. Further, in the last photo, there is a broken hose clamp lying on the hull somewhat below the shaft log, which has, on one side, a single clamp and an adjacent "rust ring" stain where the broken clamp was likely attached before it ruptured (likely due to the expansive force of rusting). In the photo of the water-lift muffler, the hose clamps all seem to be badly rusted/wasted.

Based upon the foregoing, it would appear that all of the hoses and belts should be replaced as well as all of the hose clamps.

FWIW...

Thanks for the input.
I had noticed the rust and the broken clamp. But I had no idea of the possible cause, so that is valuable info. Many thanks.