Preferred Brands, Diesel and Outboards

[Flyingriki]

Talking with folks these days I understand some brands of both are better than others for repair parts, maintenance costs and local knowledge around cruising grounds for repairs.
Think Yanmar is the preferred inboard and Volvo was more expensive for repairs and worldwide parts availability? What about other brands?
Yamaha was the outboard of choice around the world? International parts availability and repair knowledge the best?
Thank you!

[SV Bacchus]

I've always been partial to Yanmar but a buddy, who is a much more serious boater than I (owns 5 yachts presently) had a different opinion. He said Cummins for worldwide parts availability as well as longevity and simplicity.

It would interesting to hear others views on this.

[DeepFrz]

Definitely John Deere or Lugger.

[Diesel Bill]

I think Will Rogers said "I never met a man I didn't like". For me it's, I never met an engine I didn't like. What I have seen is poorly planned installations. Some parts are just painful to access. You have to be part snake to reach some components. Because of hard to reach components required service gets put off. Then the item fails and the engine brand gets a bad name. All engines brands have an occasional failure now and then.
Sure some things like water pumps tend to fail more often than a crank shaft, but I have seen a new Cummins NTC350 eat the main journals on the crank.

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Diesel Bill

Sure some things like water pumps tend to fail more often than a crank shaft, but I have seen a new Cummins NTC350 eat the main journals on the crank.

That was the kind of info I was looking for! I'm sure that was outside the norm or Cummins would be out of business. But would you say overall are they are worse, same or better than the bulk of marine motors?

[Diesel Bill]

I have to admit a certain fondness for the old (antique?) Detroit Diesel 71 series.
I know, I know, they're dirty, leak oil, slobber, non compliant, foul the air and not really frugal on fuel. The reason I like them so much is they are such a simple design, easy to work on and parts are available all over the world. I've worked on little single cylinder Lister Petter engines and they're fun little toys all the way up to Sulzer large big bore slow speed (100 RPM) and many in between. The worst was Colt Pielstick for reliability. General Electric made a very reliable locomotive engine as did Alco. Problem is these engines are not suitable for our little boats.
In the small sizes useful for auxiliary propulsion on sail boats there are so many choices available. I like my Perkins engines but think there are many good choices it's hard to really say one is better than another. Parts availability and price are important considerations. Any of you old timers remember the Budda engines? How about the old International Harvester 3 valve engine that started on gasoline and then switched over to diesel. Some day all of these will be antique and so will we. As Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang, "LOVE THE ONE YOUR WITH" I love them all>

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Diesel Bill

I think Will Rogers said "I never met a man I didn't like". For me it's, I never met an engine I didn't like. ... .

Man after my own heart!

I've heard of, but not actually seen or dealt with a bad diesel engine.

Every engine has a flaw or two but almost all boat diesels seem to be pretty good overall.

I spent a couple of decades with a Perkins 4-108. Lovely, bulletproof engine, never let me down even once. Add oil (frequently! ) and go. Leaks oil like a sieve.

Yanmar 4JH3 HTE on my present boat -- makes the Perkins look like a steam engine. Turbocharged and intercooled. So smooth and sweet running. Very reliable. Hard to get at the seawater pump. Dodgy electrics. Expensive parts through monopolistic parts distribution system. Smokes. But overall a very fine engine. I love to sail, but motoring with such a sweet engine is not devoid of its own type of joy.

Volvos I have used were just as good. There was one bad Volvo diesel (MD2020?) which has given all of them an undeserved bad reputation.

Nannis and Betas based on Kubota industrial engines also extremely reliable, simple, and good.

I think it's pretty hard to go wrong with boat diesels these days.

[SVTwilight]

Originally Posted by Flyingriki

Talking with folks these days I understand some brands of both are better than others for repair parts, maintenance costs and local knowledge around cruising grounds for repairs.
Think Yanmar is the preferred inboard and Volvo was more expensive for repairs and worldwide parts availability? What about other brands?
Yamaha was the outboard of choice around the world? International parts availability and repair knowledge the best?
Thank you!

VOLVO is Swedish for DOWN TIME! :-) OR Swedish for "$3,000 repair". Parts are ridiculous $$$

Seriously, I have owned and been around a lot of Volvos. OK when new and then after 1,000 hours start seeming to nickel and dime you to death. Owned a couple of YANMARS. GREAT stuff! Strong and robust. The distributors offer a great three day maintenance course. Take it.

I have Cummins on my Lobster boat. Simple, reliable, parts are easily available. After I sorted out a clogged fuel system from lack of maintenance by the previous owner. It has been really nice.

CATS and DEERE also great reputations on mostly commercial boats in the New England region...

I hear a lot of whining about Westerbekes, "Weste-breaks"

Outboard, Yamaha- outside the USA you may be able to still get the 15hp 2 stroke, probably the best dinghy outboard EVER!

[Scout 30]

I think Beta is becoming the preferred engine of choice based on it's simple non-electric non-turbocharged designs & reasonably priced parts. Yanmar has gone electric making it more complicated & less reliable. The biggest problem with Volvos is the extremely high price of parts.

[Rough Magic]

I had a couple of Cummins 5.9 liter engines, absolutely bullet proof, and are the same parts as the Cummins truck engines, of which there are millions world wide. Truck supplies have 99% of the parts.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I think Beta is becoming the preferred engine of choice based on it's simple non-electric non-turbocharged designs & reasonably priced parts. Yanmar has gone electric making it more complicated & less reliable. The biggest problem with Volvos is the extremely high price of parts.

I installed a Beta/Kubota a couple of years ago and am well-pleased with it. Once you see that list that compares Beta part numbers with Kubota part numbers, you spend the difference on a better class of rum.

I would add that if I were in a larger boat requiring a 100 HP diesel or larger, I would gravitate toward the Cummings line for the reasons stated.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Diesel Bill

I have to admit a certain fondness for the old (antique?) Detroit Diesel 71 series.
I know, I know, they're dirty, leak oil, slobber, non compliant, foul the air and not really frugal on fuel. The reason I like them so much is they are such a simple design, easy to work on and parts are available all over the world. I've worked on little single cylinder Lister Petter engines and they're fun little toys all the way up to Sulzer large big bore slow speed (100 RPM) and many in between. The worst was Colt Pielstick for reliability. General Electric made a very reliable locomotive engine as did Alco. Problem is these engines are not suitable for our little boats.
In the small sizes useful for auxiliary propulsion on sail boats there are so many choices available. I like my Perkins engines but think there are many good choices it's hard to really say one is better than another. Parts availability and price are important considerations. Any of you old timers remember the Budda engines? How about the old International Harvester 3 valve engine that started on gasoline and then switched over to diesel. Some day all of these will be antique and so will we. As Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang, "LOVE THE ONE YOUR WITH" I love them all>

I would have to agree with you on 71s. To simple to break. The exception being the V6-71 made of aluminum. That had to be someone's wet dream.
Along with the Alco, EMD. also labeled GM, made a good 12v 567 a locomotive engine marineized For landing craft WW ll. I believe the Budda where called rock crushers I am assuming from the noise.

[boeing1]

I agree with Diesel Bill, he makes a good point, with proper maintenance they will all give good service.

[Puget Dan]

We have a 50hp Lugger that is now 20 years old. We have never had a problem getting parts and most parts I have been able to change myself.

[Pauls]

Yanmar repair parts are grossly overpriced. Cummins are available worldwide and as a previous poster noted, the truck and industrial engine parts are available in many places. They are well built and reliable engines, if they weren't they wouldn't be one of the biggest diesel engine companies in the world. Personally I avoid Yanmar because I find the parts prices insulting.