Replacement engine

[rubbywilliams]

The budget sometimes doesn't matter when you look for important & quality items like an engine.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

The original engine on our boat was a Volvo MD40A and at about 7,000 hours, had developed so many problems that a rebuild or replacement was necessary. I was going to rebuild it myself but the parts alone came to slightly over US$20,000 and that didn't include overhauling the transmission.

We bought a Beta Marine 90 for about US$16,000 (with a new transmission) and have been delighted with it. It now has over 2,500 hours on it, has consistently started quickly and run smoothly, has never leaked a drop of anything and burns less than one gallon per hour at cruising RPM. Beta Marine recommends lubricating oil changes every 250 hours but in the owner's manual for the Kubota MX-6 excavator, which uses the same engine, it says to change the oil every 500 hours. Which do you think gets worked harder: A piece of construction equipment or a sailboat engine?

Fair winds and calm seas.

There must be at least one out there somewhere, but so far I have never read a single complaint from a boater that repowered with a Beta.

[captjcook]

Another +1 Beta...

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[Gaphumbala]

Thanks everyone. I have emailed the local Beta dealer, which happens to be not far from where I am.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Gaphumbala

An interesting idea. BTW, I too have a modified Roberts 36.

Cheapest way to do it and Japanese diesels are very reliable and auto stuff generally is very convenient for spares with lots of aftermarket stuff. The out-of-pocket expenses for the new Kubota engine and Twin Disc engine installed was about A$11,000 which would have been about A$6,000 with the used auto engine and a new box or about A$3,500 using the old box, but I wanted more horsepower.

It's really a waste of a lot of engine to put a new diesel in a sail boat as an auxiliary, you never wear them out, they either corrode away or die of old age because they become a hassle to maintain.

The modified 36 has been a good boat but I am getting too old and lazy for the maintenance on a steel hull and have bought a FG Island Packet 40 and will sell the Roberts.

[brantleychuck]

I've done two sailboat repowers. A beta 38 and my last one a beta 50. No problems, no regrets. When I hear folks saying I want to be able to purchase parts worldwide and in remote places I want to SCREAM. ". It's a Beta, you will not needs any parts". That will be for the next owner. A couple of impellers, a spare belt should keep you in business for years.






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[Cottontop]

I thought I knew that Betas were heavier.

[Gaphumbala]

Originally Posted by brantleychuck

I've done two sailboat repowers. A beta 38 and my last one a beta 50. No problems, no regrets. When I hear folks saying I want to be able to purchase parts worldwide and in remote places I want to SCREAM. ". It's a Beta, you will not needs any parts". That will be for the next owner. A couple of impellers, a spare belt should keep you in business for years.






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Good to know. I'm looking into a Beta due to the comments about them here.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by skipmac

That seems awfully high. I had a friend repower a Westsail 32 for about half that.

What size engine? They do start getting a lot more expensive in higher HP sizes. Also I would guess at that price they went to a yard and more or less wrote them a blank check to do the job. Any chance they gave you a breakdown on the costs?

I don't know which Beta they got. It was for a Baba 35. They didn't detail their costs. But, the costs may have included getting the old engine out on one yard visit, a tow back/and forth to the marina, and installing the new engine.

I was thinking of buying their old engine and rebuilding it. But, in the couple of months it took for them to get it out, it ended up seizing. So, I passed on getting it.

It seem a lot to me too.

There are some older Bukh lifeboat engines that have very few hours and are inexpensive. They don't seem to be very available in North America. Here is an example of a UK seller: Bukh Marine Engines for sale, used Bukh Marine Engines, new Bukh engine sales, free photo ads - Apollo Duck

These look like they might be a great refit engine if you can find away to get to where they are available.

[Bambino]

Ditto on Beta. Repowered 1 year ago with a 30 and could not be happier. We had an old Universal 24 and had to do some modification but was well worth the effort and a little extra money. Smooth, quiet and no problems. 100hrs in and expecting 1000's more.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

I don't know which Beta they got. It was for a Baba 35. They didn't detail their costs. But, the costs may have included getting the old engine out on one yard visit, a tow back/and forth to the marina, and installing the new engine.

I was thinking of buying their old engine and rebuilding it. But, in the couple of months it took for them to get it out, it ended up seizing. So, I passed on getting it.

It seem a lot to me too.

There are some older Bukh lifeboat engines that have very few hours and are inexpensive. They don't seem to be very available in North America. Here is an example of a UK seller: Bukh Marine Engines for sale, used Bukh Marine Engines, new Bukh engine sales, free photo ads - Apollo Duck

These look like they might be a great refit engine if you can find away to get to where they are available.

My friend with the Westsail 32 did almost the whole job himself so that may account for a lot of the price difference.

All this talk about new engines makes me want one, until I look at the cost and then I decide my 30 year old Westerbeke sounds pretty darn good.

[HBWT]

This is from another Hans Christian owner who just ordered his Beta yesterday. Because of the exchange rate with the GBP being low against the US dollar. Of course prices will vary against the CAN Dollar.

1 x Beta Marine Beta 35
heat exchanger cooled engine
Standard engine, as quoted £5039.00
Gearbox, TMC 60 2.45/1 Included
‘B’ Panel with temperature gauge and 3m loom Included
12 volt electric start Included
120 amp alternator, polyvee drive Included
Shallow sump Included
Calorifier connections £ 17.50
5 feet of 2” exhaust hose £ 38.00
4 sheets of insulation material, each 1.2 x 1.0m £ 210.00
3 x sea water pump impellers £ 44.79
Spare sea water pump £ 93.85
1¼” shaft coupling £ 53.25
High rise exhaust elbow Included
Flexible mounts Included
Sump drain pump Included
Packed in OSB case Included
Delivery to Colon by sea freight Included

Total: 5496.39 GBP = $7496.68 USD

[Lunita]

Is there a part number conversion for parts from a Kubota dealer that will fit Beta engines? My local Tractor dealer is struggling with identifying equivalent parts for a B30.
Thanks everyone.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by HBWT

This is from another Hans Christian owner who just ordered his Beta yesterday. Because of the exchange rate with the GBP being low against the US dollar. Of course prices will vary against the CAN Dollar.

1 x Beta Marine Beta 35
heat exchanger cooled engine
Standard engine, as quoted £5039.00
Gearbox, TMC 60 2.45/1 Included
‘B’ Panel with temperature gauge and 3m loom Included
12 volt electric start Included
120 amp alternator, polyvee drive Included
Shallow sump Included
Calorifier connections £ 17.50
5 feet of 2” exhaust hose £ 38.00
4 sheets of insulation material, each 1.2 x 1.0m £ 210.00
3 x sea water pump impellers £ 44.79
Spare sea water pump £ 93.85
1¼” shaft coupling £ 53.25
High rise exhaust elbow Included
Flexible mounts Included
Sump drain pump Included
Packed in OSB case Included
Delivery to Colon by sea freight Included

Total: 5496.39 GBP = $7496.68 USD

Thanks for this post.