30 year old 20hp Bukh raw water cooled engine

[olaf hart]

I had one, not a fan but largely due to the lousy dealers in Sydney Oz.
You need to save this link, they regularly sell ex lifeboat engines

http://www.marineenterprisesltd.co.uk/

[turtleofdart]

Originally Posted by PLeffe

In response to the question/comment by “turtleofdart”. The Bukh DV 20 does have a hand starting crank and a compression release.
I have started mine a couple of times to try it. Even hand started it once when I had a low battery. Not hard to do.
I have had mi e for 17 years.

If My perkins perama 30 messed up I would probably choose an old BUKH to replace it with mostly because of the handstart and big flywheel. I think the gentleman is lucky to have one. Also, I met a man who fitted keel cooling on his engine by adding a cooling water reservoir in the keel. Thus he eliminated the need for salt water... brilliant idea! I will eventually do the same in my steel box keel by converting the current diesel tank to cooling water. So often the older engineering is the most reliable....in most things on boats, simplicity is key. Give thanks for danish engineering!

[Wotname]

^^ did he also use a dry exhaust or have a seperate salt water pump for a wet exhaust?

[turtleofdart]

Originally Posted by turtleofdart

If My perkins perama 30 messed up I would probably choose an old BUKH to replace it with mostly because of the handstart and big flywheel. I think the gentleman is lucky to have one. Also, I met a man who fitted keel cooling on his engine by adding a cooling water reservoir in the keel. Thus he eliminated the need for salt water... brilliant idea! I will eventually do the same in my steel box keel by converting the current diesel tank to cooling water. So often the older engineering is the most reliable....in most things on boats, simplicity is key. Give thanks for danish engineering!

Of course one has to be mindful of the exhaust which gets cooled by the salt water. Conversion to keel cooling brings with it the need for a hot exhaust system....but that isn't too hard when you can have no holes in the boat to block up with leaves in the canals etc....

[turtleofdart]

Originally Posted by Wotname

^^ did he also use a dry exhaust or have a seperate salt water pump for a wet exhaust?

I don't know because after I sold him a roller furling gear he went back to wales. I never actually saw the boat. he had big plans. but I imagine he must have done. I have also used a lister petter air cooled engine on a dumper truck years ago it was dead easy to start by hand. air cooled engines give a great air blown heating system as a side effect.... lovely in the winter.

Yes, I am a firm believer in hand starting on boats.

[Steven UK]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

I had one, not a fan but largely due to the lousy dealers in Sydney Oz.
You need to save this link, they regularly sell ex lifeboat engines

http://www.marineenterprisesltd.co.uk/

The link Looks good thanks...

I'm feeling better about this.

[wildernessdave]

We have a 1984 Bukh 20 in our sailboat. We have been cruising full time for the last 9 month, Lake Superior to the Bahamas, now in Mass headed to Nova Scotia. We have put about 500 hours on the engine in the last 2 years and it has been a great engine.
Gartside Marine In Canada sells parts and has some used parts as well. Davis Craven at Waterway Diesel in West Port, MA is very knowledgeable and also is a bukh dealer.

[MrSwatchway]

Our Bukh DV20 is 47years old now.The main problem I had was a failed thermostat ( Later thermostats are made to fail in the open position. )which allowed the engine to overheat which in turn damaged the head gasket. After repairs she runs great with little vibration or noise and being hand startable is another plus (saves going to the gym). If ever it needs replacing I would go for another bukh.

Video of repairs:-

https://youtu.be/7mO7wRKoKCM

https://youtu.be/PmTjwYOAT-8

[sfnz]

great longevity from the DV series, surprisingly small oil capacity, chewy ring gear on the front which in the good old days chewed out more than a few refrigeration gauge hoses if not careful, saltwater flow is not astounding and when using an engine drive reefer you did need to get the smallest drive pulley you could, one point to keep in mind when doing an engine change from one of these to whatever is that the "fat" part of the engine is in the front and the bell housing of the replacement may not quite fit, this is more obvious in deeper full keel boats such as an H28 etc as you cant quite seem to poke them back as far as the Bukh was, found hand starting was better if you used your foot and kick started it not unlike an old british single cylinder motor cycle....no decomp required