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24-03-2011, 09:53
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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BMW Diesel Inboard
I am exploring the possibility of changing my Volvo Penta for a BMW - has anyone had any experience with one?
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24-03-2011, 10:16
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Oriental, NC
Boat: Mainship Pilot 34
Posts: 1,461
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
Which BMW diesel are you considering?
The Yanmar BY series of marine diesels are based on BMWs. They are highly stressed, high horsepower, common rail, turbocharged. They are suitable for a fast planing boat, but I wouldn't consider one for a displacement anything.
David
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24-03-2011, 12:39
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
I do not have the engine model number, however it is a shaft drive 50hp engine - that any help?
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24-03-2011, 12:56
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern British Columbia, part of the time in Prince Rupert and part of the time on Moresby Island.
Boat: 50-ft steel Ketch
Posts: 1,884
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
If it is in the 50hp range, it would probably be the BMW D50. These are considered a good engine for sailing yachts and motor cruisers up to about 45 feet. They are direct injection, natural aspiration engines with good power to weight/size ratio.
http://www.nauticexpo.com/prod/bmw-m...17-166751.html
__________________
'Tis evening on the moorland free,The starlit wave is still: Home is the sailor from the sea, The hunter from the hill.
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24-03-2011, 13:47
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
That is good news - many thanks
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24-03-2011, 14:15
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#6
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 290
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
Be very careful with the BMW D50. Although it was a good engine, it is obsolete and has not been supported by BMW for over 25 years. Parts are hard to get.
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24-03-2011, 15:58
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern British Columbia, part of the time in Prince Rupert and part of the time on Moresby Island.
Boat: 50-ft steel Ketch
Posts: 1,884
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
My information may be out of date, but I believe, when BMW got out of the marine business, they signed an agreement with Mercury Marine of Wisconsin for the continued production of parts. However, I doubt that finding parts on a world wide basis would be easy, and one might be much better off with more modern engine.
__________________
'Tis evening on the moorland free,The starlit wave is still: Home is the sailor from the sea, The hunter from the hill.
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24-03-2011, 17:27
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,901
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
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25-03-2011, 04:23
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
These responses have been great. The Volvo is a 23hp Penta that is probably 30 years old. It is also now extremely expensive to maintain.
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25-03-2011, 05:46
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#10
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 51,809
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
Undoubtedly just my personal bias; but I’d liken Volvo to BMW as a “frying pan into fire” scenario.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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25-03-2011, 12:55
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
@GordMay - do you have some specifics to help me in evaluating your "frying pan to fire"? Thanks . . .
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25-03-2011, 14:12
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,901
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gooosberry
These responses have been great. The Volvo is a 23hp Penta that is probably 30 years old. It is also now extremely expensive to maintain.
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a model designation would provide more information than what you present.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay
Undoubtedly just my personal bias; but I’d liken Volvo to BMW as a “frying pan into fire” scenario.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gooosberry
@GordMay - do you have some specifics to help me in evaluating your "frying pan to fire"? Thanks . . .
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Bravo Gord!!!
he's absolutely correct. With Volvo you have an excellent global network of dealers / parts.
With BMW in North America you have one (1), source for parts, in Canada.
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26-03-2011, 01:47
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Boat: 34' sloop
Posts: 22
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
You see - here in SA the Volvo parts are prohibitively expensive! Must confess - only positive comments on service though.
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26-03-2011, 04:14
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#14
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: gettin naughty on the beach in cornwall
Boat: 63 custom alloy sloop,macwester26,prout snowgoose 37 elite catamaran!
Posts: 10,598
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
have you tried these guys,some very good deals on ford engines
http://www.lancingmarine.com/
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26-03-2011, 04:26
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,901
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Re: BMW Diesel inboard
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gooosberry
You see - here in SA the Volvo parts are prohibitively expensive! Must confess - only positive comments on service though.
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anywhere in the world, parts for the old Volvo's are expensive. Your looking at a unit that is 1) 30 years old by your admission. Then 2) they may have only built and sold 2000 of them when in production.
You can not compare these engines to an air cooled VW 1.6. You have to use a limited production comparison of say a 911 3.0 engine. There were 20,000 ish of them produced between 1978 and 1983. Using that analogy a $700 piston from VP is about right Vs a $1000 set for the 911.
Taking this into account. Moving to an engine like the BMW, which is also out of production doesn't make much sense.
Again, I've asked twice trying to help you. What is the exact model designation of your Volvo.
With the model of Volvo we can point you to a better, newer replacement.
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