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Rustic Charm · 09-05-2016, 01:04

Hi all,

Does anyone have any knowledge on the Vetus engine. I've got a price today on e 52hp which is not a bad price.

I'm probably more interested in Beta given parts are so available and reasonably priced. Which is why I'm also swaying towards ignoring Yanmar. But what is the Vetus, which I believe is a Mitusbishi engine like? What's it like for parts and back up.

**JPA Cate** · 09-05-2016, 14:00

Rustic,

This is pretty old info, now, so take it with a grain of salt, but here's the story.

Friends' boat had a Vetus engine. On the way to New Caledonia, they ran the engine with the boat heeled, and ran the bearings, and did some other damage, as well. Once in Noumea, they started trying to locate parts. The closest local source was New Zealand. The parts eventually were shipped from Spain to NZ to NC. During her chats with the parts guy in NZ, he asked her, "What colour is your engine?" "Yellow," she answered. "What colour is a lemon?" was his response. She was not a happy camper. Eventually, though, the did get the engine running again.

So, I think you're right to try and get some up to date info., meantime, I keep hearing good things about the Betas.

Ann

lamadriver · 09-05-2016, 14:10

I have a Vetus 4.17 , with about 1200 hours on it. it had 250 when I bought it.

As a mitsubishi it is super roboust and relaible. Though I do a lot of preventative maintaince.

Spare on the other hand. Vetus are crooks. They grind the Mitsubishi serial # off and make it difficult to cross reference parts.

Most of these are tractor or forklift engines. With a bit of work I sourced a starter, water coolant pump, spare lift pump, couple of thermostats, firgued out what oil filters it took etc from Diesel engine shops.

Even simple things like thermo contacts, the only way to really cross refrence them is to pull them and bring them to a shop .

They make it real difficult for you to cross reference the Misubishi part #'s. Though it can be done.

The new Vetus motors have a digital fuel control..... like the Yanmar's.. Stay away.

If I was to repower today it would be a Beta, just because of the ease of getting parts and you dont need a computer to trouble shoot it

LD

txg · 09-05-2016, 14:31

We installed a new Vetus M4.35 in our Dufour 35 last year. So far it runs great (used it for about 200 hours now).

We decided to install a Vetus because of some features that most competitors lack, and because the engine was cheaper than a volvo. At least the M4.35 with 32hp has:

-Four cylinders instead of three like most other engines of the same size

-a water cooled engine cover which helps to keep the engine quiet and the engine room cool

-an exhaust temperature sensor and alarm which will go off instantly if cooling water is missing, long before the engine itself gets too hot.

-as far as i know, there is no thing like a "digital fuel control" on this engine. But there is an electric fuel pump. In my opinion that's a very good thing because it makes the engine self-bleeding simply by putting the control switch to the on position. I feel like it is a lot more common to have problems with air in the fuel lines than to have problems with an electric pump.

-On our engine, the original Mitsubishi serial no. is not removed. On the contrary, actually the manual shows where to find this number.

The only thing i dislike is the performance of the "115A"-Alternator. It has no external voltage sensing and charges only to 14V. I've never seen more than 60A charge current and that goes down to about 30A quickly even when the battery voltage is still below 14V. Shouldn't be a problem with the wiring as we exchanged it for 70mm².

Rustic Charm · 09-05-2016, 14:51

Ok, thanks guys.

I'm thinking I'll stick with the Beta. I'm definately NOT getting another Volvo. In fact if I was to purchase another boat, it having a Volvo would be a deal breaker to me. So, if 'spares' are difficult then I'll turn away from the Mitsubishi too. Which is also why I'm not going with a Yanmar.

lamadriver · 09-05-2016, 14:53

With the new replacement engine for the 4.17-4.19 it is not as " mechanical" or easy to work on with out a computer.

Yanmar has done the same

The electic fuel pump can be purchased as a spare, from your austo parts store, its a Facet 12v lift pump. note that on the one on your engine there is a Filter inside that thing. keep spares of those.... dont ask me why i know all about that.

The vetus does have an idiot light for exhaust temp, check and clean that thermo contact 500 and 1000 hours, it will fail at sompoint due to corrision. Its 20 .

I replace both thermo contacts ( raw water and coolant) , the exhaust elbow and the thermostat, and all fluids at 1000 hours.

I added an external gauge kit for coolant temp.... invaluable. If the Beta has a coolant gauge on the control panel - bonus.. I consider this a must.

if your talking about the rasied number on the block, that is not the seria
number and will not help you in obtaining OEM parts.

the other thing to really think about is what gear box it has. I have had terrible trouble with the Hurth ZF10, luckily they are cheap. Lots fo threads and info on Hurth gear boxs here on the fourm.
LD

robert sailor · 09-05-2016, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Ok, thanks guys.

I'm thinking I'll stick with the Beta. I'm definately NOT getting another Volvo. In fact if I was to purchase another boat, it having a Volvo would be a deal breaker to me. So, if 'spares' are difficult then I'll turn away from the Mitsubishi too. Which is also why I'm not going with a Yanmar.

I know, you were having a nightmare and you woke up to find someone had painted your diesel green!