Westerbeke W71 - original manufacturer?

[neelie]

Does anyone know either

1) the original manufacturer of the Westerbeke W71C

or

2) any clues as to how I can find out this information? (is there, for instance, something like a bore and stroke database to help reduce the choices?)

I have Googled till my fingers have bled but to no avail. I'm sure even Iran's nuclear capability is not as well kept a secret as this.

Thanks

[TeddyDiver]

I have 71C and think it's Isuzu.. Engineered by Perkins but they didn't manufacture any.
BR Teddy

[sanibel sailor]

did you try calling Westerbeke? doubt they are free with this info, but might help

[ewsponberg]

I was under the impression that Westerbeke had their engines made to order. Their factory is in Avon, MA, and their website is: westerbeke, marine generators, engines, Official Site. If you go to their "Locate Distributor" tab at the top of the page, you can find the Westerbeke resource nearest you. In fact, I just checked, and there are a few distributors in mainland China and one in Taiwan. there is also a Hong Kong distributor:

PIERCEY MARINE LTD.
Ground Floor
93 Che Keng Tuk Road
Sai Kung, N.T., Hong Kong
Tel: +(852) 2-791-4106
Fax: +(852) 2-791-4124
Email: info@pierceymarine.com
Mr. Steve Piercey

I have a complete line of engine and generator brochures on the Westerbekes, inclduing their diesel engine of that size at the time, W70, that date back to 1987. It does not say where the engine core was manufactured.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

Eric

[neelie]

As with every manufacturer, there is one truism that the humble customer should abide by : "Never stand between Sales and Marketing and their Spare Parts Money Tree".

The reason I was asking was to see if I could source spare parts at the more normal rates which are available to industrial, automotive and trucking consumers.

When a company's entire R&D budget is devoted to sitting in a wine bar and deciding what shade of Red (or Green) to paint their newly delivered top secret "no-name" engines, I have difficulty understanding their predatory spare parts pricing policy.

OK, rant over...

Eric - thanks, and well spotted!... I may be in HK for now (but not for much longer - the boat is in the US). And indeed, I have searched high and low and have not found the root of the W71. The CIA, KGB and Mossad need to take lessons from Westerbeke.

Teddy.. Say again.. So its an Izusu block and marinized by Perkins? And then lovingly hand painted red by Westerbeke? Do you happen to know the Izusu engine designation? Thanks.

John.. With my previous boat, I did once try calling the Green Engine people and as you guessed, their response was unsurprisingly not helpful. Luckily they were not as leakproof as "W" and I Googled my way to finding out the original manufacturer. And what a joy it was to source genuine spare parts at up to 90% discount.

[S/V Alchemy]

Isuzu is a good guess. My old W-52 was a Mazda R2 block "marinized". Needless to say, the rebuild kit for a Mazda B2200 was a lot cheaper than from Westerbeke.