Replacing E29 Engine

[rjuhl]

My 1979 E29 had a Yanmar 8HP single cyliner engine with it. I suspect it had a gas engine originally because there is a blower moter installed but not used, and some cutouts in the fiberglass to make it fit. I'm finding that its not much good in heavy winds & would like to put a larger diesel in.

Any ides about size and type i.e. how big of an engine can be put in the reletively small space provided (I've heard that 2 cylinder (vertical) are better) but have concerns about size, whats a good make i.e. universal / yanmar, etc.... is a rebuilt practical and where do I look for a rebuilt.

thanks
randy

 

[Loren Beach]

Diesel Decision...

There is no one perfect answer to your situation. For your size boat I would choose something in the 13 - 20 hp range, in a twin or small 3 cylinder. I like the Kubota-based engines over the Yanmar, but either would probably do the job. The Betamarine BD722 or BZ482 look quite promising (http://www.betamarinenc.com/enginemodels.htm).

It all depends on how well they would fit, your budget, and of course the amount of sweat equity you can put in. Having watched a couple of friends do diesel installations, I would not be afraid to do this work myself. Everyone has different skills, interests, and time to allot to a big 'winter project' like this...

BTW, keep a blower installed. You need it with any diesel engine to remove heat from the engine compartment. We have a professional diesel mechanic in our club who conducts classes for us each winter -- he advises that all these small engines are designed with about 5% or more or their cooling needs devoted to direct radiation. So keep the blower on when under power and keep dirt and crud off the engine block and parts.
Also, unlike having a gas engine with the vapor explosion potential, you want the fan intake near the top of the engine compartment. I made this change to our engine compartment when I replaced the old vent hoses and put in a new blower when the old one died, some years ago.
Ericson put in a blower in our '88 boat, with a stock Universal diesel, BTW.

Besides the heat exchanger that uses outside water, there is an amazing amount of heat radiating from the engine itself -- we note that the block is still warm 12 hours after we shut down... when I check the oil the next morning. (The oil level never goes down, but it is prudent to check it anyway...)


Keep us posted.

Regards,
Loren in Portland, OR