Can anyone recommend a shop to rebuild a Perkins 4-108 near Charlotte or the NC coast

[birdsey]

I have a Perkins 4-108 that I need to pull and have evaluated for repair or rebuild. My boat is on Lake Norman near Mooresville NC (Charlotte area).

Can anyone recommend a marine diesel mechanic or shop that can rebuild this dinosaur!

I travel to the NC coast and Norfolk VA area and could take it their too.

Garth

[1affiah]

If it were me, I would think of it as a two stage process, someone to assist with the removal and re-install, and a shop to do the work. That was a popular farm engine, look inland for a shop.

[S/V Antares]

Check out TAD (Trans Atlantic Diesel) They can rebuild or exchange. Nice folks. Don't think they will do the boat work though.

[ohdrinkboy]

sent you a PM Birdsey.

[birdsey]

I have the beast running now, but have to spray silicone spray into the air intake to get her going. She runs great once I get her going. Still looking for a shop that could rebuild or refresh the engine.

[zeehag]

wish ye was here in mexico where i am as the mechanics are excellent and pricing low.

[birdsey]

Thanks ZeeHag,

I am hoping to get my wife comfortable on the Gulfstar on Lake Norman and then take her to the ocean and points south!! I am thinking more the Bahamas and Caribbean islands but I have seen your photos and read a little about about Barrio La Navidad and it IS compelling!

Garth

[zeehag]

keep the beastie running and make it here as we have the bestest ever mechanix now... used to be ripoff and scam guy , a gringo--we have made inroads here and found the awesomest team of non english speaking locals for restoring and rebuilding these dinasaurs,,,excellent engines. do not let anyone talk ye out of yours. just keep rebuilding your old tractor engine.

[oldcal46skipper]

[QUOTE=birdsey;1585193]I have a Perkins 4-108 that I need to pull and have evaluated for repair or rebuild. My boat is on Lake Norman near Mooresville NC (Charlotte area).

Can anyone recommend a marine diesel mechanic or shop that can rebuild this dinosaur!

I travel to the NC coast and Norfolk VA area and could take it their too.


Garth[/QUOTE

Garth, I rebuild or re-manufacture Perkins 4.108's, thirteen in 2013 and eight so far this year. A comple re-man Long Block 4.108 is $5,995 + shipping from 32507 & your rebuildable block. Send me a PM
Tom Vandiver

[Old Snipe]

I have rebuilt quite a few Perkins/Westerbeke's before I retired from the navy. The 108 is a good little engine. We used to dog the living hell out of them in some of the small boats. My only knock on them is that they liked to leak oil. I used to buy "Hylomar" sealer out of pocket, so the 1st Lt. would stop bitching about oil in his life boat bilges.

If I were you, I would have someone run a compression, and oil pressure check on the engine before I decided on a overhaul. The oil pressure check should be done with a recently calibrated gauge instead of the on board/installed. I have had many Perkins/Westerbeke engines sent into my shop from various ships that were written up for overhaul that only needed some TLC on the fuel and cooling systems.

[malbert73]

Do 4-108s fit in same footprint as the 4-107? I never quite understood the difference between them but a family member has a boat with an aging 107 and we are considering options.

[oldcal46skipper]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Do 4-108s fit in same footprint as the 4-107? I never quite understood the difference between them but a family member has a boat with an aging 107 and we are considering options.

Footprint 4.107 & 4.108 is the same, but there may be minor variations based on gearbox. Some Borg Warner Velvet Drives have the rear mount attached to the side of the gearbox. Some builders had the aft mounts attached to the bell housing. If you buy a "Long Block" you may be able to re-use your bell housing, gearbox, manifolds, starter, alternator, water pump">raw water pump, etc. When we receive a complete engine for a "Long Block" re-man, we remove, clean, test and replace all of these parts for the base price. Some of these parts are no longer available nor built by aftermarket suppliers and are very expensive, e.g. bell housings sell for $650. So, it is less expensive to re-use what is still in good condition.

The basic difference between a 107 & 108 is wet cylinder liners vs. dry lines in the 108. Also the head studs are 1/16" larger in diameter than the 107. Other major components are the same. The engine re-man kit for a 107 cost 2 1/2 times more than one for the 108. That is why we don't re-man 107s.

Tom

[zeehag]

107 and 108 use same gearbox. ask me ho wi know... rodl.
the difference is the 107 has wet sleeves and the q108 ia burlier. no wet sleeves in 108.
perkins vs westerfreke--- color and minor details, usable on each.
whoopdedoo, the mnarinization process may be slightly different for westerfreke than perkins vs merely the wet sleeve thing.
lower hp from 107 than 108.

[westwinds]

Might be water in the fuel. Read here somewhere 80% of the time an engine that will not run has water contamination. Suck a sample off the bottom of the tank. Also check for biological growth. With water, I would also take injectors and injection pump in for rebuild if water, or at least checkup.

[westwinds]

Do NOT pull engine until troubleshooting has been done. You could make a very expensive mistake.