Drop-in Replacement for Ford Lehman

[deblen]

Mermaid Marine Products

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by deblen

Mermaid Marine Products

Sadly not the same company they were a two decades ago when they were looking after my rib with a ford 4.2L engine. However, worth a try. Good quality UK engines are becoming rare.

However, ford used these engine extensively in tractors so I would forget the marine industry and have a look at farming businesses.

Thankfully they are very simple engines to work on. Had mine stripped after the crank and a couple of other seals started leaking. Complete strip and rebuild was £700 by a mechanic.

Interestingly the Ford Dover 4 cyl engines can be taken up to 200 hp. Mine ran 198 hp on Mermaids Dyno. Alas at this power level the engine is quite fragile and needs to be nursed. Also it requires a change of pistons a rebuild to the bottom end and a bigger turbo. Mermaid did used to say there are more owners claiming 200 hp conversions than they ever built.

Pete

[bsurvey]

American marine bought the castings and manufacture the blocks in turkey then build them up somewhere in the mid west. they will give you credit for the old engine as they re mfg & reuse some od the internal parts

[moseriw]

never ever. replace a good old lehman, catapillar, john dere....

every mechanic can remanufacture it.
new gaskets new bearings, crancase grinding , new vents new cyl rings, new cylinder grinding.

ok lot of work but good for the next 30 years

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by bsurvey

American marine bought the castings and manufacture the blocks in turkey then build them up somewhere in the mid west. they will give you credit for the old engine as they re mfg & reuse some od the internal parts

do you mean american diesel?

HOME | American Diesel Corp

[SailsWithFists]

Originally Posted by moseriw

every mechanic can remanufacture it.

That might be so, yet I am having difficulty finding any mechanics in NS willing to return my phone calls and emails about rebuilding it. Therefor, if no one is willing to do it, much less at an affordable price, then it must go.

[Pete7]

Ok, then buy a torque wrench and get stuck in with this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-CARG...AAAOSw~V9Z2oBK

[Mithril Bham]

Call American Diesel. (804) 435-3107
Haven't spoken with them lately but they used to know more about Lehman's than anybody. Good people.
What is the model #?

[Cadence]

Unfortunately we are in a throw away economy. If you find someone to rebuild, I would vet them carefully just to insure they are not shade tree mechanics.

[Mike Banks]

I think the Ford engines are tractor motors--plenty of spares available if you omit the word "Marine" and buy the bits you need as farm parts. Sometimes the only difference is the rates at which tax is levied--it depends on where you are situated. Many tractor mechanics would be familiar with these Ford engines.

If you MUST replace it--Yanmar is a good way to go--but I would fix it if I could.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by moseriw

never ever. replace a good old lehman, catapillar, john dere....

every mechanic can remanufacture it.
new gaskets new bearings, crancase grinding , new vents new cyl rings, new cylinder grinding.

ok lot of work but good for the next 30 years

Oh absolutely! These are good engines. You would be wise to take a trip up to the Northeast and scout out truck and farm engine shops and I am sure you will find someone who will do the job for a fraction of what has been quoted you. Trying to do this over the phone or on the internet is a bad idea. Locate shops using the phone book. I am sure if you use this plan you could find someone in Nova Scotia also. In-person is always the way to go.

[Hoghead]

I too am thinking of replacing my Lehman and find the Ford/New Holland tractor market best for parts.

What is holding me back is the simplicity of the Ford. No electronics whatsoever and the most basic fuel + compression and it will run technology that I understand and can make work. Not that is without design issues but American Diesel seem to have this sorted, and as items fail I replace them with newer tech from AD.

American Diesel at made (or makes) a drop in replacement using a modern Ford block. No idea on the cost, but worth a call to find out.

I am leaning towards the Beta but like the original poster question why so expensive? Maybe I will wait until the pound drops after Brexit.........

[osprey877]

Here's a 3 cylinder Westerbeke c/w transmission and all the bells and whistles for $Can8649.00. It's on the left coast but it looks like a Westerbeke promotion so it may be available in the east as well.

[Hoghead]

Originally Posted by osprey877

Here's a 3 cylinder Westerbeke c/w transmission and all the bells and whistles for $Can8649.00. It's on the left coast but it looks like a Westerbeke promotion so it may be available in the east as well.

The 4 cyl Lehman we are discussing is 85 or 90 HP

[osprey877]

Here's the ad I tried to include with the previous post (I hope&#128556. It's in the November issue of Pacific Yachting.