Mercedes diesels

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Chuck34

What's the big deal about 250k miles.
I had a Honda Accord that had 250 when someone rear ended me one day and totaled the car. The Accord we have now has 280. We plan to go at least another 50k before replacing it.

250k miles may be 10k hours with a car. Translating these numbers to boating terms, that's probably more beating than a charter boat gets in 10 years (approx 1.5 years pure running time). I've seen Mercedes cars running more, much more... (30+years old models are still running in some countries in large numbers in everyday use - not in a seasonal recreational activity...)

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by GTom

True, haven't heard "Volvo-level horror stories" (just some customer service complaints and of course pricing...). At the end of the day it comes down to reliability and the $$$ question. More specific to my situation, which would you rather own: a well-kept 30 years old OM636 or an also well kept 15 years old 3JH3E?

I think you'd be OK with either, but keep in mind you're talking with a guy who basically never met a diesel engine he didn't like .

Those Mercs have a great reputation, but they are old-fashioned like my old 4-108, probably leak oil, and you may start to find it hard to get parts for them. The Yanmar will be lighter and more modern, probably run smoother. I guess if I had a choice I would probably go for the newer Yanmar, but I wouldn't let it make me choose a boat I liked less than one with a Merc.

[GTom]

Oil leak isn't really forgivable in cars, I'd expect it to fare good in that department.

[a64pilot]

250K on a car isn’t abnormal now, but back it the 70’s and 80’s it was almost unheard of.
I’ve had a 220 Mercedes Diesel, and in the family we had three different 300’s Five cylinders, one a turbo. All the 300’s began to leak oil when they got old.
They all had huge cartridge oil filters mounted on the firewall if I remember right.
Noisy, rattling, slow, stinking things, but would run forever.
I actually won an autocross in Albany Ga with my Mothers four door 300 many years ago, they didn’t know where to put me, so they put me with the Corvettes. It was simple, I just held the Merc wide open, never backed off, the turns slowed the car down enough, no tire squealing or black marks, just a smooth run, looked slow, but the time was fast.
That was the last time the Corvette Club of Albany Ga ever ran an autocross with other cars, from then on they ran as a Club only, being beaten by a Mercedes Diesel four door was devastating for the Corvettes

[Jim Cate]

but availability is superb -- they are available absolutely everywhere, and Yanmar requires a high level of stock at the distributors in exchange for their exclusive territories.

Umm, this may be true in your part of the world, DH, but not so much in the South Pacific or even Oz. Have known more than a few folks with Yanmars who have had great difficulty in getting parts in these areas.

Jim

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Not my experience with Yanmar. Parts are fairly expensive (less than Volvo but a lot more than parts at a tractor shop you can get for Beta/Nanni marinzed Kubota engines), but availability is superb -- they are available absolutely everywhere, and Yanmar requires a high level of stock at the distributors in exchange for their exclusive territories.

Does that make the price of parts worth it? I don't know. For a small boat which needs a simple engine, I would probably go with Nanni. But Yanmars are specifically designed as marine engines from the ground up, and have a lot of advantages, especially in the larger sizes. The 100 hp Yanmar in my boat is about half the size and weight of alternatives, and has been absolutely bulletproof over 3000 hours. It's now 17 years old. Cost of parts which are very rarely needed is not a big factor in the total cost of ownership. I will strongly consider a Yanmar for my next boat. Lugger (part of Northern Lights) marinized John Deeres are also supposed to be superb. YMMV.

Yanmar parts are expensive but fortunately you do not need them very often.

Don't know specifically the case for Nanni but most small marine engines are either marinised auto or industrial engines as is say the Yanmar 3GM30 range.

Overhauled, X auto engines are good candidates for marinisation as the parts are cheap and widely available as are replacement engines if you need one. You can reuse the marinisation gear from the old engine and they are cheap enough to have a complete engine spare under the bench in the garage if one is so inclined.

Other than the neglect and corrosion diesel engines enjoy fairly light service in pleasure vessels.

[GTom]

Looks cool, being 40years old!



(source)

[Son]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I had a converted Mercedes auto diesel in my steel boat. It was a 190D engine. I have no idea who manufactured the marinizing parts, but the engine was perfectly reliable. The only problem I had with it was (owner induced) that the Velvet drive transmission would rattle when in gear at an idle. After changing the damper plate and still having the same noise, an old salt told me to turn the idle up a little. Smooth as glass after that. Most parts are available from after market suppliers, so overhaul will be similar , or less than marine engines. Mercedes also made actual marine/industrial engine which were push rod engines rather than overhead cam engines. There are millions of them in reefer trailers all over the world. If you are starting from scratch at a conversion, it may be difficult to find the marine parts, but I would not at all be afraid to buy a boat with an already converted Mercedes in it. Of course the maintainence history of any engine is actually the most important thing in reliability._____Good Luck,_____Grant.

Yea I just bought a steel boat with rebuilt low hours 363i was told by my friends that they are good motors