Repower Catalina 34

[Captain Ron 55]

Looking at a C-34 in need of an engine. Thoughts on Universal M25xpb, Beta 30 or Yanmar 3YM30?

Thanks

[Compass790]

. Welcome to the forum Cap'n Ron.If parts prices are important to you stay away from the Yanmar. If you can find the tractor equivalent of the Kubota engine used in the Beta you will get very cheap parts in comparison.
If you do lots of motoring the Yanmar doesn't have a very high duty cycle but I'm not sure how it compares to the other 2.
Use the search function & check repowering & there shud be lots of reading for you.
Mostly seem to favour Beta.
Good luck

[Chuck34]

You might want to go over to the c34 owners assoc. great bunch of very knowledgeable guys over there.

I might add that I had the Universal in my C34 and it is a great engine. No question that Beta and Yanmar are very good brands as well, but chances are the boat you are looking at has/had the Universal, so why not just replace what was already there. The Universal has a great reputation.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Captain Ron 55

Looking at a C-34 in need of an engine. Thoughts on Universal M25xpb, Beta 30 or Yanmar 3YM30?

Thanks

I’ve had a Universal M25-XPB since 2006. I have no complaints. Like others it is based on a Kubota block, very durable and reliable.

[jkishel]

Consider a Perkins M30 repower, many successful C34 M30 repowers to learn from.

[Jim Cate]

Replacing with an identical engine will save a lot of time and money vs some other engine which would entail changing mounts, wiring, exhaust and possibly cabinetry. I believe the Universal is Kubota based, just like the Beta is, so no gains in going Beta from that standpoint... and the Kubota is a great starting point!

Seems a no brainer to me, unless there are factors that have not been mentioned yet.

Jim

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Captain Ron 55

Looking at a C-34 in need of an engine. Thoughts on Universal M25xpb, Beta 30 or Yanmar 3YM30?

Thanks

For sheer parts availability stick with a Yanmar. I would try to void anything with common rail or an ECU. Betas are now popular, but Stay away from Volvo and Perkins. Volvo parts are expensive and Perkins parts are getting harder and harder to find.

[Chuck34]

Most Universal parts can be bought at your local Kubuto dealer and at a price way less than their marine counterparts