Isn't the Perkins 4-108 used in both automotive and marine applications just like the OM352?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

http://www.dmv-bootsdiesel.de/Englisher%20Index/Lieferprogramm/MercedesBenz/mercedesbenz.html

http://www.keysyachts.com (I HATE music on webpages )

I've searched for half an hour and I can't find the boat with the two OM617's.

Probably, but you don't see those Perkins that often anymore either. They are all extremly old at this point.

Buy a boat with a servicable engine. Don't buy a fixer upper unless you know what you are doing. If not it will just cost you a lot of time, money, and frustration.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I wasn't intending to imply that repowering with a 616 is the best choice, only that there are some engines that work equally well in marine and automotive applications. I believe British Ford vans used the Perkins 4-108 for quite a few years. There is also a small French car that uses a Yanmar diesel but I don't know if it is one of their marine diesels.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a sailboat with a 616 or a 4-108 in it as long as the engine was in good condition or the price reflected the cost of replacing with the same engine.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If I were to put a mercedes diesel in a sailboat in a saltwater enviroment I would choose a non turbo model, galvanize the oil pan, and cool it with a keel cooler. If you dont want to affect windward performance when sailing dont go with anything heavier than the origional engine ( heavier engine and you'll have to remove some ballast to get her to sit on her original lines and this will affect windward performance). Also take into account that it doestnt take much horsepower to push a 40' displacment hull. If you go too big it will be underworked and run too cool resulting in problems.

I just purchased a 83 240d with 140k for $200. The plan is to put the engine in a friends boat that we are going to turn into a sternwheeler. The engine will be keel cooled and drive a hydraulic pump for the sternwheel.

If you were talking about putting one in a trawler yacht weight wouldnt be a consideration. My 44' Trawler's engine and gear weighs 3800 lbs!, and generates 80hp @ 1600 rpm.

Too many cars, tucks, motorcycles, and boats to take the time to list.

I have to agree with Hatterasguy on this one. Repowering with a homebrewed setup would be difficult and expensive unless you are a machinist/welder/fabricator.

The only statement I take issue with is the "never seen a successfully marinized auto engine" Pretty much EVERY marine engine with the exception of large "ship" engines have landlubber counterparts. Yanmar, Universal, Nanni, Perkins, Westerbeke, etc. all sailboat auxilliaries, are converted tractor or industrial engines. Detroit, Cummins, Yanmar, etc. the large engines used in powerboats are all truck, tractor and industrial engines. Successful conversion depends on who did the conversion. It is pretty easy to source the correct marine parts to get it right. Taking a known land based diesel and converting it to a known marine type is simple parts swapping. Converting a land based diesel that has no marine cousin is likely to be a PITA.

If you were to put a 616 into a sailboat it would have to be a fairly decent sized boat. IIRC, 616's are 67hp or so? That is plenty for a 50+foot sailboat. I have a 32hp Universal in my 38 foot sailboat and thats quite enough.

RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Sure the block is the same maybe the heads, everything else is different.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

They used the B18 engine pretty successfully in small craft, no?

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

It's already been done with the 616/617 by a Italian company if I remember correctly on a wide scale for quite some time. I can't recall the name of the company off the top of my head, but it was successful and reliable. Nothing wrong with putting a thru-hull in and using a heat exchanger instead of a radiator- just make sure the heat exchanger is large enough, and of course you'll need to power some water thru the heat exchanger by a pump- belt driven prefered. Use a "ricer" K&N type filter- as there is very little dust in a marine environment and that is the standard filter anyways for less than 1400HP marine diesel engines. Do some checking and we'll find the name of the company... it's not a common name, but give me a day or two and I'll find it.

Folks,

Amoung other things, when I first retired I lived aboard an old Hunter at the Mobile Yacht Club, and the Bear Point Marina in Orange Beach, AL!!

A sailboat makes a far larger hole in your wallet than does a home on the land. Trust me.....I know from experience....

I lived the life of Riley for a few years, until my daughter got old enough to need the stateroom...and I slept on a 1/4 berth for a summer. I then purchased a house a coupla blocks from the marina.....was really hard to do both!!! The house did appreciate in value, big time!!! The sailboat depreciated in value...at a far slower rate than the house appreciated....but depreciation is a factor when living on a sailboat.

As far as re-engining a sailboat......there are a lot of factors involved.....a typical marine cooling system uses a belt driven "raw water" pump to circulate water thru a heat exchanger and then to the exhaust system, to overboard. The heat exchanger has coolant on the engine side.....circulating via the engine's cooling water pump....and an expansion tank located a bit higher than the "entire" cooling system.....

Personally, I would use a non-turbo engine.....if you chose to follow this route.

It may be a good idea if you intend to sail to Africa and/or the Middle East....there are lots of old Benzes in those areas for spare parts if necessary....perhaps a 616 engine from a 240D would be the best choice...67HP should be plenty....

Also, when designing your cooling system......try to run your hot coolant thru a water heater.....so that you can take a shower after a hard day of "motoring" thru the inland waterway.......

Been there....
SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Nanni is the company name, I just did a google on "mercedes marine engines"... I found quite a bit. They no longer produce the 61X version, but they did.

How well does a gasser turbocharged engine work for boat duty? I'm not enough of a boater to really get a feel for the various choices, but I'm wondering because it's hard, say, to build much boost in 1st in most cars, but easy in 5th.

Reason why I ask- was out on the BIL's 18 ft I/O with Chevy Vortec V6 power. Saw that the motor was around 4500-5000 revs when running at a good clip.

Saw a '70s vintage speedboat, the kind which usually has a big V8 inboard, rumble by on the water. Know where a similar one could be had for very cheap.

Have an Audi 5 cylinder turbo motor, complete, sitting under my workbench. These motors can stomp any GM V6 short of a Buick GN on land. Got to thinking about how much power one could make with a cold-water liquid intercooler.

that 5 cylinder/K26 scream thru straight pipes would just be bizarre on the lake, eh?

VERY well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgBc0o73CyM

Mercs new outboards are supercharged.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2063552875566283163&q=gar+wood&hl=en

There is an odd one for ya, you RX7 guys should recognize this...

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Thanks! Just what my inner mad scientist needed!

(Going to the garage to start thinking out the cold-water intercooler now...)