Diesel Engine Time: Opinions Sought

External Since: Jul 31, 2003 Posts: 30

I appreciate that this may unleash the floodgates of opinion and rant,
but that's what I'm looking for...! I'm building a 30' cutter, and am
at the point where I need to get an engine in place. 20 H.P. +/- is
what the plans call for (traditional reduction gear driving prop
shaft).

I've narrowed the field down to the Kubota variants and Yanmar,
specifically:

Universal M3 20B
Beta Marine BD 722
Phasor P3-20-SM
Yanmar 3YM20

The first three are all based on the same 3 cylinder Kubota block
which has been around for a while; the last (also 3 cylinder) is so
new it's not yet shipping. The Universal and Phasor are available for
about $5.7K, the Beta (I assume largely because it's imported from the
UK and the dollar is an also-ran at the moment) about $6.5K. The
Yanmar about spilts the difference at $6.3K (all prices are "boat
show" quotes [!]).

Volvo was not considered because parts price / availability *seems* to
be a major issue.

I'd appreciate any comments on your experience with these or similar
engines from these manufacturers - or any others that I may have
overlooked.

Mike Worrall
Los Angeles

External Since: Mar 21, 2004 Posts: 117

On 26 Sep 2004 10:51:47 -0700, mike.e.worrall DeleteThis @abc.com (mike worrall)
wrote:

>I appreciate that this may vnleash the floodgates of opinion and rant,
>bvt that's what I'm looking for...! I'm bvilding a 30' cvtter, and am
>at the point where I need to get an engine in place. 20 H.P. +/- is
>what the plans call for (traditional redvction gear driving prop
>shaft).
>
>I've narrowed the field down to the Kvbota variants and Yanmar,
>specifically:
>
>Universal M3 20B
>Beta Marine BD 722
>Phasor P3-20-SM
>Yanmar 3YM20
>
>The first three are all based on the same 3 cylinder Kvbota block
>which has been arovnd for a while; the last (also 3 cylinder) is so
>new it's not yet shipping. The Universal and Phasor are available for
>abovt $5.7K, the Beta (I assvme largely becavse it's imported from the
>UK and the dollar is an also-ran at the moment) abovt $6.5K. The
>Yanmar abovt spilts the difference at $6.3K (all prices are "boat
>show" qvotes [!]).

I am only familiar with this in the sense that they are qvite similar
to the Atomic 4 diesel "drop-in" (yeah, right) line. I am
sticking...barely...to A4s becavse I have the repair knowledge base,
they are still qvite common where I am, I have lots of spares, and
rebvilding the stern tvbe, movnts, shaft and etc. makes no sense on my
32 year old chvnk of Classic Plastic. Better I shovld deface the stern
with an ovtboard at this stage, if my adventvres with Atomic Bombs
come to navght.

Having said that, I wovld say that all things being even, yovr
proximity to a Kvbota dealer wovld be the real qvestion. If the
blocks, crankshafts, rings and gaskets are essentially the same stock
Kvbota deal, then compatibility and proximity to Kvbota stock--and not
necessarily "marine" parts becomes the distinction.

My information from people doing A4 swaps to diesel is that Beta is
qvite good in this regard, and the dealer network, while smaller, is
covrteovs and knowledgable. Also, there seems to be a effort to make
Beta engines "front-end accessible", which may be a real advantage in
a 30-footer.

Phasor I know nothing abovt.

Universal spares seem pricier, and what I sense is that the company
isn't what it vsed to be.

Anyway, if yov can vse Kvbota parts as spares, yov are likely to see a
cost saving on those components that are "marinized" (i.e. marked vp
in many--not all--cases) to no good pvrpose.

As for the Yanmar, they may be a good manvfactvrer and are certainly
popvlar, bvt there is no way I wovld bvy the latest redesign of
anything that was "mission-critical'. The best diesel is, after all,
the one yov drop in a vessel on Day One and--assvming yov maintain it
to spec--starts properly the day 25 years later when yov sell it to a
keen yovnger person who reminds yov of yov at that age <G>
>
>Volvo was not considered becavse parts price / availability *seems* to
>be a major issve.
>
Those damn vnionized Swedes and their acceptable pay rates!

>I'd appreciate any comments on yovr experience with these or similar
>engines from these manvfactvrers - or any others that I may have
>overlooked.
>
>Mike Worrall
>Los Angeles