Ford Lehman Diesel
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. K. IF it has been properly serviced it's still quite viable. Anecdotal comments have stated anywhere from 12K to 15K hours before a rebuild. We have about 4.5K hours on ours and I expect they will outlive me.
Mr. K. IF it has been properly serviced it's still quite viable. Anecdotal comments have stated anywhere from 12K to 15K hours before a rebuild. We have about 4.5K hours on ours and I expect they will outlive me.
You should look for a very good engine surveyor. Did the 6100 hours get put on the engine in 5 years or 35 years? Most marine engines on recreational boats have problems from years of age not too many hours of use.
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. M. 6500 hrs is indeed relevant to the purchase for both Mr. Tucker's time "loading" reason and my maintenance reason.
Mr. M. 6500 hrs is indeed relevant to the purchase for both Mr. Tucker's time "loading" reason and my maintenance reason.
markpierce
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Last week spoke with my engine mechanic (who has done annual maintenance on the engine from the beginning). He said he liked my well-running JD4045. "Yes," I said,, "it doesn't vibrate the boat at idle speed compared to other boats I've been on." His response: "Lehmans shake at idle." 
No doubt he liked the serviceability although I'd bet that has a lot to do with ease of access (with battery boxes providing seating).
No doubt he liked the serviceability although I'd bet that has a lot to do with ease of access (with battery boxes providing seating).
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Mule
Guru
RT, for once we disagree. 6500 hours with proper maintance is less than 1/2 life. A mechanical survey is in order but an engine, the same age with 1800 hours could be a wreck ready for a major while the 6500 hr engine is in great health.
Maintance, Marianne, maintance counts far, far more than hours, within reason than hours. 6500 hours is within reason. I have 2800 hours on my FL 135 super, and the maintance records indicate excellent maintain economic but at 6500 hours I would not blink if all checked out.
Maintance, Marianne, maintance counts far, far more than hours, within reason than hours. 6500 hours is within reason. I have 2800 hours on my FL 135 super, and the maintance records indicate excellent maintain economic but at 6500 hours I would not blink if all checked out.
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RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. M. Re-read post #2 " IF it has been properly serviced..." IF
Mr. M. Re-read post #2 " IF it has been properly serviced..." IF
BruceK
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Get it checked. At 6500 it is going to have some wear, question is, how much and is something wrong or heading that way. You won`t know enough of its history,if it`s running nicely it`s probably ok, but get it properly checked.
markpierce
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Noted, and please reread my previous post.
Edit: Sorry, now see you were responding to Mule's post.
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Right rudder
Veteran Member
Mark,
There is a little warrior guarding your engine....he is standing upon the red rag with a spear and a shield in hand........that is, until I enlarged the picture and he turned into a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Magic !!
There is a little warrior guarding your engine....he is standing upon the red rag with a spear and a shield in hand........that is, until I enlarged the picture and he turned into a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Magic !!
To offer a little different take on your question: the core of marine recreational engines rarely wear out. That is their bearings don't wear and cause the oil pressure to be chronically low or the rings wear and burn lots of oil.
They die from neglect, lack of maintenance and the ravages of the marine environment. The stuff that was added to make it a marine engine is what really goes before the core engine wears out. These are the exhaust manifold, raw water injection elbow, raw water pump, raw water heat exchanger, etc.
On a Lehman or its sister the Perkins 6.354 some of these items are somewhat difficult to find, are costly and sometimes faced with the compromises of replacing a broken marine part with a used marine part you just say: f*&^-it and repower the boat with a new engine.
FWIW the John Deere 4045 engine on Mark's boat (pictures above) would be a good replacement for an abused Lehman. The JD costs about $20K plus installation.
David
They die from neglect, lack of maintenance and the ravages of the marine environment. The stuff that was added to make it a marine engine is what really goes before the core engine wears out. These are the exhaust manifold, raw water injection elbow, raw water pump, raw water heat exchanger, etc.
On a Lehman or its sister the Perkins 6.354 some of these items are somewhat difficult to find, are costly and sometimes faced with the compromises of replacing a broken marine part with a used marine part you just say: f*&^-it and repower the boat with a new engine.
FWIW the John Deere 4045 engine on Mark's boat (pictures above) would be a good replacement for an abused Lehman. The JD costs about $20K plus installation.
David
markpierce
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Either the mechanic left for a break, or we just missed seeing an angel attending the engine.
windmill29130
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Lehmans Rule! 
meridian
Guru
A series of oil analysis will give a very good indication of internal condition. If the current owner is not doing it, a single sample may or may not be a good indicator of condition.
This is a Blackstone report from last year on my Lehman.
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This is a perfect report for your 120 hp engine! Metals look fine for 247 hours of oil use, with wear metals holding steady or decreasing compared to the 2/03/14 report. Less wear on a longer oil change interval is an excellent indication that this engine is running well with no mechanical problems in the works. No contaminants were found in this oil, and the air and oil filters did a fine job of keeping silicon and insolubles under control. This engine's going strong at 6,650 total hours!
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This is a Blackstone report from last year on my Lehman.
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This is a perfect report for your 120 hp engine! Metals look fine for 247 hours of oil use, with wear metals holding steady or decreasing compared to the 2/03/14 report. Less wear on a longer oil change interval is an excellent indication that this engine is running well with no mechanical problems in the works. No contaminants were found in this oil, and the air and oil filters did a fine job of keeping silicon and insolubles under control. This engine's going strong at 6,650 total hours!
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