best engine for GB 42

[bcarli]

Hi
This maybe another "how long is a piece of string" question...but I wonder if there is a more desirable engine for a 42 then others. Our intent is to take it slow enjoy the ride. It seems to me from what I have read that you can not beat a Lehman 120....
thanks
bill

 

[Rusty]

My vote is for the Lehman 120. But I have no experience with any other engines so that may not have much value.

The Puget Sound Grand Banks rendezvous in is Roche Harbor next Thursday-Saturday. There will be about 75 boats there. You could swing by and talk to a few folks about their boats and engines.

 

[Ski in NC]

Post which engines you are finding in boats you are considering. Most of them will do fine in trawler speed service.

 

[Giggitoni]

Hi
This maybe another "how long is a piece of string" question...but I wonder if there is a more desirable engine for a 42 then others. Our intent is to take it slow enjoy the ride. It seems to me from what I have read that you can not beat a Lehman 120....
thanks
bill

The Lehman 120 is fine for the kind of cruising you plan to do. Other common engines found in GB42s are the Cat 3208na and the marine derivative of the Cummins 5.9. Both fine engines.

The important part is how the engines were serviced during their lifetimes. Any neglected engine could give you problems. The truth of the maintenance record is at the mercy of the seller! A one point oil sample, for example, can't be 100% trusted because it could have been sampled a short time after an oil change.

Look at the engine hours. It will be comforting to see about 150 hours per year on the engines.

We have the Cat 3208na engines in our GB42. We usually plug along at hull speed (95% of the time) of about 8.5 kts. In our case, we could get along with most any engine. But every once in a while I'll want to catch up to another boat or reach a destination a bit sooner. In that case we just push a wall of water and burn a lot of extra fuel, but we get "there" faster!

 

[Capt.Bill11]

It's hard to beat the Lehmans. The others mentioned are good engines as well. But the Lehmans give you not only a very long lasting, easy to work on engine with relatively inexpensive parts but also because of their size and being an inline 6, they give you the most room in the engine room of any of the common engines you find in a GB to work on them and the other systems found in there.

Now they can vibrate a bit based on their being an old school inline 6. But that can be tamed with the installation of softer engine mounts, isolation couplers and perhaps a heavier flywheel if you feel the need.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Unless more speed was desired two 80hp John Deer's would be great if the boat was mine. They are a 4 cyl w a balancing shaft but balancing shafts don't always make an engine smooth.

Perhaps it would be interesting to make up a "list" of engines that would be worse than a Lehman? I'd prefer the DD 4-53 w enough sound insulation.

But my favorite engine's are Isuzu and Mitsubishi. Done by Klassen.

 

[BandB]

The Cummins 210 hp do quite well. At 1800 rpm, about 10 knots and 4 gph for 2.5 nmpg. I'm sure even better at lower speeds.

 

[Tidahapah]

Couldn't go past a Gardner 6LX.
127 HP at 1500 RPM
Just about un stoppable
Cheers
Benn

 

[DavidM]

Well, I think that the OP was asking what is the best engine available on the market for GB 42s, not the BEST engine in the world for a GB 42.

AFAIK, the choices are the Lehman 120s (or 135), the NA Cat 3208s, the Cat 3126 420 hp (well, that engine is in a league by itself!!) or the Cummins 6BT 210.

My vote would be for the Cummins, hands down. Solid, big displacement turbocharged but not aftercooled (no maintenance) and slightly more efficient than the others.

But if you are talking about BEST, with no price constraint for a repower, the NA John Deere would get my vote although the Cummins is close.

David

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Well, I think that the OP was asking what is the best engine available on the market for GB 42s, not the BEST engine in the world for a GB 42.

Exactly. If you're going to repower there are a lot of good engines out there to choose from. But if you are just looking at what engines came commonly in GBs from the factory there are only a hand full or less to consider.

 

[BandB]

Exactly. If you're going to repower there are a lot of good engines out there to choose from. But if you are just looking at what engines came commonly in GBs from the factory there are only a hand full or less to consider.

And the Lehman's were in those models plus the Cummins 210 was the standard engine for many years. Both excellent options and the two most economical options I'm aware of being offered.

 

[Larry M]

I'd vote for the FL SP135. No oil to change in the injector pump, prettier valve cover and like the FL 120, parts are still available.

 

[Peter B]

In our part of the world, all boats which formally used Lehmans - like mine, e.g., are now powered almost exclusively with Cummins...

 

[bcarli]

I tried to send Rusty this private email but the web site said I was not "trusted" to send private emails so I thought I would post it here.
Thanks to all of you who responded..We are hoping that an older GB 42 is in our near future.


Hello Rusty
You were nice enough to respond to my forum question about the best engine for a Grand Banks 42. I looked up your web page and thought I would say hello. My wife and I have been sailors for over 30 years with a few off shore trips but now are looking at older GB 42's. We live in Friday Harbor so want to say if you are ever in town please drop us a line. Unfortunately I will be out of town this weekend for most of the Roche Harbor rendezvous but I will try to get there Thursday.
I see nothing wrong with buying an older GB...after 30 plus years of working on sailboats I don't think it will be to difficult...as a matter of fact I enjoy working on boats..
bill and chris carli
360-378-0302
p.s. if you know anybody interested in buying a whale watching business we are selling ours...here is a link
Whale Watching San Juan Islands

 

[CPseudonym]

I tried to send Rusty this private email but the web site said I was not "trusted" to send private emails so I thought I would post it here.


Whale Watching San Juan Islands

The reason you received that message is because of the link you included. Our forum uses an automated spam hunter software that denies members with less than 10 posts the ability to send links in our PM system. Email addresses also register as a link so the software rejects those too. It's an unfortunate security precaution that must be taken.

Anyone can send and receive private messages, regardless of post count. Links no longer set it off after the magic 10 number as the automated security software has then "learned" you are not a potential spammer.

Sorry for the inconvenience

 

[Forkliftt]

I'd vote for the FL SP135. No oil to change in the injector pump, prettier valve cover and like the FL 120, parts are still available.

Ditto here! The air cleaner box is a nice touch as well!


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Lehman 135 Twins

 

[Giggitoni]

I don't usually reply twice to an OP's question. But, from my observation, Grand Banks offered the following engines (most common):

Lehman FL120 and 135
Cat 3208na, 3208ta and 3116ta
Cummins 6BT 210

All kinds of engines have been utilized on replacements. I like Eric's idea of using small JDs or equivalent. The new boats are offering huge horsepower that push the vessel along at 22 plus kts., at a price!

By far the most common is the Lehman FL 120. Good luck!

 

[FlyWright]

Only 2 more posts, Bill. You're almost there!!

 

[Nomad Willy]

I'm not recommending Marine Engine R______ "MER" in Seattle but they offered/offer a JD setup that was engineered to be a shoe-in replacement for the Lehman. As I recall it was a 135hp turbo engine but the 80hp NA should be just the same.

Klassen Engines (I prefer them) in Ballard (Seattle) has Iveco, Isuzu and Mitsubishi engines at lower prices than the high end stuff and available w their steel exhaust manifold. I much prefer that manifold to any aluminum item. They have hundreds at least and perhaps thousands of them (engines (mostly Isuzu's in fish boats)) up and down the PNW coast and have been doing it since at least as far back as the early 70s. My engine is a Klassen Mitsubishi. Actually Klassen Engines is located just so of Vancouver BC. They have the shop in Seattle for US customers.

Ray there were some 6cyl JD engines in a few GBs. I've seen them on YW and they were claimed to be original equipment.