The Most Reliable Diesel Inboard - (moving up MAYBE)

[FWT]

Since I know nothing, I’ll jump in here.

The common rail engines are very reliable from what I’ve learned provided you provide them with clean fuel and clean electrical power.

I ended up replacing an engine due to my ignorance of the later. In short, keep your engine start battery pretty isolated from any outside interference and you will be fine.

My power requirements are a lot less than yours, but I’d sooner get rid of my turbo-charger than I would the electronically controlled engine.

Again, I know nothing and my experience is limited (outside of the small diesels in my sailboats) to the two Cummins 5.9L QSB engines that I’ve owned. Notice that is two engines that I’ve owned in my one single engine boat.

Dave, I'm not following you. What happened?

 

[Simi 60]

I personally disagree with the aversion to turbos and electronically controlled engines, actually preferring both. But your choice, your values.


.

Throws bucket of water over your electronics
Or gives you a lightening strike
Report back

Can electronic controlled engines even run without an alternator?

We had our alt not working for several months before we even knew , replaced it several months ago and disconnected it again a few months ago when noticing it was staying warm and magnetised after engine had been shut down for a couple of days

 

[rslifkin]

Throws bucket of water over your electronics
Or gives you a lightening strike
Report back

Can electronic controlled engines even run without an alternator?

We had our alt not working for several months before we even knew , replaced it several months ago and disconnected it again a few months ago when noticing it was staying warm and magnetised after engine had been shut down for a couple of days

It'll run without an alternator, but only until you run out of battery power to keep the electronics working. So losing an alternator is an issue, but as long as you can still feed it power in some form, it won't cripple you.

 

[ksanders]

I think the OP is focusing on the wrong thing here.

Focus on the boat you want, and then and only then look into the reputatiuon of the powerplant(s) in that boat.

Most diesels are pretty good as long as you keep up on the manufacture recommended service intervals.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I'll jump in here on the subjects of turbos and electronically controlled engines.

A lifetime on the water, 40+ yrs professional. Mechanically controlled engines with turbos with jacket water aftercoolers and properly maintained are very reliable. In all those years no turbo related failures. No governor or high pressure pump problems that resulted in a breakdown.

In recent years I've put a few thousand miles on electronically controlled engines and had 3 failures of the electronic systems. These were engines with good reputations, John Deere.

Two of the failures were low voltage but the error codes gave no indication that was the problem as we were dead in the water trouble shooting fuel problems because the error codes said water in the fuel and low fuel pressure.

The 3rd was never completely diagnosed. We were able to limp home at idle. The final resolution was a new ECU and harness before the engine would operate reliably.

It's damned near impossible to buy a modern engine that isn't electronically controlled. But I'll miss the older systems when they're gone.

 

[dhays]

Dave, I'm not following you. What happened?

The Cummins electronic engines are known to be picky about stray signals messing with the electronics. Balmar alternator charge controllers and Balmar Duo Charge DC to DC chargers are common culprits apparently.

In my case, a Duo Charge connected to the engine start battery created all kinds of havoc with the smooth running of the engine. Several Cummins mechanics weren’t able to trace it down and I spent a lot of money fixing what wasn’t broken. Eventually, a mechanic broke the engine when he put in new injectors.

I figured out what the problem was myself. Got rid of the Duo charge on the start engine and everything ran silky smooth. I got a new Reman engine paid for by the Cummins shop that broke my first engine.

So I’m only suggesting that the only thing that is connected your engines battery should be the engine. FWIW, charging the start battery with either an ACR or a Xantrex Echo Charger works just fine.

 

[ranger58sb]

Focus on the boat you want, and then and only then look into the reputatiuon of the powerplant(s) in that boat.

That would be the approach we'd use, too. In fact, did use, recently. Started with a clean sheet review of all boats compared against our list of desired features.

Only then did we consider engines... but that was mostly a non-issue... because only 2 boat models passed through the first review. One had electronic Volvo D12s (715-hp) and the other had either MAN mechanical 800-hp V8s (2005 model) or MAN electronic V8-900 CRMs (2006 and later models).

IOW, it wasn't like we had much choice, once we narrowed down our boat focus.

-Chris

 

[FF]

What ever you decide as an engine , first purchase "Da Book", the factory overhaul and repair manual.

It will usually be $150 or so , but if you want to know in advance what the maint cycle will be its the best advice.

 

[Hippocampus]

Newbie stupid question. For those who boat in high lightening strike areas like Florida are there any additions or changes you’ve made to protect your common rail engine(s)?

 

[mvweebles]

Newbie stupid question. For those who boat in high lightening strike areas like Florida are there any additions or changes you’ve made to protect your common rail engine(s)?

Good question. Perhaps one of the least discussed and least understood topics around - start a thread about anchors and it will run for pages. Start one on lightning protection and a few wonks will chime on and that's it.

Steve D has very good insights.

https://www.proboat.com/2016/04/3530/

Peter

 

[Blissboat]

Good question . . . start a thread about anchors and it will run for pages. Start one on lightning protection and a few wonks will chime on and that's it.
Peter

Anything to do with West Marine also seems to be good for a marathon thread.

 

[South of Heaven]

I had a 47' planing hull boat for a number of years with twin Cummins QSC 500hp engines. Turbo charged, after cooled, high pressure injection, and ECU, so evil in every possible way. They were fantastic engines and I wouldn't hesitate to have them again.

What planing boat did you have??