Sundowner Tug 30 Engine Type

[PeterArronGuest]

I am buying a 1985 Sundowner Tug 30 (Heron). I had Heron surveyed, and the engine model was listed as a Yanmar; Model 4PHM-TE. I can't find any such engine listed. Does anyone know what Model I have? I'd like to purchase maintenance and parts manuals. Thanks Peter

 

[Frosty]

Don't take this as definitive, but maybe just as something to use to search further.

Okay, with that preamble, I did some research on what I think might be the same engine (different boat) and from what I could gather this is an "industrial" Yanmar. I found a few threads and apparently marine Yanmar people are not familiar with it. (IIRC it might have been blue.)

That's not to say it's not a good engine, but if it's the one I researched, you might want to prepare to have a bit of an oddball when it comes to getting parts (or maybe you have to look for them outside marine channels).

It's possible I'm all wrong on your specific engine, so if someone in the know gives you different information, go with what they say. If not, maybe this gives you a basis for further exploration. The ones I saw were in mid- to late-80's boats.

(I ultimately decided to try to find something that was a bit more mainstream, so at that point I stopped looking into it.)

 

[High Wire]

Welcome aboard!
Try Boatdiesel.com. They have listings of old Yanmar engines.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. +1 on the BoatDiesel site. I think it costs about $25 per year but it has tons of diesel info. We will need photos of the new boat... BTW, congrats on your new boat.

 

[Nomad Willy]

The Yanmar JH series is a great engine.
Get boat and engine surveyed and all’s well if all’s well.

 

[Frosty]

the engine model was listed as a Yanmar 4PHM-TE.

The Yanmar JH series is a great engine.
Get boat and engine surveyed and all’s well if all’s well.

Do you have some information that the 4PM is actually a JH though? I didn't see that when I was researching it. What I saw was that the PH was an "industrial" engine (painted blue not the usual marine Yanmar silver).

 

[Frosty]

Okay, I knew that one of the threads I had found on what I think is that same engine family was here on TF.

Finally found it again.

This was about a 6PHM-TE but I think that should be the same "line" as the 4PHM-TE. Further down in the thread are some photos of the blue 6PHM Yanmar.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s6/yanmar-not-2788.html

PS: Nomad Willy it was you who started the thread on the 6PHM.

 

[PeterArronGuest]

Heron

I have contacted the Yanmar industrial engine folks for info on a 4PHM-TE that is painted blue. I'll let you all know what I find. Thanks All, Peter

 

[PeterArronGuest]

Thanks again to all for your input. Peter

 

[SteveK]

4PHM-TE does not come up

YNM10-028 6PHM-TE Diesel engine YANMAR 6PHM-TE Service manual

YNM10-019 4PHME Diesel engine YANMAR 4PHME Operation and maintenance manual

go here for manual
Boat diesel

 

[Nomad Willy]

Sorry,
I thought we were dealing w a 4JH engine.

Yes I remember looking at that 6cyl in a Nordic Tug. The owner said it had lots of power. But on Boat Diesel ... nothing. Went to at least one distributor .. took them 15-20 minutes before they could find somebody that had heard of one of these Yanmar 6’s.

I think that engine was a good engine but SOL on parts.
The OP should pass.

 

[SteveK]

Eric the 4 stands for 4cyl and 6 is 6 cyl see post 10

 

[Nomad Willy]

Thanks Soo,
Other that my trying to buy (I passed) the NT w the 6cyl I only have experiences w the 4’s.

Had a 3-HM 34f for 6 years and was flawless except for a small coolant leak. There was also a harmonic vibration I never did get figured out. But that was most likely a problem w the boat hull .. not an engine problem .. IMO.

I would’a bought that NT for sure if the Yanmar was supporting that engine. For that matter I’d have bought a NT32 w the 55hp JH Na but ...

 

[Ignatius7]

I have contacted the Yanmar industrial engine folks for info on a 4PHM-TE that is painted blue. I'll let you all know what I find. Thanks All, Peter

Hi Peter, I'm just now reading this thread and am curious what you came up with regarding the Yanmar engine? Did you get the Heron?

 

[PeterArronGuest]

Hi Peter, I'm just now reading this thread and am curious what you came up with regarding the Yanmar engine? Did you get the Heron?

Hi Ignatius; This engine was a Yanmar industrial engine that was repurposed for marine use. I bought the boat, and fortunately the previous owner had all the original manuals for it (parts, maintenance, ect). Some of the parts have different numbers now, but apparently it's easy to cross-reference to the new numbers.

 

[Storrar]

Hi Peter,
Did you buy the sundowner 30 with the yanmar engine? If so, are you happy with the amount of power
Bob
Washington state

 

[C lectric]

My BIL had one , the 30'. It had a Pathfinder 50HP diesel by Volkswagen.
He changed it to a 100 HP Yanmar. NO idea of model.

When he started digging around there are other engines used in addition to the Pathfinders.

 

[Storrar]

Got it.
In other words, the 50hp may have been a bit on the small side if he chose a100hp replacement

Thanks for your response. It’ll help a bunch
Bob