1982 42' Grand Banks

[Droptop555]

Hi all
Just purchased a 1982 Grand Banks in pretty good shape. It's some what unusual it has Johnson & Towers Detroit engines I think they call the fuel sippers.
Looks like they are Duramax 6.2L V8 marinized by J & T
If anyone has any information or knowledge of these engines it would he greatly appreciated

Thanks
John

[HopCar]

Welcome aboard John. Sorry can't help you with the engines. I'm sure there is someone on this forum who has experience with them.

[Marlinmike]

Not aware of J&T modifying that GM diesel, but I certainly could be wrong, I know this company below has been doing this for quite a while, never really took off, interesting choice for a Grand Banks:

Peninsular Engines

[Marin]

The engine you DON'T want is the marinized version of the GM V-8 diesel that was used in cars for a period (1980s?). From what I've learned from people who have them in boats or work on them, these are among the poorest marine diesels in the country. I have seen one GB that had this engine in it, but it was a re-engine to a 1960s vintage GB36 woody and the owner used this engine because he got it cheap.

You might want to make your inquiry on the Grand Banks owners forum Grand Banks Owner's Resources. It's likely that someone on that forum will know something about the engines you're describing, and if American Marine/Grand Banks ever installed these engines as standard. If the boat came with its original owners manual and these are the engines called out in it, then they're obviously original to the boat, although AM/GB has always tended to stick to the more common engines--- Cat, JD, Cummins, and in the early days Ford Lehman-- at least for the North American market. But they will do whatever a buyer or dealer tells them to do.

[Droptop555]

Thank you so much not sure what to do I purchased at a very reasonable price boat itself is in great shape teak deck needs some TLC but basically sound
No idea what to re power with or the cost

[Capt.Bill11]

Join and ask your question over on http://boatdiesel.com

You don't have DD 8-71s do you?

[Marin]

Originally Posted by Droptop555

No idea what to re power with or the cost

Do you need to re-power? If the boat's engines are sound, even if they are the less-desirable GM diesel I mentioned, use them until you need to re-power, if you ever even to in the time you have the boat.

If you actually do need to re-power now, before you can start using the boat, then I suggest talking to a diesel shop or yard that is very experienced in the re-powering of Grand Banks boats.

If you want some experienced on-line advice on this topic, I suggest you contact Bob Lowe on the Grand Banks owner's forum at the link I posted. Another excellent person to ask is Mike Negley on the other Grand Banks forum, at GB Beacon | Home for Grand Banks enthusiasts across the globe.

Between the two of them, there is not much else on the planet about GBs to know.

[Marlinmike]

Post some pictures of them, they had the 8.2 in that era as well, for trawler purposes they would be fine. Did the surveyor list what they were?

[Droptop555]

I haven't sea trailed the boat did a land survey only when we where in the middle of this we had a serious medical emergency so I just paid for the boat
Things are just settling down so while I'm in the hospital sitting I wanted to get some research done
Engines might be ok but wanted to get an idea before I put a lot more money in her to find out that the engines would stop me from selling her when the time came
When I get back home I will take pictures and get the model and serial numbers off the engines or the survey
Thanks so much for your patience and help
John

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Marlinmike

y good enginePost some pictures of them, they had the 8.2 in that era as well, for trawler purposes they would be fine. Did the surveyor list what they were?

I have never heard of a 6.2 Detroit v8, much less in a boat. If you have 8.2 that is as Marlin said, OK. Pretty good engine, ain't no John Deer but still OK. There is a lot I have not heard of though. Hope it is the 8.2.

[Marin]

The basic problem with the GM V-8 car diesel that I referred to earlier (I don't know the displacement) is that it was created from a gasoline engine. According to the engine folks I have heard talk about this engine, this was the wrong way to go. The higher compression ratio of the diesel version was simply too much for the block and head, and over time the engine begins to fail in a variety of interesting ways. As I recall it was used in things like Cadillacs and Buicks and was an attempt to get better mileage from the big, heavy cars of the day.

So it was a bad concept to begin with.

Then somebody (I don't know who, perhaps GM themselves?) decided to marinize it. I have no idea how good or bad the marinization kit was. The problems I heard about the marine version of the engine were the same as I'd heard about with the vehicle version of the engine--- early failures due to the original design not holding up under the pressures of a diesel.

Other companies, like Land Rover, went the other way and created a gasoline engine from an existing diesel engine. This worked great because the gasoline engine benefited from the very robust design of the diesel engine. In the case of Land Rover, this was done so they only needed one engine assembly line instead of two.

But even if the boat in question has this iffy marinized car diesel in it, if the engines are currently sound and run well, there's little point in changing them out prematurely in my opinion. Run them until they don't and then deal with it. That could turn out to be many years of trouble-free use.

[Droptop555]

Hey Marlin
Thank you for your reply
I've read the same things about the poor engine stats
It seems this was marinized by Johnson And Towers (stickers on engine) they did many of the Detroits 6 & 8 V series
These engines are 165 hp which where used for the military hum vees etc I know they boosted the HP from 135 to 165 but not sure if they beefed up the struchter of the engine probably not though
The engines in the boat have 2600 hours I'm so torn on doing what you suggest and just run them and deal later if need be or take the plunge before I do all the cosmetic work and get it done.
My plan is to call J&T and see what there take is and try and get an idea on replacement cost
John

[Moonstruck]

It it is a fuel pincher Detroit it is a different animal from the 6.2 litre. They were four stroke 8.2 litre engines designed for the mid-range trucks. The mass market never really materialized, and it was discontinued.

[Droptop555]

Also on as I can get the engine model and serial numbers I maybe able to tell for sure that they are the fuel pincher

Thanks Mmonstruck

[Marlinmike]

Wouldn't be surprised if they are the 6v53 2 stroke series, yes a call to J&T would get you all the details you need.

[Moonstruck]

Pretty easy to tell a 6v53. They don't call 'em screaming Jimmys for nothing.

[siestakey]

Drop top post some pictures of your new gal

[Droptop555]

Will do still in the hospital so maybe sometime but will follow through when I'm out and about
This board and especially you guys are awesome

[siestakey]

Drop5

recover soon