Diesel Outboards

These LHD series diesel outboards are still my preferred option for a get home engine.

Klaxon Diesel Outboards Features

Also, quite a nice explanation of prop pitch and rake.

So how would one (in the US) go about acquiring one? is there a practical way?

Man those things are loud and crude!!! Watch the vids. That is some primitive stuff.

eseyoung said:

So how would one (in the US) go about acquiring one? is there a practical way?

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These motors do not comply with the US or EU emissions regs.

In the UK you can ship to the Channel Islands, then re- route to the UK or collect; you will have to pay purchase tax (vat) if you don't have a receipt even if it's classified as second hand when you import it into the uk.

Guess: ship to the Bahamas or Mexico for collection?


Here's a thread about the Runson diesel OB, same make: but there's an ominous silence........http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/outboards/diesel-outboard-50245.html

I agree with the "loud and crude" comment. No way I would have one of those on my boat. My 40hp Merc on my Whaler is so quiet you can't hear it idle. At WOT it's noisier, but nowhere near what that 40hp was in the video.

Mama would not be happy with that motor and you know what they say about Mama not being happy.

Rustybarge said:

Guess: ship to the Bahamas or Mexico for collection?


Here's a thread about the Runson diesel OB, same make: but there's an ominous silence........http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/outboards/diesel-outboard-50245.html

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That's what'd I'd do.

Loud and crude yes but that also means as simple and durable as a hammer.

eseyoung said:

Loud and crude yes but that also means as simple and durable as a hammer.

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My worry is that the engine is made from an exotic alloy, hence it only weighs 120kg which is the same as a 40hp Merc!!!

Never say exotic alloys and China in the same sentence.

Wxx3 said:

These LHD series diesel outboards are still my preferred option for a get home engine.

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I'm not replacing my dingy outboard. This would be an emergency diesel, stored in the ER until needed.

How about an Evinrude ETEC Multifuel 30 hp? From their website:
"The first outboard engine ever that's capable of running on multiple fuel types, including kerosene, JP-4, JP-5, JP-8, Jet A and Jet B as well as standard gasoline."

High Wire said:

How about an Evinrude ETEC Multifuel 30 hp? From their website:
"The first outboard engine ever that's capable of running on multiple fuel types, including kerosene, JP-4, JP-5, JP-8, Jet A and Jet B as well as standard gasoline."

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Good idea...
But Which marinas stock these fuels?
You would need separate tanks to store the fuel....

High Wire said:

How about an Evinrude ETEC Multifuel 30 hp? From their website:
"The first outboard engine ever that's capable of running on multiple fuel types, including kerosene, JP-4, JP-5, JP-8, Jet A and Jet B as well as standard gasoline."

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But not capable of running on diesel?

Wxx3 said:

I'm not replacing my dingy outboard. This would be an emergency diesel, stored in the ER until needed.

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Not to be funny, but you're just thinking of a get home engine now?

Larry M said:

Not to be funny, but you're just thinking of a get home engine now?

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Oh yeah you're tying to be cute...but I can enjoy the thought too....

How in the world is anyone going to manhandle even with hoists etc....going to get a 264 pound outboard mounted at sea?

Sure it could be done...but I'll vote for almost anything else permanently mounted and in the long run may not be that much more expensive. If you could add options like a crash pump...it could be way more useful than a diesel outboard in a precarious place susceptible to breaking seas.

psneeld said:

Oh yeah you're tying to be cute...but I can enjoy the thought too....

How in the world is anyone going to manhandle even with hoists etc....going to get a 264 pound outboard mounted at sea?

Sure it could be done...but I'll vote for almost anything else permanently mounted and in the long run may not be that much more expensive. If you could add options like a crash pump...it could be way more useful than a diesel outboard in a precarious place susceptible to breaking seas.

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..on an extended jacking plate?

If you've ever heard a klaxon go off near you, you probably know how it got its name.

I love the sound of a klaxon horn, but not constantly.


The best part of buying fuel at the Vallejo Municipal Marina is sounding their klaxon to call the attendant. Oooga, oooga, oooga; dive, dive, dive.

Due to the demands of a common fuel for UAV and other vehicles by the military , the diesel FUELED outboard will be here soon enough.

IT will burn diesel fuel common rail, direct injection BUT it will have spark , not compression ignition.

This makes the engine no heavier than todays similar outboards but way more complex than a hammer.

The big hassle may be the Air Police demanding urea exhaust treatment.

Larry M said:

Not to be funny, but you're just thinking of a get home engine now?

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Don't I need it to get home?

Oh, you're right; I don't.

Kerosene, and JP-4,5 burn fine in a diesel engine. I have burned thousands of gallons of 'Jet Fuel" in DD and Cummins engines.

Mark - it's two repetitions for "Dive" and three repetitions for "Surface"

correct me if i am wrong on this:

Jet A and JP5 are the same and, with the exception of some quality control aspects, the same as Kerosene(number 1 fuel oil). Which is a lighter distillate than number 2 fuel oil (diesel).

Diesel on and off road are now the same (less the dye) and home heating oil is the exact same as off road (dyed) diesel.

Be sure to stay away from Jet B...which is a kero-gasoline blend...that would be bad news for a piston engine.

With some added lubrication number one oil can be safely used in diesel engines...especially older mechanical ones. In newer common rail applications where fuel pressure can reach 30,000PSI i would be a bit more suspect of making a habit of using 100% number 1. but i don't see why it couldn't be mixed in with either bio or dino diesel.

Just for fun I contacted Klaxon, and the price for their LHD9 (9hp) is $854.00 US.

SCOTTEDAVIS said:

Kerosene, and JP-4,5 burn fine in a diesel engine. I have burned thousands of gallons of 'Jet Fuel" in DD and Cummins engines.

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We had a grey fergie tractor at home (Massey ferguson) that ran on TVO; you started it on petrol, then switched to TVO (tractor vaporising oil) when it was hot. It's a mixture of diesel and petrol: sort of!

Irrc it was a standard petrol engine running at about 8/1 comp with spark plugs.

Ski in NC said:

But not capable of running on diesel?

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At least not in the US. I remember my BRP tech showing me pictures of a V6 model that did but only sold outside the US.

MurrayM said:

Just for fun I contacted Klaxon, and the price for their LHD9 (9hp) is $854.00 US.

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At that price it has to be worth a bit of a gamble!

I liked the smaller engines that looked like a standard slow running diesel pump engine; no hi-tech alloys.

The bigger 40hp model looks like a different kettle of fish!

In the specs it is described as air cooled. Probably a Yanmar clone mounted on what looks like a Tohatsu chassis clone. Basically a lawnmower engine with a diesel injector. Reliable? Who knows.

In older engines , as a get home ,the kerosene stove fuel could be burned IF a quart of lube oil was added to 5gal of kero .

FF said:

In older engines , as a get home ,the kerosene stove fuel could be burned IF a quart of lube oil was added to 5gal of kero .

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That's what I heard too; it's the lubrication of the injector pump that's the problem.

Older diesels, (not HPCR or emission or computer controlled injector) engines are remarkably tolerant to most any low volatility fuel including,

Diesel # 1, #2, #3, ULSD Bio-Diesel from B5-B100.
Civilian jet fuel, Jet A1, Jet A and Jet B
Military jet fuel, JP-4, JP-5
Kerosene
Home heating oil
*SVO (straight vegetable oil)

Some issues exist with SVO and Bio such as growth of critters, and gelling.

*SVO requires a heat sourse to heat the fuel as it goes to the engine to safely use this fuel, starting on SVO is mostly impossible and the engine needs to be started on diesel until heat is present before switching over.

2 cycle outboard oil is a great, inexpensive and easy to find lubricant that will restore needed lucubration to ULSD and is designed to burn with no ash or carbon buildup. I add 8oz to every 10 gallons of ULSD in all my diesel fuel engines.