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Old 08-15-2012, 03:25 PM   #46
Marin
Scraping Paint
 
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickB View Post

So, the bottom line is that engine can be operated 24/7 at 2500 rpm as long as the power extracted doesn't exceed 114.5hp.
Our manual has similar wording. But nowhere does it define how long the engine will run in hours at its continuous rating. 1,000 hours? 5,000 hours? 10,000 hours? More?

Considering everything will be running at near its maximum temperatures and pressures, is the manual saying my engine will run forever at that rpm and load? Will it run 20,000 hours? Are they saying there is no more wear and stress on the engine components at 2500 rpm as there is at 1500 rpm? Or 1650 rpm which is where we choose to operate them?

If there is no value in running an engine at anything less than maximum continuous rpm (other than fuel burn, and in the 1950s when this engine came out fuel cost was not an issue) then why isn't everyone running the engines in their boats at maximum continuous rpm all day, every day? Because the theory seems to be saying that in the case of the FL120, we'll get the same 14,000 hour life out of the engines running at a continuous 2500 rpm at maximum load as we will at 1500 rpm.

Reality doesn't seem to bear that out and reality is the only thing I'm interested in.
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