Anyone have Lehman SP355?

[Adopo]

Looking at a boat with these, I think around 4000 hours? How are parts and reliability? Thanks

Lehman SpecSheet - SP355 Super (Ford BSD 678) - everythingaboutboats.org

Four page Lehman Super 355 Factsheet that details the engine’s Technical Specifications, Features, Accessories, Marine Gears and includes Installation Drawings with Dimensions, Power Curves, Torque Curves, and Fuel Consumption Chart. Lehman Manufacturing Company THEN Return back to this page and...

everythingaboutboats.org

I had no idea Lehman has been out of business since 1993. I know the smaller engines have been almost legendary in the GBs.

"When Ford succeeded these models with the slightly larger "parent bore" diesel engines beginning in November of 1969, Lehman began marinizing them into the Lehman 80 and Lehman 120 which Lehman very successful marketed to boatbuilders worldwide. Lehman marinized several later Ford based models including the popular Lehman 90 Super and Lehman 135 Super before going out of business in 1993 as engine emissions became more restricted."

 

[rslifkin]

I've never seen the Ford 7.8 in a boat before, but from what I know the land based version of that engine has a generally decent reputation. No idea about parts availability though.

 

[DavidM]

In twenty years of following Trawlerform and about half that much on boatdiesel, I have never heard of that engine.

You might try to find some info on boatdiesel’s engine database, but it would require joining and paying their membership fee.

I would be very leery of this engine, mostly because I know nothing about it -.

David

 

[twistedtree]

I woudl check with American Diesel and see if they deal with that engine, especially re parts availability. It does seem like a very rare beast. Personally, I would arrive at an offer price that provides room for a possible repower with a Deere or Cummins, including a new gear. The Lehman may run fine for years, but you could also be one failure away from an unrepairable engine because parts aren't available.

 

[Adopo]

Thanks guys, I'll check AD and boatdiesel. The Lehman Ford Experts

 

[Adopo]

Well, that call to America Diesel was worthwhile. Basically, if I want the boat, be prepared to re-power at some point as they only made 120 or so of these engines and most went into tugs. Why the 355s were put in the 49, I don't know. Much more power than originally put in the 49 as well, I wonder why they chose this engine? Looks like it happened around the mid nineties.

 

[DavidM]

Don’t automatically assume you will be repowering in the near future.

First get a good marine diesel mechanic to thoroughly vet the engines.

Then if you do buy it and something serious happens down the line, there are many things you can do, even without OEM replacement parts, rebuilding the turbines being one. Even the marine parts like coolers and manifolds can be replaced with a similar generic part or fabricated from scratch.

But don’t pay the same price as if it had something like the ubiquitous Cummins 6BT(A)s. I would want a discount of at least $10,000 per engine off of that price.

David