Marine Engine Blog and discussion

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According to recent Industry (IBI) news, California-based Platinum Equity, the stalking-horse bidder in the Genmar assets auction, acquired the lion’s share of the company on Friday for a sum of $70M. After originally submitting a bid of US$55m for a portion of Genmar’s assets they emerged from the bankruptcy auction with even more than originally planned.

The auction took place all day Thursday and five hours on Friday.

Former Genmar chairman Irwin Jacobs told IBI magazine that Platinum Equity purchased all the assets except the Carver and Marquis brands, which he acquired separately with business partner John Paul DeJoria for US$6m.

Jacobs says he has made an agreement with Platinum Equity to purchase several other Genmar brands and facilities after the deal is approved by the court, He also added that he doesn’t expect Platinum Equity to shut down any brands.

“These people will do an incredible job,” said Jacobs.  I think every factory and dealer will be happy with them.”

The brands that Platinum Equity will own, following the bankruptcy court’s approval, include Four Winns, Ranger, Triumph, Seaswirl, Champion, Stratos, FinCraft, Larson, Wellcraft, and Glastron.

Mr Jacobs’ new company will be called J&D LLC and intends to purchase the Larson, Fincraft and Seaswirl brands as well as rights to VEC technology and the VEC factory in Minnesota. He would also like to purchase the Triumph brand and its production facility in North Carolina.

The new company will not have a corporate structure like Genmar, but will let the brands and factories manage themselves under a “profit-loss” system. “We’re discontinuing all corporate overhead and going back to the old way of doing business,” said Jacobs. “I’ve complained about other companies that didn’t do a good job of managing their businesses, but we were guilty, too.”

Jacobs said he would keep “core” management at Carver, Marquis, and the other brands he acquires. Jacobs’ new partner, John Paul Jones DeJoria, is a self-made billionaire from Los Angeles, who owns John Paul Mitchell Systems and has interests in a string of other companies that range from Ultimat Vodka to Sun King Solar. Forbes estimates he is worth US$4bn.

If the US federal bankruptcy court in Minneapolis gives final approval to the assets sale on Wednesday, Genmar will cease to exist as a corporate entity on January 20.

Technorati Tags: Bankruptcy, boats, Carver, Genmar, Glastron, Irwin Jacobs, Larson, Wellcraft

It seems the US economic downturn is affecting everyone in the marine industry, according to latest marine industry news, Mercury Marine’s MerCruiser division announced last friday that it will lay off 68  employees.

The company says this is due to higher fuel prices, and and escalating living expenses which had resulted “in a weakened consumer ability to purchase discretionary products”.

this followed 130 hourly job cuts at the end of June.

A Mercury spokesman said that the Stillwater plant had 445 hourly employees and “fewer than 200″ salaried employees. That was down from the end of 2005, when MerCruiser had a workforce of 1,050 people.

“Like many companies in the marine industry, MerCruiser continues to monitor and respond to the ongoing economic challenges facing the market,” said Friday’s press release. “In light of the decline in retail boat sales, MerCruiser is realigning its workforce and reducing engine production levels to match demand.”

Technorati Tags: economic downturn, Mercruiser, Mercury, Recession

Whilst there can be no doubt that Diesel as a fuel is less explosive than Petrol there is absolutely no problem in running petrol/gasoline powered inboard engines, as long as they are correctly maintained and all the necessary safety procedures are carried out.
    Problems generally arise as a result of poor maintenance, resulting in an explosion of fuel vapour in the bilges, often caused by leaking fuel lines, pumps or carburettors and ignited by a a spark from a bad starter terminal or battery lead.
    Petrol engines are much quieter than diesels and usually much cheaper to buy and maintain,  they are also generally much smaller in size for any given horsepower however Diesels are usually much more fuel efficient than petrols.
    Most smaller ski boats and sports cruisers lend themselves to being fitted with Gas/Petrol engines due to size constraints whereas most larger cruisers are better fitted with Diesel engines.  
    Sailing boats are almost always fitted with compact  diesel engines made by companies like Volvo Penta and Yanmar,  Petrol engines have never really taken off as  a sailboat installation option although many companies have tried to market them including Volvo Penta who modified a Honda Outboard powerhead and mated it to a saildrive.
    Boats fitted with Diesels cost more initially and almost always maintain higher resale values than Petrol boats due to the running costs, however there are many Petrol engined bargains to be had at the moment due to rising fuel prices etc and If you only use the boat for a few sundays each year the fuel costs are still insignificant relative to the value and other costs  so “You pays your money and makes your choice”

Technorati Tags: Diesel, engines, Gas, Marine, petrol

Drag boat motor 468 blown, not the most fuel efficient or environment friendly but beautiful and what a noise

Duration : 0:1:10

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Technorati Tags: 468, blown, Flattie, sanger, vdrive

If you are at all unsure what goes to make up an engine, watch this animation

Engine Animation, This is originally a screen saver which is easily downloaded from the net (free).

Duration : 0:4:51

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Technorati Tags: Animation, components, Engine, Marine, Motor

Although this was caused by a corroded blanking plug specifiic to this engine , these are the exact same symptoms you would find after marine exhaust manifold failure

http://boxwrench.3dcartstores.com/Basic-Engine-Building-DVD_p_0-8.html You can find the “Basic Engine Building” DVD here. A special internet only treat from the producers of the BoxWrench Series! Basic Engine Building DVD – Behind the Scenes: Small Block Ford 351 Windsor Diagnosis We gonna show you some never before seen footage from the filthy Ford 351W we pulled out of a boat. BoxWrench Director Brent Bye recaps the story of discovering the engines problem and what ensued as the tear down process proceeded. Basically salt water was leaking into a cylinder head thru some hidden steel water plugs that only these small block 351 W motors have. Being a marine engine they needed to be replaced with rust proof brass plugs. After running for 5 years the water eroded holes straight thru them. Water pressurized from the water pump was squirting into the cylinder heads right onto the rocker arms, valves and valve springs, ultimately all the way down to the oil pan and crankcase. It all made out for a surprising tear down. This particular Ford 351 Windsor marine motor was fully rebuild on camera in the “Basic Engine Building” DVD. Even a catastrophic blown engine like this can be rebuilt with the proper knowledge and tools. The BoxWrench Series is designed to give you that knowledge and let you have fun with it. The full DVD with all of the interactive menus, Tools section and engine Glossary terms is available here… http://boxwrench.3dcartstores.com/Basic-Engine-Building-DVD_p_0-8.html http://www.boxwrench.net – Educating the Automotive Enthusiast!

Duration : 0:3:30

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Technorati Tags: 351W, block, boat, building, Engine, Ford, Marine, Motor, rebuild, repair, small, video, Windsor

In my experience as an engineer and spare parts supplier, the number one cause of engine failure on older Gas (petrol) marine engines is Exhaust Manifold failure, (mainly on engines used in salt water), the minute an engine starts to misfire or run rough the owner goes through every concieveable option, (plugs, carb,leads, rotor, etc) but usually fail to notice the tell tale signs of emulsified creamy deposit in the oil filler cap, and often the creamy oil in the sump, when they finally do accept that there is a more serious problem, they usually have a buddy who is “good with cars” and who instantly diagnoses the problem as a failed head gasket, and procedes to tear the engine apart, then (if you’re lucky and he follows the job through) he refits the heads and inlet manifold declaring the job ” good to go” the poor owner then arrives at the coast with the Wife, Kids (in wetsuits), Dog, skiis, Tube, and picnic baskets and proceeds to slip the boat, the engine often starts fine, runs for a minute or two then starts to miss just as he is reversing away from the dock, it then stalls, will not re-start and he hits another boat.
After a few minutes of cranking the engine and a bit of spluttering, he either gets a tow back to the slip, or paddles (with the skiis, wife on one side, him on the other, have you ever tried that) and puts the boat back on the trailer.
That’s a good scenario and ending, (apart from the thunder faced wife and kids and the end of a beautiful friendship) it could also be a lot worse, (think coastguard rescue etc).

If the car fixing friend knew anything about marine engines he would have gone straight for the exhaust manifolds rather than the head gaskets.

Most Marine engines, (Mercruiser, Volvo Penta, Omc etc) Manifolds are cast iron, this is very porous and spends its life soaking up the salt from the water that passes through it till corrosion eventually breaks down and sprays salt water up the exhaust ports, for more information read this report on the watercraft services website.

PS If as is often the case, the engine is left for a period of time before the correct diagnosis is made, (or even worse, pulled apart and left with the atmosphere getting to it) the corrosion damage (from contaminated oil) to the internal mechanical surfaces of the engine can be catastrophic.

 Volvo Penta have now Launched Boat Engines With Catalytic Converters

August 2008 The first gasoline engines, fitted with a catalytic converter for leisure boats, have arrived. ther will be four sterndrive models and one IPS, they will all meet the Requirements ot the Califiornia air research Board (CARB)
The catalytic converter components are fully integrated into the aluminium exhaust system.
 and they will be equipped with advanced electronic engine control systems, comprising -
Electronic multiport fuel injection with two oxygen sensors,  before and after the catalytic converter, enabling the optimum combustion process
The fuel system also includes emission monitoring and diagnostics to alert the driver if the exhaust emission control is not functioning correctly

These engines also have double walled exhaust systems with cooling water flowing between the them,this keeps the outside of the exhaust cool while allowing the catalytic converter to run at the correct temperature.
These engines will be rated from 150 hp (4 cyl) thro’ 270 and 300 hp (small block) to 400hp (big block) they will be low weight and low corrosion due to the advanced and Titanium coated aluminium alloy exhaust materials used which is a first in marrine applications.

Technical data
Engine Prop shaft output Config. Displacement
3.0 GXiC 112 kW / 150 hp Straight 4 3.0 liter
5.0 GXiC 201 kW / 270 hp V8 5.0 liter
5.7 GiC 224 kW / 300 hp V8 5.7 liter
8.0 GiC 298 kW / 400 hp V8 8.1 liter
IPS550G 298 kW / 400 hp V8 8.1 liter

Technorati Tags: Volvo Penta Marine Engine

As someone who is constantly discussing Marine Engine related problems with folks who
need Mercruiser Parts, or Volvo Penta parts,  I am constantly asked what the difference is between an Automotive engine and marine engines, and when discussing the common GM or Chevrolet marinised blocks ( as commonly used by Mercruiser and Volvo)  the some of the common differences are,

Brass “core or freeze” plugs are fitted to handle the saltwater (standard steel ones last about a week in salt)

The camshafts are usually a different profile,

The carburettors are designed to dump excess fuel into the engine rather than into the bilges, they are also jetted very differently due to the  constant heavy load on a marine engine,

Marine fuel pumps are usually fitted,

Spark arrestors are fitted instead of standard air filters,

Quite often a heavier flywheel is fitted to marine engines,

Engine circulation pumps have brass impellers fitted,

All electrical components are spark protected to prevent Bilge vapour explosions
(automotive items must NEVER be used)

Watercooled exhaust systems are fitted

Sometimes the Inlet manifolds have corrosion resistant liners in the cooling galleries

Corrosion resistant head gaskets are used

EFI injectors are often “richer” than automotive ones for a given engine size

Many of the older (Swedish built) Volvo Penta four cylinder marine engines use stronger cranks and pistons than the Automotive equivalent

Many people do marinise Automotive engines and this may be succesful in some instances however in most instances the engine torque characteristics are not exploited correctly due to incorrect fuelling and camshafts, resulting in poor  performance.

Technorati Tags: marine engines, mercruiser engines, volvo penta engines