3782 Aug 29, 2003
Does anyone have a Yanmar 3GM30 Installation Manual?
Ed 040K

Oct 2, 2003 I�m repowering my SW1 with a Yanmar 30gm30f. I�m looking for advice on propeller choices, which is primarily a question to the SW1 audience, given our smaller opening. Currently, I favor the fixed 2 blade option, but that may be due to my ignorant concern for what happens when the fairing props fail to unfurl.
Also, could anyone steer my to a reputable prop & shaft dealer in the Freeport/Port Washington areas in LI.
As a general question, any thoughts about installing a drive-saver on the shaft?
Thanks for your guidance,

AK

4147 Nov 12, 2003
Lawrence Johnson Machine, Freeport, is the ONLY reliable and accurate prop and shaft man, ANYWHERE Paul, Sea Quill

Nov 12, 2003
I am really satisfied with the Cambell Sail Prop. You can find the email address in any issue of Cruising World. An odd looking lil best, but impressed you would be. This I can promise you.
Gene, PANACHE, #60k, ASII

6045 Jul 5, 2005
I'm in discussions with a local mechanic about installing a Yanmar 3GM in Summerwind. This will be one currently undergoing a rebuild. Two questions come to mind:
1. How can you tell if the rebuild is 'as good as new'
2. Is there any rule-of-thumb for pricing on rebuilt engines compared to new.
Thanks,
Bob Gruber, Summerwind #5

6053 Jul 5, 2005
Bob,
I guess this question comes up about three times a month in my shop here in the BVI.
Your "good as new" question is vitually the purchaser's universal query. No! no rebuild is never as good as new. The 3-cyl Yanmar is a light duty engine and in some circles considered disposable. I have rebuilt many with the caveat that the buyer understands that it is more likely that any rebuild will offer generally about half the hours of a new engine. Your 3-cylinder, an engine NOT subjected to charter service, will deliver about 10,000 hours with regular servicing when new. Few rebuilds see the injectors 'new', the injection pump 'new', new connecting rods, pistons, etc. A valve job is not a NEW cylinder head. The gear is rarely totaly re-newed either.
Repowering with a rebuild or a new engine will see other, additional expenses that deal with engine bed modifications, electrical modifications, exhaust, shaft and prop modifications and the like. Consider that the new 3-cyl Yanmar after discount can be purchased for about $7,000. The Remove and reinstall takes about 45 hours to perhaps 50 man-hours labor to complete. Consider 50-hours @ $70.00 per hour plus the parts and materials needed to convert. The labor to professionally do the work is $3,500, the materials may see another $1700 or a total of $5200 or more dependent upon the addition of a new alternator, regulator, new muffler and hoses, shift, throttle and shutdown cables, etc.
Generally, the reulit engine expense should not exceed about $3,000 for the unit then you will get about 5,000 hours of service from the engine (not the gear) with luck and good care.
So for about $14,000 total you have a new (10,000-hour) Yanmar and for about $11,500 a (3,500- 5,000-hour) rebuilt.
Hope that helps.
Paul

6057 Jul 5, 2005
Bob: In most places in the US the removal and installation would be substantially more costly than Paul calculates, which is even more in favor of a new engine.
However, I have recently seen on our webchat site mention of a new Westerbeke 30 or equivalent for half the price of the Yanmar, which gave me pause... and regrets that I did not investigate that avenue... I would check that the new engine is smaller than the old, as I am most impressed by the room around the Yanmar, and that the working rpms do not change, contrary to the Yanmar that increases by 50%, requiring changes in prop and additional wear on the cutless bearing. In other words, if my memory does not betray me (at 70+ of age...), you may wish to contact Westerbeke and Hansen Marine. I hope that the one of us who just put in a new Westerbeke will come out with his specs and confirmation.
Be well, Bert dF, Pianissimo 80K

6066 Jul 6, 2005
Paul,
Thanks for the estimate on cost savings. It appears they're not as great as first envisioned. I'll need to think longer on this 'deal'.
Bob

6068 Jul 7, 2005
Bob,
I too considered replacing Westerbeke-30 with the new, "direct replacement" offered by Westerbeke. I found that every dimension of the engine demanded similar attention to engine bed mods, new iron or aluminum accomodation mounts that were needed to install the Yanamar. Also the access to the belts, oil, header and transmission were not as accomdating as those of the Yanmarnor would be the routing of my new exhaust sytem.
Paul

6069 Jul 7, 2005
I, too faced the prospect of replacing my trusty W-30 in 1998, and with some hesitation, I installed the Yanmar 3GM30F. I am extremely happy with this choice for the following reasons:
1) MUCH better access to the engine for bleeding the fuel system (the fuel lift pump is on the starboard side of the Yanmar) , changing fuel filters, checking and changing the oil; also, the engine is slightly smaller and allows access to the transmission fill, trans. coupling, etc.
2) The noise is about the same;
3) Parts and supplies are easily available, and though expensive, nowhere near the cost of the Westerbeke parts...
4) It is nice not to have the glowplugs! Also, I chose an electrical panel from Mastry (Fla.) and got the gauges, not idiot lights, which makes a big difference...
Disadvantages:
1) Slightly less power than the Westerbeke;
2) Not as "beefy" as the Westerbeke (but is that a disadvantage or not?)
3) Had to change prop, shaft, exhaust hose and through hull;
I worked as my mechanic's "gopher" and did as much as I could to facilitate the process; we used the main halyard to take the Westerbeke out and put the Yanmar in, ground the engine beds and enlarged the hole for the larger exhaust thru-hull..
. Also talked to a dealer who sells both, and he finally confessed that he preferred to install the Yanmars, since they seldom have problems like the Westerbeke...
Darryl, SWII #4

6078 Jul 17, 2005
Dear Tony: I am in Rye, still trying to get Pianissimo going (she was supposed to be ready 3rd week of March with her new Yanmar!!! Barely got in the water last week...), possibly next week if God and the yard will...

Be well, Bertrand de Frondeville, Pianissimo 80K

6084 Jul 18, 2005 Hi Bert,
Sorry to hear that Pianissimo is not yet in the water. When you get her in I would love to see the new engine installation and get your thoughts on engine access and performance with the Yanmar.
Regards,
Tony Torphy, Integrity, 126K

6437 Jan 11, 2006
Just before New Years I was enroute home from Santa Barbara to Channel Islands Harbor when the engine rpms started falling slightly. I was below at the time and thought the wind had come back on the nose, stepped on deck and nudged the throttle up a bit. Engine rpm continued to fall. Knew in an instant it was an engine issue, checked water temp - OK - checked oil pressure - dead zero
. I shut the engine down immediately and pondered the fact that I had given my reserve oil to a another boat the previous week and had forgotten to replace it. I had about 8 hrs to berate myself for not checking oil pressure on the hour underway, and pondered my options. With a storm coming in sometime in the next 12 hrs, and large 3 wave 12 foot sets already rolling in about every 3-15 minutes or so, water depth 100 ft or so, lee shore 2 miles north, 3 oil platforms to headwinds. And, by my calculation, I would be in the thick of it in 12 hrs, meaning I would be badly sleep deprived. After stewing on it for an hour or two, I reluctantly called for assistance for the first time in 26 yrs.
The tow was uneventful and we made port by 0400. [Tip: remove your anchor and anything else the tow bridle may rub on. I overlooked this, and while nothing happened, the tow line did lift my CQR in the bow roller and move it around a bit. We were fortunate that winds were almost zero and the swell, though large, was regular. ]. In port, I used my laser pointer to show the tow captain precisely where my slip was, and we paused in mid-harbor to pay the bill ($980). We chatted during this time, I traded him my laser pointer for some stores he had, and we bid each other adieu.
So I am left with a Westerbeke 4-107 with an as-yet undetermined oil leak and as-yet undetermined secondary damage. We replaced the oil, engine started and we ran it for several minutes to monitor the oil pressure, had to stop when we noticed an oil slick forming at the exhaust. We're thinking maybe the oil line into the oil cooler is leaking into the water jacket, which would be relatively easy to repair.
But that leaves the question of what other damage may have been done to bearings and bearing surfaces.
All advice, opinions welcome on whether to work through the engine or replace it. I think replacing would be better, but have never done it and have no idea what a fair price would be for the new motor and the install labor with me helping. For reasons not worth stating here, I would like to replace it with another 40 hp Westerbeke, but could be talked out of that by anyone who knows more about engines on Seawinds than I (probably all of you, I suspect).
My boat is the ASW II's little sister, the ASW I, but sailors in this discussion group have always been kind to her. There are no other Seawinds within a 1,000 miles of me (and only 1 other on the West Coast), and am basically trying to get through this as intelligently as I can. On an expense of this magnitude, I am nervous about spending a lot of cash, doing the work (repair or replace), and suddenly realizing I could have done it differently, like maybe use the opportunity to clean and repaint the bilge or some such. Anyone have a checklist of things to do while the engine is off the boat? Besides sail to Hawaii?
Randal, s/v Shearwater (ASW #67), Channel Islands Hbr, California

6439 Jan 11, 2006
Randal,
I'm sorry to hear about the problems.
I don't know what a 4-107 would cost, or even if they are available. That's a Perkins engine marinized by Westerbeke. But it's an awful lot of engine for a SW I ! One buddy has the exact same Westerbeke on his Bristol 40.
A new 3 cylinder Yanmar seems to be about $8k for just the engine. It's easy to spend much, much more for installation. Numbers from $12 to $15k (installation plus engine) have been bandied around this list in the past. I suspect that's a really big chunk of the value of the boat. I wonder if a 2 cylinder Yanmar would be enough for the boat?
Removal of the engine from a SW II isn't too hard - I did it some a few years ago and documented the process here:
http://www.ganssle.com/jack/engine/index.htm .
It's coming out again this winter to replace the fuel tank � those corten steel tanks don't last forever, and if you elect to pull the thing might consider doing that as well.
If it were me I'd hire a mechanic to look over the engine and get an oil analysis from a lab. Those are cheap to do and a decent mechanic can tell a lot with a stethoscope.
Oil in the water can come from a lot of things. The oil cooler of course, as well as worn rings or worn valve bushings.
A partial rebuild might save a bunch of money if you did it yourself. This site has parts:
http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/westerbeke/shopping/.
But I'd check the parts cost first. On the W-27 pistons are $500 each! Crinan marine used to sell parts much cheaper, but they quoted me prices for pistons and other parts a month ago; their quotes were more than what the pirates at Westerbeke charge.
Best of luck to you,
Jack 057K

6444 Jan 11, 2006
hello randal,
phil shea here sw # 76.
Great service with a yanmar 3gm30f . good power with 14" prop, great economy, and lots of room.i think this moter has been replaced ...
good luck.

6454 Jan 13, 2006
It seems that there are quite a few SWII's that have had engine replacements. Would it be helpful if there was a means where everyone who has had an engine replacement would post information on what they may have installed and costs etc. This could be useful to those who are considering repowering.
Such as :
Type engine--also why?
Horse power (rated maximum and continuous)
What was replaced (ie. transmission. instruments, shafts, props, fuel system
Prop pitch vs engine RPM-I made several pitch changes until I was satisfied
Cruising and max speeds- maybe even fuel usages
Alternator Amps
What were your estimated costs of equipment and installation
What has been your experience since repowering (the good and bad)
Just a thought.
Bob Forsman, Tuesday's Child, SW II #27

6458 Jan 13, 2006
Bob,
About three years ago these pages began to ring with the various re-power projects going on and many discussions since... I suspect that Howard may have prepared much of the collected information for our Knowlege Page.
Paul

6522 Jan 23, 2006
I replaced the original Volkswagen diesel engine (40 H.P.) with a Yanmar 3JH2EB (Bobtail only), 38 HP in 1997. The total price, delivered and installed was $6,892.68.
Above price included:
-Yanmar 3JH2EB Bobtail
-Instrument Panel
-Adapter Plate
-Drive Plate
-Oilo Drain Hose Kit
-Installation
I've had excellent results with this engine. No failures or break-downs to report. Engine easily drives CHUBASCO @ 6 knots under very unfavorable weather.
Regards,
Ray Rodriguez, Chubasco - 97C

6525 Jan 24, 2006
Dear Owners,
SOLUTION (K-88), Has a Yanmar 3GMF30 installed and presently has a 17x12 propeller. Formerly the prop was 16x10 which gave a cruising speed of 5 1/2 Knots at 3,000 RPM and burned a gallon an hour.
I saw on an earlier posting the perfect prop for the 3GMF30 was the 17x12 and was lucky to find one used for $150. This increased speed to 6 1/2 Knots at 2800 RPM and 6 Knots at 2400 RPM while burning only .4 to.5 gallons per hour. With this prop, 3000 RPM is now maximum, showing the engine is slightly overpropped.
SOLUTION is a wonderful sailboat. She was donated to the Edison Sailing Center in Ft. Myers, FL over three years ago and I have been the sole caretaker of her. She is in very good condition but the time has come and she must be sold. Milton Baker was the original owner and had much custom work done to her.
The selling price is $36,900.00. Proceeds go to the Edison Sailing Center, a community youth sailing & powerboating program.
Rick Lawrence, VP, Edison Sailing Center, 239-560-1189

6537 Jan 26, 2006
RICK, DO YOU HAVE A TWO OR THREE BLADE PROP? I CURRINTLY HAVE A THREE BLADE 16 X 11 PROP ON HOOLIGAN AND GET 5.0 KNOTS AT 2800 RPM AND USE .7 gph. That's not good, I think I am under propped.
Ed, Hooligan, 040K

6653 Mar 23, 2006
Silly question as I�m in the process of connecting power to the engine
. Exactly where on the Yanmar do I connect the Pos (+) wire from the starting battery switch. I assume it�s on the starter motor, but is it the same bolt that connects the power lead to the Alternator?
I think I connect the Neg (-) wire to the bolt that attaches the starter motor to the engine chassis, is that correct?
I�ve installed the engine and I�m wiring up the systems without a manual so some basic tasks are a true mystery to me. As always, thanks for your help,
AK

6656 Mar 23, 2006
Cable or wire?
B+ or battery positive cable goes to the heavy lug on the starter solenoid.... the starter button switch will go to the solenoid also but the terminal is considerably smaller and immediately adjacent the battery cable lug. The battery ground may be connected to any heavy bolt on the engine. The starter mount bolt will work.
Paul

6657 Mar 23, 2006
Thank you
AK

7209 Dec 13, 2006
Just an FYI to the group, I finally - after 7 months! - completed the repowering of my ASW I �Shearwater.� Some quick stats: Time from haul-out to re-launch: 6 months (originally planned 3) Cost: Approximately $30k (originally estimated $15k). About $5k was unrelated to engine Major headaches:
Had to replace original motor mounts (stringers) - add 2 months + about $8k. Ka-ching!
Slow, slow, slow. This was mostly due to slow work by non-yard staff and the non-yard mechanic who was �supervising� the work. No work on weekends, usual work was 4-6 hrs per week by my watch, hotly contested by mechanic.
sloppy work. The actual engine work was ok, but nearly everyone working on the boat cared not a whit about clean-up, hiding behind the �well, we were trying to save you money by letting you do the clean-up� dodge, a dodge that was used carte blanche to sling dirt / oil / grease / dust etc around at will. Needed to re-prop. Original 3 blade prop too large (diameter), had to be cut down and re-tuned. this little detail could have easily been caught BEFORE choosing the new motor, but was not. Ka-ching!
engine is still leaking fuel at the injectors - waiting for seals now for 2+ months from Westerbeke, mechanic says the yard mechanic is waiting to �bundle� a parts order as the shipping cost for the seals alone is �too high.�
Still waiting for temp sensor hook-up to the brand new �admiral� instrument panel from WB.
Main crank belt (running water pump, alternator) does not quite clear a bolt on the engine, resulting in the inside edge of the belt being �shaved� and spewing fine carbon dust all over the front of the engine and alternator. Plan to file the bolt head down a bit, hope it clears.
custom SS oil pan ordered to catch anything from landing in the bilge does not match the contour of the hull, so any screw, bolt, etc lands in the crack between the pan and the hull, wedging there as often as not.
couple of dozen other gripes, but why whine?
On the plus side, god its good to be back in the water and sailing again.
Randal Orton, S/V Shearwater ASW #67, Channel Islands Hbr.

7210 Dec 14, 2006
And I thought that my repowering with Yanmar 30G was expensive ($18,000 vs. 15,000 est.) and over long (5 months vs. two planned)... Compared to Shearwater 30K over 6 mo!?! And I did not do a thing except forcing a relocation of the ignition key and panel to the cabin wall over the deck rather than in the previous cockpit fwd bulkhead (cockpit filled with water would have shorted everything through the key access slide opercule). Survive, happy Holiday Season!
Bert dF Pianissimo ASWII #80

Dec 14, 2006
Recall that Ixchel�s replacement with Yanmar and new fuel tank cost about $11,000.00. It was done in my own slip by an independent mechanic. The only need to get from the slip was for a hoist to hoist out the old and hoist in the new engine, which was just across the marina channel, moved by a dinghy.
The time frame was about 2 months.
Regardless of time and cost, expect to spend additional money and time fixing or changing things that are related to the installation.
Dick Weaver, SWII 75K

Dec 14, 2006 For the other end of the spectrum, we installed a new fuel tank (including new structure to contain the fuel tank) and a new (to us) engine ourselves. The few issues we had were:
1) The fuel tank was about an inch too big in any direction to remove through the companionway, so we had to remove the sliding companionway hatch and trim from around the companionway to get it out. Since I had the new fuel tank made to the same dimensions as the old one, we had to also remove the trim to install the new tank.
2) We had to cut a larger opening in the companionway bulkhead in order to get the original engine out. It would not fit through the original opening.
3) The original engine in the boat was a Westerbeke, which had a very large difference between the height of the forward and aft isolators. We cut down the engine mounts in the boat (which we found were a fiberglass outer form filled with straight resin) and reshaped them to accommodate the Universal that we were installing. We ended up glassing in aluminum plates into the engine mounts and then drilling and tapping these plates to attach the engine. The original engine had been lag bolted directly into the poured resin, which made me glad that we had been forced to redo the system because that�s scary.
4) In order to remove the old engine and put the new engine in place, we took the beefiest block of wood we could find in the boatyard and laid it across the companionway opening, acting as a beam. We then took a schedule 40 pipe, about 6 ft long and strung it through a chain we had looped though the engine lifting eyes and sitting the aft end of the pipe on the fuel tank structure at the aft end of the engine compartment. We then used a come-along attached to the wood block (laying across the c-way opening) to hoist the forward end of the pipe upward. We were then able to slide the old engine out of the compartment along the pipe and slide the new engine in in the same manor. We still use this method when we need to lift the engine.
Overall, the whole refit took us a few months because we were only able to work on our free weekends. Overall cost, I would say, was $2000, plus the beer I bought for my buddies when we needed some serious lifting power. As a caveat, I work in the marine industry, so I was able to get a good deal on a brand new custom fuel tank. We also got very lucky that someone in the marina was selling a used engine and we grabbed it for $1000 - probably not something that happens very often.
I just wanted you to know that it is possible to save a considerable amount of money by doing the labor yourself. The biggest challenge for us was definitely cutting down and reshaping the boat�s engine mounts. If you can avoid that, your life will be much happier. :)
Kristy Walson, Cythera, #76

Jan 1, 2007
I repowered HOOLIGAN AS II with a new Yanmar 3GM30f for $8165. This included some outside labor. About $400. to glass in the stringers. Included in this price, a new fuel tank, with all new hose, new SS shaft, three blade prop, cutlass bearing, stuffing box, new exhaust system, raw water strainer and new Racor filter with new fuel lines. It took a little over two months. I had no yard bill other then $125. to lift out the old engine and drop in the new one.
Anyone need a new engine put in their boat?
Ed Hart, Hooligan IP29

Jan 1, 2007
All that for $8165?? kewl!
Bill Storm

Jan 1, 2007
Congratulations Ed
How about providing some details. I�ve been comtemplating repowering and might get to it this year.
Howard

Jan 2, 2007
I paid $6100. for a new leftover 3GM30F Yanmar. They had just come out with the new 3Y_whatever. I did most of the labor myself and the rest was careful shopping. My boat was already on the hard and I did not have to pay for summer storage. Just to put her back in the water.
Ed Hart

Jan 4, 2007 I�ve been reading as various owners share their repowering stats ($, etc) and it seems pretty clear that Shearwater�s repowering was way overpriced and overbudget timewise. Granted, I had others do most of the work, relegating myself to such manual labor chores as cleaning the bilge surfaces to bare glass for the stringer installation, vacumning and wiping up after each mini-job, wrapping the metal exhaust with asbestos tape, etc. Also, I had a lot of extras done while the boat was out, including new cutlass bearing, new shaft, prop cut down to match new engine RPM/power specs, installation of UW lights, new gel coat in cockpit, installation of small metal guard to close the gap between the lower rudder and the hull (a gap that tended to snag lines, kelp, etc.), adding a small 10 gal diesel day tank and fuel lines to enable switching from it to the other main tank, introducing a vacumn gage into the fuel line to monitor filter clogging, new control cables, new instrument panel, high water temp alarm, new batteries, sealing-off of unused and unnecessary thru hulls (knot meter, head intake / outlet) and probably a few other things I�ve since forgotten. But even with the extra work, its clear I paid too much and waited too long. Reflecting, I think my main mistake was trusting the supervisor of the work - a mechanic who is a friend - to report the tab each week and provide an estimated cost to complete the remaining work. I would have skipped the extras for another day had I known the final bill. Moral: Negotiate a Not To Exceed price for the job or, if you cannot do that, demand a daily accounting of work done and hours spent - and be ready to fire them and have it done elsewhere if the costs are rising without commensurate progress.
Thanks to all who read my initial post and shared their own experiences. Its really valuable and a great morale boost for us West Coast based Gilmer boats - kinda lonely out west �o the pecos, �ya know?
On a brighter note, had the boat out over the holidays at the Channel Islands, then to Santa Barbara, then back home. Twelve days glorious away from work, navigation and cooking and trimming sails to a decimal or so from perfection, Monitor wind vane doing its thing, bare feet hitting the teak cabin sole every morning, the casual glance at the barometer while the coffee sits in the french press a minute or so, dolphins beating away under the UW lights on a night channel crossing, calling an ocean tug on 13 to verify speed and course, jotting down reminders in the log of anything amiss under sail, catching the stowed boarding ladder banging and chafing the new exhaust wrap - yeah, the one I did myself - right through to the metal on passage, solving an intermittent electrical problem with the masthead nav lights. Watching the boat sail and thinking how totally ready it is for bluewater.. . .4 days to Guadalupe island, 17 days to Hawaii, 31 to Marquesas. Red glow of the cabin compass at night. Re-reading Roger Taylor�s Elements of Seamanship for the 37th time. Good Stuff.
One good passage to remember - please don�t tell my (*&^$ buddy - its not about cost, price is no object, and the Golden Age of Sail begins when you uncleat the mains�l halyard and doesn�t end until Monday morning. Cheers!
Randal, s/v Shearwater - ASW I #67, Channel Islands Harbor, California

Jan 4, 2007
Thank you Randalo, all of us offshore sailors of SWII are fully relating to your ode...
Fair winds to curved horizons!
Bert dF, Pianissimo 80K

Jan 29, 2007
Heel casting off & clean (use electric roto hammer & drag link). Bearing insert made & casting tapped for zinc. Scraped off paint (probably 5 lbs.) taped & glassed edges. To remove cutlass bearing (2� OD X 6�) built a removal tool using all thread 1 �� washers & blocking , difficult because set screws are buried deep in fiberglass. After removal, filed down tips, replaced cutlass bearing (on a very cold day for shrinkage), will replace with new set screws before reinstalling rudder. Rudder is extremely heavy, drilled hole & no water came out..must be a lot of bronze in it. Made a small indentation in rudder to get prop & shaft out being as prop was frozen. Had it pressed off in machine shop. Prop must be out in order to slide rudder down. Heck of a job but possible for an amateur.
Engine sitting in center of cabin, ready to be lifted out.
Jack, I found the diesel shop you recommended on the internet. Have directions through mapquest. Have not called them yet. If possible, could you tell me where you got motor mounts & approximate cost & stock numbers? Also valve seals etc.? Any other information you think I should know will be appreciated.
Keep smiling...spring is 50 days away.
John & Fran Morrison (Chautauqua)

Jan 29, 2007
John,
I have 4 of the original Yanmar 3GM30F motormounts, if that is the type you are looking for.
AK

7340 Jan 29, 2007
John,
I�m in Dallas but will be back mid-week, and will get that info together for you then.
Jack

Jan 31, 2007
John,
I got motor mounts from go2marine.com. I think they were these: http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no

79367F but check the dimensions to be sure. I think I paid $40 each; these are now listed at $55.
Baltimore Diesel rebuilt my injectors (about $60 each) and injection pump ($800 - ouch!). Cylinder Head Specialists (410-796-4344, in Elkridge, MD) took the engine head, with valves still installed, and ground it flat, reground the valves and valve seats, replaced the valve seals (they provided the new ones), and cleaned it up, for $180 or so. I thought it was a good deal.
Jack 057K Voyager

Feb 2, 2007
Jack, thanks for the info. It looks like I should contact cylinder head specialist instead of Baltimore Diesel being I want valve work done. My injectors were rebuilt 2 years ago at twice the price you paid. They wanted $2,200 to rebuild the high pressure pump, which I declined. Question: can I take the whole engine to CHS? I�ll call & find out.
Andrzej, I still have a Westerbeke 30 engine & I don�t think the motor mounts would fit. Thank you for the offer. The Westerbeke weighs close to 500 lbs.
John & Fran Morrison Chautauqua

Feb 2, 2007
John,
I just took the head in to them. That sucker is HEAVY.
You�ll need lots of gaskets to reassemble the thing. The head gasket alone is $150. Then you�ll also need an exhaust manifold gasket, thermostat, etc, etc.
I pulled the injectors before taking the head in. If you don�t have the special tool that�s required (I don�t) just loosen the bolts holding the injectors in (leave the bolts on but very loose) and crank the engine with the stop lever pulled so it doesn�t start. The compression loosens them up. If the engine is isn�t installed any more, just use jumper cables to the starter, but take off the alternator so the diodes don�t fry.
It�s easy to get the head on and off, though a lot of the engine comes apart. But it�s impossible to torque the head bolts without a special tool. A couple of them are mounted under the rocker arms, yet the rocker arm bolts are also head bolts! I bought a wrench from SnapOn Tools (www.snapon.com) for $49.50 (Cylinder Head Wrench, 11/16� p/n S8663B) that almost works - I had to grind the thing down to make it fit.
You�re welcome to borrow mine. If you�d like, send me your snail mail address and I�ll mail it to you.
Jack 057K Voyager

Feb 2, 2007
Jack, Thanks again for the info. I called CHS, he can�t handle the entire engine (weight wise) just the head. I have a wrench like you describe, that came with the boat. I am undecided now whether to attempt to take off the head or take the whole engine down to Parker Diesel near Salisbury, MD. I�m a retired wood butcher & precision equipment scares me.I�ll keep you informed.
John Morrison, Chautauqua