MVDirona.com

 

Diesel Engine Overload: Overloaded for One Season OK?

 

James:

 

I just received my Silverton back from the dealer after a re-power to install a pair of 6LYA-STE-350s. Mack Boring says they like to see WOT at 3450 for these engines.

The port engine is running at 3240 and the starboard at 3280. (The tachs are exact, I checked with a photo tachometer.) My dealer says that the RPM will be OK for the first season, June to Sept. or about 50 hours. Then he will reduce the pitch a little to increase the RPMs.

My question is: will running theses engines overloaded for one season be OK? My dealer says it will be. But I believe this is because he doesn't want to haul the boat now in the middle of his busy season.

 

Response:

 
Mack Boring is right. Your dealer is playing with fire and is proposing that you carry the risk. I wouldn't do it.  It's just too cheap to get it right. A diver can dive the boat and pull the props for $200.  You can have the props de-pitched for $300/each.  Dive again at another $200 and you're done.  You'll have spent under $1,000 to protect $40,000.

 


-- James

 

Back to Diesel Engine Overload Introduction and Follow-up Questions

 
Comments or questions? Feel free to contact us at Jennifer@mvdirona.com or jrh@mvdirona.com.

Copyright 2012 Jennifer and James Hamilton