bertram31.com

1989 5.9 6bta's rated 250hp @ 2600rpm, I've found this pair of motors with ZF 1.53:1 gears.
They are running take outs from an older 40' Richardson being scrapped (victim of a building snow load cave in up here).
Owner estimates less than 2000 hrs on the motors.

Questions:
Is $20k for the pair a reasonable price ?
Will those trannies/gears work with my (on the light side) 31 Bahia Mar ?
If so, what pre-buy inspection items (besides an oil analysis) should I do ?

Please advise.
Thanks,
John

Hook water to them and startum up.....cranking in cold weather without "Starting Aid" would be a good indicator.....oil analysis would be good.

2000 Hours should not scare ya. I believe the 250's are Fresh Water aftercooled.....that's good

See if the Turbos spin by hand before ya startum....

The price seems to be a fair price.....

I believe a brand new engine is around $20K......without a gear......and a gear is $3500+

A good choice of engine for a 31.

hb

I bought my 250 s with750 hrs. For $12k w 2/1 gears. Swapped out for 1.5 gears. Good engines for the 31 be cautious of the Lucas cav injection pump. They did run a little smokey on the transom but 25 kts at 2400 29 at pins 2650. Great motors.

They were on eBay for 15, didn't sell but I made an offer that wasn't refused :-)

The turbos on that engine are Fresh water cooled. They are perfect for the Bahia Mar. Actually in a Bahia Mar, the Cruise speed might be slightly higer than the Fly Bridge due less wind drag.

Remains with Transmissions would cost you around $40K. That would be with all the guages. Can you grab the panel and the guages?

Yes the gauges/ panels are part of the package.
Can probably grab the running gear too.
Thanks for the responses.
Will keep you posted.

Seems a little steep. I paid $22K for a pair of RTO 300 B-series (2000 hours) with brand new ZF's back in 2006/2007. I think $15K-$17K would be better.

I paid 16K for a pair of 6BTA 300 with ZF's including shafts, gauges, exhaust systems from another 31.
They had 600 hours and were running when removed. I put a post on this board to ask the same questions you are asking. The first reply asked, "Want to double your money?" Second post said that if I had to rebuild them it was still a deal. Those engine sat on a concrete floor covered loosely with shrink wrap for five years while I rebuilt the whole boat. I stuffed them in (replacing 454's) primed them and they fired right up. Running like scalded dogs ever since.
Funny story, while attempting to start them the first time I had one hell of a time getting the first (starboard) engine to prime. When it finally kicked off I was straddling it, standing on the edge of the open engine box. It scared me so badly I immediately shut it down yelling, "What was that noise?" Love those engines!
Twenty K? Go for it!

Survey says- why take a blind chance? pay into them a little and have one done. That way there is a bit of science behind guessing the'll be O.K. service life. Seems like the least you would do with forking out that kind of money.