LP315 vs BTA 315 fuel burn

[JohnCranston]

Has anyone ever compared them at a cruise speed using a Floscan? I've heard that the Yanmars burned a little less. I know that every boat is different, but, I'm just trying to figure if the difference over 1100 engine hours might save up enough to cover the LP's timing belt swap. It's probably a dumb question, but I'm curious.
I'll only put about 300 hours on her a year as we don't troll much, so it really won't matter much. Our labor prices are alot cheaper down here...Land and Sea, the local Yanmar and Cummins dealer, is at $65 per hour. There's a guy down here that travels about, that charges $30 per hour, and he's capable of doing any light weight stuff. I don't have the deep pockets that you guys up North have...I wish that I did..It would be hard to rub elbows with you guys. Cheers.
.

[Bruce]

John,
Changing the timing belt is 90 bucks in parts and an hour in labor.

Anything more and your getting ripped off.

Procedure is as follows:

1. Drain coolant in bucket.
2. Removes coolant pipe across front of belt cover(two bolts and a clamp)
3. Remove belt cover.
4. Hand crank engine to TDC with timimg marks.
5. Remove tensioner.
6. Remove and replace belt.
7. Compress tensioner in vise or clamp and install retainer pin.
8. Install tensioner and remove retaining pin.
9. Install cover and crossover pipe with new gasket.
10. Put coolant back in and run.


Parts and time is less than 200 bucks in the civilized world where people ain't trying to *uck each other over all the time.

[jspiezio]

John

My dad spoke to our local guy who maintains the 3208s on the Blackfin about Yanmar service before he chose them. The guy is super at what he does and really too honest for his own good sometimes. According to him, as with others, the timing belts are the critical item in Yanmar maintenance.

Based on how many of these he has done and continues to do, he figured the job at a couple hundred bucks for the two engines, less if he does it during a regular maintenance visit. The key is that it gets done, and with an investment like this I don't see that as a problem for most folks, deep pockets or not.

[Brewster Minton]

I don't have the deep pockets that you guys up North have...I wish that I did..It would be hard to rub elbows with you guys. Cheers.
.

My pockets are deep because there empty.

[Bruce]

Don't get so caught up worrying about the belt. It will go much farther than the recommended 1100 hour change.

That's a lawyer, cover your ass interval.

I've got those engines where they havn't been changed in over 3000 hours and wear is minimal. Theses are the same design belts that are designed to go 100k miles in cars before changing.

1100 hours in run time at an average of 40mph equals 44k miles.

I've seen em bust less than a 1000 hours cause the dopey boat owner won't bother cleaning the rust and salt spray off the engine and the tensioner seizes up or as in one case chunks of rust from a bad salt water leak jammed into the pulley notches.

Do the recommended interval changes as recommended by Yanmar.

[bob lico]

wow bruce thats a down right radical differance. both engines with addition of alternator belts and antifreeze about $900.00 .not to get personel but the head diesel mechanic makes about$ 85 grand a year plus benifits.i know the in water charge is about the same between fort lauderdale and long island is about the same . so i figure the guys doing the mauaul labor are taking the hit.mark one of the outdrive mechanics comes up from florida every summer to work here at $ 35 dollars a hour now i know why.
john if you just "plop" the 6bta in the 31 bertram then by nature of a 6lp at 315 hp at 327 cubic inches and will get better economy in a behia mar but if you take advantage of the 359 cubic inches and over 100 lbs of torque of the 6bta then you can surpass the 6lp enconomy in a heavy fbc deck out to go fishing offshore.we used the 2000 era 32' luhrs for the comparason at 17,000 lbs you can see the yanmar economy drop off as the same boat with 6bta330 hp.

[Brewster Minton]

Bruce, can I change the belts myself or is that stupid? Im ok with tools amd have done everything but timing and valves adj.

[bob lico]

brewster we are going this weekend actually we should be out there now.big waves keeping center consoles inside. lets fish i will take care of the belts just supply that tuna salad and i will do the rest.

[randall]

now theres an offer you cant refuse.

[JohnCranston]

Good info everyone,
The timing belt swap doesn't sound so scary anymore. Bob, any numbers on the fuel burn on that Luhrs? My Yanmars are in a bahia mar. Brewster, I think that you have the 315's with a 1.5 ratio, don't you? Anyone else?
I'm already planning our first long range trip even though we're not in the water yet. Just trying to half way figure out our range ahead of time. Much thanks.

[bob lico]

john you have a perfect match (in a bahia- mar) hard to beat those fuel numbers. with the same set up in a canyon 31fbc that all changes. from 1998 to 2006 we sold a incredible amount of luhr`s in 28' , 30' and 32' .they are all out of warantee now and we have lines waiting for maintenace. with all due respect the 32' open has beautiful lines . the 36' luhr`s with 440hp yanmars uses more fuel to go to the canyon then a 45' cabo with 650hp mtu. go figure that one . we have at least 4 of those in the yard .the 28' luhr`s has twin 4 bangers and has held up well over the years .major cloud of smoke on take off but thats no issue.the season is over so i can`t due much for fuel numbers but at 17,000lbs empty that 32' uses alot of fuel. on the subject of 32' boats those with catapillar 3126 350hp are like blow boaters can`t make a dime on them. they change racors once every year and oil every two years. they jusy keep going and we have some with a zillion hours.there are no issues with them

[bob lico]

here is the 28' luhr`s normally sold with twin yanmar 4 bangers . and the next shot is a 32' open . the 32 definitly runs better all around with the cummins 380hp .luhr`s offer this option at a latter date and this is what most customers ordered after testing both.

[bob lico]

and here is a 32open .in my opinon a great boat with cummins qsb 380hp

[ed c.]

Capt. Bob, I just about live in the Wilmington & Baltimore canyons during the summer and I rarely if ever see Luhrs boats.
I used to own a 25' 1976 cabin model with a 250 Chrysler. The boat was lousy in a following sea.
Things change I guess they got better.
As for engine choice, it's like food, some people like steak and some folks like lamb chops. To each's own.

[bob lico]

ed these are the very bottom of the barrel pricewise . i was just giving my personel opinon on the looks of the 32 open.i drove all of them and the 32 is find in following sea don`t forget this is there new desigh since 2002 so forget the old. i am not even hinting the quality is the same as a middle of the road albemarle or come close to bertram quality.the hull desigh is great , the interior so- so and the gel-cote cockpit/ bridge show stress cracks but this is not the topic . comparing two engines in the identical boat is what was asked.

[In Memory Walter K]

Have to admit, Luhrs has come a long way from when I remembered meeting up with them.

[CHolgerson]

John,

We have the 6LP yanmars in a very light 31 Bahia Mar and we get nearly 1.9 to 2.1 nautical miles per gallon. These numbers are based on several canyon runs and the long trip from Long Island, NY to Indian River Delaware. During these trips the boat was cruising anywhere between 15-28 knots, based on different sea conditions. Based on the yanmar recommended cruise of 3400, our cruise speed is over 30 knots and on the pins (3950)she is approaching 34 knots. We never cruise the boat at 30 knots and 34 knots is almost scary. We are approaching 900 hours now and have had zero problems with the yanmar power. I hope this helps.

Chris Holgerson

[JohnCranston]

Bob,
Thanks for the run down...I've heard that the 32 was a good looking boat.
Chris,
That's good news...something to look forward to. Are you running 1.5 or 2to 1 gears? Any numbers on the burn at cruise? Many thanks for everyones responses.

[CHolgerson]

We are running 1.5:1 gears. Dante Grover was adamant about not running 2:1 gears in our application due to a previous repower he did that did not perform well with 2:1 gears in a 31 Bertram Bahia Mar. If I remember right it may have been C Johnson's boat before he bought it. I have no idea as to what they burn at cruise. We typically run day trips to the canyon, running 70-90 nautical miles each way, troll all day 7am - 5pm and then run home. We burn 90 - 100 gallons everytime. The most we burnt was 114 gallons and that was an overnight trip to the 150-050 of the Hudson Canyon (90nm each way) and 16 hours of trolling at 7 knots. You have a lot to look forward to :-D

[JohnCranston]

Chris,
I'm doing cartwheels! Thank you very muchfor the great info. Much better than the 170's that I preveous had.Fantastic news.
`

[Bruce]

Here is a chart on a 32 Luhrs I repowered with the 6LP back when they first came out and were rated at 300hp.

I installed flowscans so it was no guess.


RPM Knots MPG GPH

1000 6.4 3.97 1.6

1500 6.9 2.12 3.0

2000 8.3 1.21 7.2

2500 14.6 1.13 13.2

3000 20.8 1.22 16.0

3500 25.5 1.03 23.2

WOT 28.0 0.86 32.8


Burn info is both engines. 32 Luhrs open is about 5000 pounds heavier than a 31.

[Brewster Minton]

Bob is that blue Luhrs "Chasing tail" I got my yanmars from that boat when he put the bigger engines in.

[bob lico]

no it is "lady D " the owner traded it in and purchase a 41' luhrs . crazy people, oakdale yacth had to paint the new 41' to match this 32'. then he wanted cummins to do there magic work and they came and changed the hp. from 535hp to 625hp .incidently the 41' luhrs transom is a exact knock off from a 31 bertram "tumblehone "look at one from the stern.

[dougl33]

There are a number of 33 owners that have 300-330hp 6BTA'a and a number that have 315hp LP's. All are burning around 20-22gph to cruise at 23-24 knots. I have the Cummins and couldn't be happier.