1.7 dti mercruiser

[tony g]

Hi all just taken the heat exchanger out of my engine and cleaned out the tubes that where blocked.Got fed up with it over heating at full throttle.I also serviced it and as far as i know all was ok.Took it out for a run and run it flat out for a couple of miles' did not over heat and thought it was fine. Lifted engine hatch to check to find smoke coming from the turbo area at the back of engine. left it for a while to cool then carried on. got to where we were going and it seem fine. Also ran it flat out again for a short while and seems fine. Should i be worried about anything after reading the problems some people are having with this engine on this forum.im getting nervous Mine is 2002 and touch wood I have had no problems up to now apart from filling the heat exchanger with crap due to no filter being able to be fitted.

[Hightower]

Might you have spilled any oil in the area of the exhaust that was burning off?

[Cookee]

Be very careful with the wastegate - they are known for blowing pistons if the wastegate fails as it fails in the closed position and over boosts the motor.

[tony g]

sounds exspensive can it be checked ? if so how do I do that. thanks for reply.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by tony g

sounds exspensive can it be checked ? if so how do I do that. thanks for reply.

Get it serviced regularly by a merc dealer or someone who knows that engine - you could also fit a turbo pressure guage - there is a yahoo group about this engine: cummins mercruiser 120hp DTI have a look on there for the horror stories!

[tony g]

Hi there To the guy who was going to send me a picture of how to intsall turbo gauge i lost your email address could you pm me with it again Sorry thanks Tony.

[roborod1969]

Sorry this message is 4 months late.
The 1.7 dti mercruiser engine is the vauxhall combo/astra engine that is a 16 v engine. It is the same engine as the old combo, 1993-2000 but with a different head design.
These engines when fitted to vans are bullet proof, especially the old 2 valve head.
When they re-engineered the head design for 16v, it is basically ok.
however the diesel return pipes run inside the camshaft cover, and if they leak, it can result in the engine oil level rising slowly. This can result in engine failure because the oil goes thin.
The main problem is normally the ecu, that sits next to the block buy the injector pump, it gets to hot, melts the solder, and then it won't start.
head gaskets can sometimes weep, due to the stretch bolts being fitted, but this can be rectified buy re torking them up.
turbo's can go and if you can it early, then the engine won't eat the remains and blow up.

my 53 reg 1.7 dti combo van has done 310,000 miles, and i bought it with a blown head gasket with 265,000 miles on the clock.It stills runs perfect.
I can only presume regular piston failure because the engine is developing more power. I know the crew vans develop 100 bhp, i think my van is standard at 80 bhp.
You can get used engines for a minimum £250-500.
I'm sure you could swap the parts over a save yourself £1000's !!!!!!!!

just remember, because cummings or mercruiser have the rights, is doesn't mean you have to pay through the nose, as its only an old vauxhall combo engine!!!!!

[kafelsan]

Originally Posted by roborod1969

Sorry this message is 4 months late.
The 1.7 dti mercruiser engine is the vauxhall combo/astra engine that is a 16 v engine. It is the same engine as the old combo, 1993-2000 but with a different head design.
These engines when fitted to vans are bullet proof, especially the old 2 valve head.
When they re-engineered the head design for 16v, it is basically ok.
however the diesel return pipes run inside the camshaft cover, and if they leak, it can result in the engine oil level rising slowly. This can result in engine failure because the oil goes thin.
The main problem is normally the ecu, that sits next to the block buy the injector pump, it gets to hot, melts the solder, and then it won't start.
head gaskets can sometimes weep, due to the stretch bolts being fitted, but this can be rectified buy re torking them up.
turbo's can go and if you can it early, then the engine won't eat the remains and blow up.

my 53 reg 1.7 dti combo van has done 310,000 miles, and i bought it with a blown head gasket with 265,000 miles on the clock.It stills runs perfect.
I can only presume regular piston failure because the engine is developing more power. I know the crew vans develop 100 bhp, i think my van is standard at 80 bhp.
You can get used engines for a minimum £250-500.
I'm sure you could swap the parts over a save yourself £1000's !!!!!!!!

just remember, because cummings or mercruiser have the rights, is doesn't mean you have to pay through the nose, as its only an old vauxhall combo engine!!!!!

Do you know if it's the same pistons in vauxhall combo/astra engine as in Mercruiser 1.7? To they fit the Mercruiser?


//Fredrik

[Cookee]

These engines never quite achieved the reliability of the van installation - they are made by Isuzu and it demonstrates very well how auto engines aren't always the best for the marine environment. The main issues is the wastegate which has a habit of jamming and overboosting the engines with predictable results. (As I said above)

[kafelsan]

Originally Posted by Cookee

These engines never quite achieved the reliability of the van installation - they are made by Isuzu and it demonstrates very well how auto engines aren't always the best for the marine environment. The main issues is the wastegate which has a habit of jamming and overboosting the engines with predictable results. (As I said above)

Yes, thanks for info.

I wounder if the pistons are the same in Isuzu/Open and Mercruiser?

//F

[stobbie]

Can I use a isuzu timing belt for this engine? do I need a belt for a y17DT? does anybody have the part number for this? Thanks..

[Tim M]

I had one of these engines in a RIB a couple of years ago. Went bang as they are known to do. After much yelling, we managed to get all the parts paid for - just had to cover the labour (which was still a fortune). The engine in question was out of warranty but I managed to use the awful reputation/horror stories in my favour. I'm sure I heard somewhere they gave this engine a lifespan of 900 hours

[nik]

I bought one of these in 2006, the original owner had the hole in the piston syndrome.
He got a new engine from mercruiser which included the fix for this problem.
The only issue I have had was the wastegate valve sticking open, mercruiser paid for a new turbo.
With hindsight, as there was nothing wrong with the turbo apart from the valve, I would have been tempted to either try to find a watercooled turbo with a more reliable valve, or try to fit a different system of limiting boost pressure, such as a poppet valve.
Apart from that, the engine has been reliable and economical.
And remember, if you call yourself commercial, diesel is 80p per litre.

[Tris]

timing belt number is VKMA05608 thats a southern exhaust number. 85plus VAT
as for the wastegate issues cookee mentioned they also have tendencies to go pop in RIBS and That sort of boat due to the size and effiency of the intercooler. Its running such cold air on the induction that when you back off the revs quickly the engine gulps a big cold air in it cracks the piston.
you will find some 1.7s that have had a heater plug upgrade, (mercruiser used to offer it as a re call but then dropped it.} there is blanking spaces for the glow plugs to go into the head and a sensor in the manifold, when you backed off the revs quick you see your glow plug light on the dash light up for a second as it warmed the air in the cylinders. the kits are still available but the price is around 1000

[stobbie]

The car 1.7 DTI's have a modification for an automatic tensioner for the timing belt. Should I fit one of these to the mercruiser or should I fit the 'old' tensioner?
How do I mesure the tension? I've heard these engines have problems with belts that are too tight...