Looking on the market for a new rib package, and have a few ribs in mind in the 6.5m bracket?
any thoughts or ideas on diesel engines to go with it?
quite fancy the Volkswagon 150 seems light weight compact all the things you need when space is a bit limited.
I read something about the VW marine diesels a little while ago and I'd certainly look into it closely if I was needing an inboard. I've got one of their engines in my car, and I'm pretty darn impressed. I'm sure their marinised versions will be very good also. An efficient advanced engine as far as I can tell, though I've no idea how much they cost.
I read an article some time ago where the author was expressing concern about the amount of electronics on the engine, Volkswagen stated that they were going to fit some kind of simple 'get you home' ecu in addition to the clever stuff in case of electronic failure. Sounds like you push a button and it reverts to a simple diesel, runs without all the sensors etc. Sounds like a good idea for a marine engine!
Why do you need all those sensors in the first place. Can't think of anything more simple than a mechanical FIP, not saying you can fix everything at sea but at least you stand a chance of working out what is wrong. When Stu blew a high pressure line on my Mermaid turbo 4 the engine got him home on the remaining clyinders.
I don't disagree that the 'simpler the better' is a good motto for boat engines, but it's not as if most modern high power outboards don't have complicated ecu's. Reliability is the important thing, and if VW's normal reputation passes onto their marine engines then I for one wouldn't be too worried. And if you want refined, quiet, high performance with good mpg, then you really don't have much choice. No-one else gets 150hp out of a 1.9litre block (or at least they didn't til very recently). And the torque is the most impressive.
