Mercruiser VM 4.2 300hp diese

[Orkney1]

Opinions please. I'm not familiar with any VM diesel engines, not a make I have come across in the world of tractors and trucks.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Orkney1

Opinions please. I'm not familiar with any VM diesel engines, not a make I have come across in the world of tractors and trucks.

I Like them for the simple fact you can buy most of the bits without paying the mercruiser premium they dont like getting hot nor being overloaded in normal use they go fine the engine electronics frighten some folk when compared to a mechanical yanmar but the ecm controls are fairly simple & relatively easy to diagnose. Far simpler system than volvo run so no need for dealers to have your trousers down every time a light pops up on the dash. You can buy a full system diagnostics tool from rinda which used to be about £350, money well spent to save trips to dealers if you do have issues, probably other systems about now too . I had 2 of them in a 290 searay sundancer & the thing went like stink for a big cruiser

[Orkney1]

So it's a fully ecu controlled common rail job? That does put me off a bit from my experiences with water in diesel and modern tractor engines. New injectors being expensive and having to be coded to the engine. Also all that electronics and salt water can't go well together. What about the rest of the engine, is it overhead cam with a belt or chain? Or gear driven cam with pushrods? Does it have a proper water cooled turbo?

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Orkney1

So it's a fully ecu controlled common rail job? That does put me off a bit from my experiences with water in diesel and modern tractor engines. New injectors being expensive and having to be coded to the engine. Also all that electronics and salt water can't go well together. What about the rest of the engine, is it overhead cam with a belt or chain? Or gear driven cam with pushrods? Does it have a proper water cooled turbo?

I'm assuming its an older one 10 years+? In which case its not common rail its bosch edc which runs like a mechanical pump but has electronic fuel metering & timing via needle motion sensor injector & crank sensor. Nowhere near as fussy as common rail injectors. It actually starts on mechanical then the electronics take over. Even mechanical pumps will be damaged by water ingress so its no biggie
If its newer then everything is common rail anyway
Proper water cooled turbo, gear driven cam with pushrods & hydraulic lifters individual cylinder heads & wet liners so easy to rebuild

[Orkney1]

Yes I'd assume it's a year 2000 engine as that's the year of the boat. It's on eBay at the moment, just trying to get in touch with the fella selling it as no phone number listed. It looks a nice big capable RIB.

Is that a system similar to the old VW 1.9s used to be with the electronic controlled pump but before they went fully common rail? They were far more reliable than anything they came out with later on

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Orkney1

Yes I'd assume it's a year 2000 engine as that's the year of the boat. It's on eBay at the moment, just trying to get in touch with the fella selling it as no phone number listed. It looks a nice big capable RIB.

Is that a system similar to the old VW 1.9s used to be with the electronic controlled pump but before they went fully common rail? They were far more reliable than anything they came out with later on

Yep thats exactly the system
If your going to buy it make sure you get a sea trail & take it up to wot to be sure it runs ok & no overheating etc. Check the intercooler end caps for signs of corrosion, they should be stripped occasionally but get neglected it should start & run at 800rpm tickover then drop to 600 as it warms up they are very smooth & surprisingly quiet for a di engine . If its in a rib corrosion is the enemy