CD30 Cutter, Universal diesel

[Dave Stump]

I've just purchased hull #324, equipped with a Universal 18 diesel. Does anyone have an owners manual for this engine or know where I can get one? Will the engine adapt easily to hookup to a hot water heater? Also, does anyone have the original CD-30 owners manual? Is Universal Motors still in business? An address or phone # would be appreciated. "Hanalei", formerlly "Happiness" will be launched shortly and will hail from Noank, Connecticut. Thanks for your help and any comments!

[Tom B.]

As far as I know Universal was bought by Westerbeke back in the early '90s so a call to them couldn't hurt. Yes, that engine can be hooked up easily. I had one on my 28, but sorry, I can't remember exactly how. By the way, one nice feature of that engine is that you have an electric fuel pump. You will know it is working by that ticking sound you hear when you start your engine.

I've just purchased hull #324, equipped with a Universal 18 diesel. Does anyone have an owners manual for this engine or know where I can get one? Will the engine adapt easily to hookup to a hot water heater? Also, does anyone have the original CD-30 owners manual? Is Universal Motors still in business? An address or phone # would be appreciated. "Hanalei", formerlly "Happiness" will be launched shortly and will hail from Noank, Connecticut. Thanks for your help and any comments!

[Tom Coons]

As far as I know Universal was bought by Westerbeke back in the early '90s so a call to them couldn't hurt. Yes, that engine can be hooked up easily. I had one on my 28, but sorry, I can't remember exactly how. By the way, one nice feature of that engine is that you have an electric fuel pump. You will know it is working by that ticking sound you hear when you start your engine.

The 18 hp Universal diesel (3 cylinder) is the same as the 21 hp on the CD 31s, They just juiced it up a little. CD 31's came standard with a water heater so all the same gear should work. I have one on my 31. Basically a heat exchanger is mounted on the back of the engine with hoses that run to the water heater. Mine is in the port cockpit locker. The raw water pump which is on the starboard front of the engine feeds the heat exchanger in the usual way. The reserve for the coolant is also in the port cockpit locker. When you hook these up air bubbles tend to collect in the top of the water heater and make you engine overheat. There's a trick to clearing them so when you get to this stage have someone show you or write back.

Universal did go out of business, but you never could buy parts from them anyway. Parts are available through the standard parts supply houses. At least they always have been, I haven't needed anything for a couple of years so I can't say for sure, but the wholesale supplier here in the West is Boatswain's Locker 714-642-6800 in Seal Beach, CA. They've been messing with the area codes so that may have changed too.

I have both a service manual and a parts manual but I'm not giving mine up. If you need a specific piece of info I could help you with that. I read somewhere that manuals were still available from Robinhood Marine. Their address is elsewhere on Walt's great site here if you want to try them. Check out the Westsail site if you want to appreciate how good Walt's Cape Dory site really is. The Universal engine is a great engine. It runs at low rpm so is quieter and smoother and starts easier than engines like the Yanmar and is really fuel efficient.

I've just purchased hull #324, equipped with a Universal 18 diesel. Does anyone have an owners manual for this engine or know where I can get one? Will the engine adapt easily to hookup to a hot water heater? Also, does anyone have the original CD-30 owners manual? Is Universal Motors still in business? An address or phone # would be appreciated. "Hanalei", formerlly "Happiness" will be launched shortly and will hail from Noank, Connecticut. Thanks for your help and any comments!

taccambria@thegrid.net

[Jerry]

I've just purchased hull #324, equipped with a Universal 18 diesel. Does anyone have an owners manual for this engine or know where I can get one? Will the engine adapt easily to hookup to a hot water heater? Also, does anyone have the original CD-30 owners manual? Is Universal Motors still in business? An address or phone # would be appreciated. "Hanalei", formerlly "Happiness" will be launched shortly and will hail from Noank, Connecticut. Thanks for your help and any comments!

__________

Dave, I also have a Universal engine in my CD 30. I presume I have the same engine as you since our hull numbers are only 3 digits apart -- I'm hull #321. My engine is Universal Model 18 which is a 2 cylinder 14 horsepower version, and not the 3 cylinder 18 horsepower version in the CD31. I don't know why the model numbers don't correspond with the horsepower, but they don't.

Regarding the manuals, I have the original 3 manuals that came with the boat. One covers the boat and two separate manuals specifically cover the Universal engine. Before I copy these for you, call Old Lyme Marina in Old Lyme, Ct in your neck of the woods. They have extensive parts and service for the Universal engine and they may have manuals available -- if not, get back to me and I will copy and send them to you.

[Craig A. Soucy]

I also have a CD30 Cutter with the Universal 18. I have a Raritan Hot Water heater installed. We normally keep our boat in Noak during the summer, although we will be getting a late start this year, we should be in Spicer's by mid-June or so. Drop me an email sometime/CAS

I've just purchased hull #324, equipped with a Universal 18 diesel. Does anyone have an owners manual for this engine or know where I can get one? Will the engine adapt easily to hookup to a hot water heater? Also, does anyone have the original CD-30 owners manual? Is Universal Motors still in business? An address or phone # would be appreciated. "Hanalei", formerlly "Happiness" will be launched shortly and will hail from Noank, Connecticut. Thanks for your help and any comments!

soucyc@csi.com

[Larry DeMers]

I have a CD30C, hull 328, and it has the Volvo MD7B, 13 hP beastie in it. Anyone know when the changeover from Universal to Volvo happened? Or were they using either vendor for engine sources? It's interesting that they stuck closely to the 13-14hp for engine size. I would have liked to see an 18 or 20 hp engine installed, but where would it go? The oil dipstick is a contortionists nightmare to get to as it is, although we have adopted a trick or two to compensate.



demers@cray.com

[Jerry]

I have a CD30C, hull 328, and it has the Volvo MD7B, 13 hP beastie in it. Anyone know when the changeover from Universal to Volvo happened? Or were they using either vendor for engine sources? It's interesting that they stuck closely to the 13-14hp for engine size. I would have liked to see an 18 or 20 hp engine installed, but where would it go? The oil dipstick is a contortionists nightmare to get to as it is, although we have adopted a trick or two to compensate.

Larry, My 1984 CD30C with the Universal engine has hull ID # CPDH0321M84F. I presume the 321 in the middle is the Hull number as this is the same number embedded in the bronze emblem above the companion way. In the port cockpit locker, the date 12-27-83 is molded into the fiberglass. I presume this is the date the hull was layed up.

The man I purchased this boat from told me the switch from Volvo to Universal occurred between the '83 and '84 model year. Based on other messages on this board, this date seems reasonably close.

However, I'm really confused about the sequence of our hull numbers. I don't understand how your Hull #328 could be a 1983 boat and my Hull #321 could be a 1984 boat. Does anyone else have CD30C hull numbers in the 320-range that could shed some light on this?