What reman engine should I replace my Volvo mD2B with

[TheLastPirate]

I'm trying to find options for replacing a MD2B Volvo with something still in production, that's remanufactured. A new 16-20 ho diesel replacement seems to be just under 10k , I would like to find something around 5k which puts me in the remanufactured range, but I'm wondering what others have found worked.
Thanks

[sgbernd]

If you don't want to go for new, I'd consider a search for a "running take out" rather than a reman. Sometimes boats get scrapped with fairly recent re-powers, particularly following a good hurricane season. I've seen Betas and Yanmars advertised with only a couple hundred hours on them or less. In such case, you are buying what is available, so make sure you know the dimensions of what you are buying and what will fit and make sure you see it running to avoid surprizes (like engines which got immersed in salt water or have sat so long they are frozen).

To my thinking, the install cost will be the same for new or salvage or reman. You are going to replace everything from the prop to the control lever. And I mean everything. Install cost for me was well over $5k, (in 2016) which was a large fraction of the whole effort, so it made little sense to look for a salvage engine and I went for new.

Steve

[TheLastPirate]

If you don't want to go for new, I'd consider a search for a "running take out" rather than a reman. Sometimes boats get scrapped with fairly recent re-powers, particularly following a good hurricane season. I've seen Betas and Yanmars advertised with only a couple hundred hours on them or less. In such case, you are buying what is available, so make sure you know the dimensions of what you are buying and what will fit and make sure you see it running to avoid surprizes (like engines which got immersed in salt water or have sat so long they are frozen).

To my thinking, the install cost will be the same for new or salvage or reman. You are going to replace everything from the prop to the control lever. And I mean everything. Install cost for me was well over $5k, (in 2016) which was a large fraction of the whole effort, so it made little sense to look for a salvage engine and I went for new.

Steve

I've seen some running take outs in the 5000 range. I think the remans run about the same. Well for yanmar, I haven't found a reman Beta. I have some concerns with running take outs because you don't really know what the hours are or what happened to the engine. But I guess if I kept a lookout in the local boatyards and found one from a known boat instead of just off ebay. As far as the installation I'm going to do it myself, so there will be some savings there. I am able to change beds too if needed. I even thought about rebuilding a diesel myself but I think it would take me too long.

[Paul D.]

I'm a Beta guy. I don't have one. We still have the original Universal from 1982 on Femme which is a Kubota block like the Betas. I know of four marina friends who have repose red with Betas and really love them. I think it would be worth the fabricating of new beds and all the extra work involved. Nothing against Yanmars, I just like and am familiar with Betas. They are different designs, Yanmars don't have glow plugs for example, but I like the thought behind Betas and the large flywheels etc. Plus, you can use Kubota oil filters etc. instead of marine ones. Good deal.

[Maine_Buzzard]

I got lucky in 2014. Bought a Beta 14 with 800 hours for $1700 and a V drive transmission for $900. Another $1000 to the mechanic for checkout and assembly (flywheel swap and hardware) I installed it in my CD30. Total cost was about $6000, I made bed adapters and plenty of stainless steel parts. Even the throttle lever needed replacement, I think every single part after the fuel tank was new.

Use Searchtempest.com to watch CL for an engine, you may also be able to drop in a small universal.

Scrimp when you can, and spend prodigiously to get it completed...