'77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower SPLASHED!

[Luhrs28]

Here she is: I just bought her 3 weeks ago.

Fish-fighting chairs!

Flybridge with Bimini top. (frame good, canvas missing)

Horrifically messy bilge:

GM 6.2 diesel I'm going to install:

She's a single-engine boat that originally had a Chrysler 360 V8, 250HP.

I don't have much boat experience but I have owned several diesel vehicles and am good with engines in general. The GM 6.2 V8 isn't a big powerhouse or anything but it's a very reliable engine that gets excellent fuel economy.

I plan to install a set of OSCO water-cooled manifolds, a raw water pump, and a big heat exchanger.

The hull looks to be in pretty good shape but there are way too many thru-hull fittings. I plan to rip them all out, permanently seal over the defunct ones and install new flanged seacocks only where I need them.

Anyway I thought I'd let you guys in on what I'm planning, get input, and hopefully be able to ask questions as I go along.

My goal is to do all the repowering and resto work over the fall/winter, and be ready to launch her next May.

Thanks for looking.

Bert in New Jersey

 

[Luhrs28]

'77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - update

'77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - update

Well you guys showed zero interest in my project since my first post, but I still like you so here's an update:

Previous owners really liked to install new thru-hulls every time some newfangled fishfinder came out. Believe it or not it has 6 unnecessary thru-hulls that I will be permanently plugging up with epoxy/glass.

Today was the first day since I bought her in early July that it wasn't blistering hot and I could actually get some work done:

I also ripped out the Electro-San waste treatment gizmo and plan to install a simple poly holding tank.

After all that work is done I want to sand the fiberglass in the engine compartment and paint it all with white Bilge coat.

Simultaneously I'm prepping the GM 6.2 diesel engine and plan a short test run with water going and everything before I put it in the boat.

By the way I've been entertained and learned a lot from everyone else's projects. Maybe there's someone out there that wants to do a diesel repower?

By the way the GM 6.2 might be just a temporary engine. I'll have to see what the performance is like. If it's too sluggish I might switch it out for a Duramax or Yanmar in a couple of years.

 

[lucid484]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

uh is that a marine or automotive diesel?

 

[JAFO1]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

That's a cool project. I love diesel power. Interested to know how it works out.

 

[betayv]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

hi there nice boat and look clean, keep the pics and progress coming....

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

In reply to Lucid, it's a GM truck diesel engine, as used in pickups, blazers, suburbans etc. OSCO makes the water-cooled marine manifolds for it, plus I'm adding a raw water pump and a heat exchanger so it will be fresh-water cooled.

The GM 6.2 makes decent power, doesn't need computer controls, and gets very good fuel economy. Another plus is the bellhousing bolt pattern is the same as the Chevy 305/350, making it real easy to mate up a transmission.

 

[mytquinn]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

This is cool! I'm watching, so keep posting! Nice looking boat too. How's the interior?

 

[lucid484]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

In reply to Lucid, it's a GM truck diesel engine, as used in pickups, blazers, suburbans etc. OSCO makes the water-cooled marine manifolds for it, plus I'm adding a raw water pump and a heat exchanger so it will be fresh-water cooled.

The GM 6.2 makes decent power, doesn't need computer controls, and gets very good fuel economy. Another plus is the bellhousing bolt pattern is the same as the Chevy 305/350, making it real easy to mate up a transmission.

um just taking a guess here...but i'm pretty sure its ALWAYS a bad idea to put an automotive engine in a boat... its a may be a strong engine but i guarantee its not rated for continuous marine use at peak torque......

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Virtually all the inboard V8's out there are in fact automotive engines. The block, crank, connecting rods, pistons, etc. are all automotive. Only the external parts (mostly cooling related, plus non-sparking alternator/starter, flame-arrestor carb, etc.) are special for marine.

Besides, a diesel is ideal for constant speed/constant load applications. All the big generators out there as critical backups in hospitals and stuff are diesels. They will run against a big load 24/7, no problem.

The way people kill diesels in a boat is with excessive RPM. If you keep it where it's happy at say 2200-2400 RPM it will run a long time.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Project looks fun.

There is a 1970's (I believe a '76) 28' Luhrs docked right behind me. This boat was a twin V8 they repowered to twin diesels. Although the boat is not a rocket ship, he gets very good fuel economy. I think you will be happy with the swap.

I envy you being able to clean and freshen up the engine bay. I almost prefer seeing a clean engine room, than a clean cabin!

 

[captk]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Looks like a great project always liked that boat. You might want to think about replacing those galvanized fuel tanks, if thats what they are, while you have it open. Good luck

 

[zach103]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Just saw this thread.. i love the two chairs in the back. i love the boat.. how does the inside look? any pics?

 

[boltonranger]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Hiya Bert-
That's a really nice Luhrs if you ask me-
I'm excited to see how it comes along.

Sorry I missed your original post -
I'm quite interested;

Can you post more pics?
-br

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Hi Guys. Thanks for the nice replies.

Boat work has been progressing with the speed of a glacier lately for a variety of reasons but I'm going to try to hit it hard over the next month or so.

I'm going to see if I can remember my Photobucket password and post some new pics.

Thanks!

Bert

 

[steve riddell]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Cool boat, good choice on the diesel, do you have to use part of the trucks wirering for thing like glow plug igniter switch @ both stations
picts of the inside would be cool

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Here's some pics of inside the cabin. The wood is in really good shape. No splits or gouges anywhere. It really just needs some cleaning up and new cushion slipcovers.

There's a V-berth up in the bow also but I don't have any decent pics of it.

I'll post a few more in a couple of mins.

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Here's my wonderful 26 year-old daughter Lynda helping me with some general cleaning:

By the way I know some of you guys liked the fishing chairs but I decided to rip them out. They take up too much deck space to only seat 2 people. Besides do you really have to be strapped in to reel in a 14" Jersey Flounder?

Here's Lynda helping me prime and paint the rear wall of the cabin last weekend. It's plywood........one of the few non-fiberglass areas of the boat.

Behind the scenes I've also been prepping the GM 6.2 liter diesel engine. I've got it painted (gray) and I'm assembling various accessories onto it.

As for the glow plugs I'm going to wire them to the stock GM relay and to a momentary pushbutton in the control station. So you'll simply push the button and count to about 6 secs then hit the starter. This type of engine is usually very easy to start.

 

[zach103]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Coming together! glad you got some help makes it go faster.. you shoulda kept those babies .. can you put them up in the bridge?

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

This is interesting, i thought about repowering my 26' carver to a 6.2, but couldn't find the manifolds! I have a 28 twin engine with v- drives I wonder if the v-drive would take the torque of a 6.2... cant wait to hear how she does!

 

[boatnut74]

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Re: '77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower - just beginning

Nice looking boat. Looking forward to seeing the diesel powerplant installed. Should be an interesting adventure.