'77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower SPLASHED!

[Luhrs28]

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

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

The NJ weather is almost sapping my will to live. We've been hammered by big snowstorms about every 5 days. This weekend I'm going to shovel off the engine hatch and force myself to do something. It's real frustrating that I have all these parts ready to install and the freakin' weather is getting in the way. I don't see the engine/tranny going in until sometime in March.

I envy you guys in the Southern states right now.

 

[wakeboardbob]

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

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

Sweet! Ive read most of your log this morning. It really makes me want to start my future project except for the fact that fuel just keeps going up, may need to go wind power?

 

[jcupo6]

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

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

The NJ weather is almost sapping my will to live. We've been hammered by big snowstorms about every 5 days. This weekend I'm going to shovel off the engine hatch and force myself to do something. It's real frustrating that I have all these parts ready to install and the freakin' weather is getting in the way. I don't see the engine/tranny going in until sometime in March.

I envy you guys in the Southern states right now.

I hear ya man and the worst part is there's no end in sight! Suppose to snow tomorrow with another large storm possible next Tuesday/Wednesday.

 

[kilowatts]

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

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

Hi Guys:
Many thanks for starting this thread. You have a great project and you're obviously capable of making it work. What a great job you've done so far. The idea of using a GM 6.2 diesel is simply brilliant and I can't stop thinking about it. Can't wait to see more.
kilowatts

 

[betayv]

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

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

hey Luhrs 28 put the boat and engine on a truck and came down south you can finish the boat put it in the water.... great project looking great keep the pics and videos...thanks...

 

[archbuilder]

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

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

Great job on the bracket, nice workmanship! At least your weather sounds consistent....it was 70 here today.....Tuesday "wintery mix", which is a nice way to say "everything will be coated in ice"......lol, keep up the good work, July will be here before you know it!

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Thanks for all the words of encouragement guys. What I could really use is a couple of freak 60 degree days in February. Today I'm headed back into my company's machine shop to make a support bracket for my trim tabs hydraulic power unit. I'm trying to do 1 positive thing for the boat every weekend, even if it's something minor.

 

[Steve91T]

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

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

I've just read your entire thread. I'm a huge diesel fan. I own a 99 F250 with a 7.3 powerstroke. 200,000 miles and its going to probably go another 200,000 if not more.

Do you read diesel power magazine? The issue still on stands now. They took a n/a 6.2 and installed a banks turbo kit. 60+ hp and 120 ft/lbs Tq increase, along with an increase in fuel economy. I honestly feel that's the way to go. You would absolutely need an EGT gauge. I would be willing to bet if you called Banks, they would be able to tell you exactly what to expect.

This turbo will allow you to get up to speed, then back the power back for cruise.

Awesome project! To be honest, I would love to someday take an open bow, maybe 23 or 24 ft and drop a turbo 6.2 diesel.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Steve: Yes I might put a turbo on it next year, or possibly just swap the whole engine out for a 6.5 turbo. But for this first summer I have enough other stuff the boat needs so I'm going to start off simple. The company I work for has gotten real busy also, so I'm only going to have weekends and the occasional vacation day to work on it.

 

[Triton II]

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

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

The company I work for has gotten real busy...

That's great news!

I'm only going to have weekends and the occasional vacation day to work on it.

Oh dear! Not so great. Still, without the work, I'm sure justifying the boat fund to the Admiral would be a LOT harder. Hope the weather picks up for you.

TII

 

[sandersps]

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

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

Great job on the bracket, nice workmanship! At least your weather sounds consistent....it was 70 here today.....Tuesday "wintery mix", which is a nice way to say "everything will be coated in ice"......lol, keep up the good work, July will be here before you know it!

No kidding. our poor weather men really earn their pay.
Great job Lurhs. It wont be long til your out of small positive projects and youll look up and be finished.

As i always say " All we lack is finishin up. and as soon as we are finished, we'll be done!"

 

[Friscoboater]

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

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

This is such a sweet build. I cannot wait to see this in the boat.

 

[Steve91T]

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

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

I definitely am realizing how awesome that diesel engine is. The fact that it is reliable, yet bolts up to almost any GM small block 350 block, is huge. And, it's relatively light.

I think you had said somewhere in this thread that you were thinking about the Chevy Duramax. Awesome engine, but that engine weighs over 1000 lbs. I'm not sure if your boat will even notice the difference, but it'll also stock over have 600 ft/bs tq. I'm not sure if your tranny could handle that. That would be one hell of an engine though.

I am so glad you are doing this project. I have been dreaming about a turbo diesel in my boat for years. And honestly, I never even considered the 6.2/6.5.

I can't wait to see how this project turns out.

I'm so glad there are so many people interested in this thread. Diesels belong in boats. They love to be run at high power settings and don't mind heat. Plus, they are so easy to upgrade (injectors, turbo) to get some very respectable power out of them. And they still get fuel economy.

My 99 F-250 4x4 gets 20 MPG on the highway. This is an extended cab, long bed that weighs about 7400 lbs with me and fuel in it going down the road at 65 MPH. And, I have 300 hp and 600 ft/lbs of tq to the wheels. There isn't a gas engine out there that can match these numbers.

With diesel technology really taking off, I think it'll be soon before turbo diesel engines will be the hot rod, fast engine of the choice for even small run abouts. Take a look at the BMW 335d. My dad had one for a loaner car for a few days. He got 34 MPG, mixed highway/city driving. And it's fast. He absolutely loved it. No wait to start, no smoke, and no injector noise. He was blown away with that engine.

Anyway, sorry to write a book for no reason. I'm just really glad you're doing this.

Steve

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Steve: I'm a total dieselhead also. My first was an old Mercedes, which I loved. What I find impressive about diesels is, if you just take normal care of them they'll run 30+ years in a truck or car. The body will be rusting out from under it but the engine still runs perfectly.

I've found most boaters think a diesel repower is out of reach in terms of cost, but it doesn't have to be if you just do a little home engineering. I really don't think my repower is costing much more than if I was putting a gasser 350 in.

The icing on the cake for a boat is the inherent safety of diesel fuel.

I'm really happy to hear my thread might inspire some other boaters to install an oil burner.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Since the NJ weather has been terrible I've been busy making some stuff in our shop at work:

Below is a removeable bilge pump support. My bilge pump sits down in a compartment right next to the rudder shaft, and if there's a problem with it I wanted to be able to pull it up quick and easy. (that's what the 2 vertical handles are for). The SS wire fence is to keep bilge junk from jamming the impeller.

Can you guess what this support is for?:

It's for my heat exchanger:

Trim tabs hyd. power unit:

3-way fuel valves:

My welding is still awful looking but it's not coming apart.

Now that the weather is getting up into the 40's I can get back to working on the boat again. I still have a few things to do before I can drop the engine & tranny in.

 

[hinric1]

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

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

how much was the heat exchanger?

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

The heat exchanger was expensive: $800. I had it custom made by San Juan. I probably could've gotten by with a used one from a big gasser engine but I didn't want to take a chance on it.

 

[legoman67]

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

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

Your Fabrication skills are awesome! wish i could make parts like that!

why do you need 2 3 way fuel valves for a single engine?

 

[archbuilder]

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

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

Nice looking brackets.....welding just takes practice!

 

[Isaacm1986]

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

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

My welding is still awful looking but it's not coming apart.

My motto is, "The weld does not have to pretty to do it's job". I have done some welding, and even though it never looks real good, I have never had anything come apart on me.