'77 Luhrs 28 ft. diesel repower SPLASHED!

[allpoints360]

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

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

Luhrs, If you needed help with a rocket, I'd say go to NASA. But you need help with a marine diesel, so go to boatdiesel.com. You have to join, i.e. pay to join, but it's worth it. They are the NASA of marine diesels.

Good luck!

 

[sbbamafan]

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

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

Coolest thing I have seen here in a while. Kind of tired of reading about transoms and floors in runabouts over and over. It's cool and all but very nice to see something new and BIGGER. I have a strong desire to do something like what you are doing in a few years. When are you planning on the first water test?

Somebody had a thread on here that was renovating a 28 to 30 footer about 6 months ago. I'd like to see how that came out if anybody knows where that thread is.

 

[Divecaptchris]

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

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

Coolest thing I have seen here in a while. Kind of tired of reading about transoms and floors in runabouts over and over. It's cool and all but very nice to see something new and BIGGER. I have a strong desire to do something like what you are doing in a few years. When are you planning on the first water test?

Somebody had a thread on here that was renovating a 28 to 30 footer about 6 months ago. I'd like to see how that came out if anybody knows where that thread is.

I did a 26' carver Santa cruze, when i got her the motor was locked-up, outdrive had coffee in it instead of oil, the cabin was disassembled (Thank god all the old pieces where there), and the back cabin wall was rotted away. it took me about 3 months, and about $4000, but now she is beautiful and everything works!

 

[emoney]

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

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

Gotta love a Luhrs! Great project and it looks to be a strong foundation.
Heck, other than the drivetrain, she passes for a nice boat as it sits.

As a sailorboy, I'm all about diesel power. Keep up the pics and good luck, I'll be watching!!

 

[sprintst]

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

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

Awesome project. It's fun watching the bigger boats take shape.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Hi Guys:

Thanks for all the encouragement. The project actually suffered a budgetary setback yesterday. The shop I'd sent the original Paragon transmission to said it can't be rebuilt. It needs too many parts that are no longer available. Paragon is out of buisiness, and it wasn't that great a transmission to begin with.

After talking it over with the pro mechanics at the boatyard I think I'm going to bite the bullet and buy a new Velvet Drive. It's going to be painful though. I think they're around $6,000 new.

I look at it this way: the boat Gods demand a sacrifice be made, and in my case it's the transmission. You're not going to simply buy a 28 ft. cabin cruiser cheap, throw a diesel engine in it and away you go. No. The boat Gods see that as disrespectful. Dues must be paid.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

About 99.9% of you are going to find this entry boring, but I'm writing it anyway for the couple of guys who might want to do this same repower in the future.

Today's chapter is: what parts do I need to connect my GM 6.2 diesel V8 up to the inboard transmission? It's actually very simple. First of all your engine needs to have the standard GM flywheel for a manual transmission. Then you need to get a standard Chevy (or Mercruiser) drive damper with a 13.25" diameter and the multi-hole pattern. It bolts right on with zero modifications. Like this:

OK, for an inboard tranny you need a bellhousing adapter. Luckily these are plentiful and relatively cheap, as you need the same one as used on a Chevy 305/350. I got this nice cast aluminum one brand-new off Ebay.

Here's what the inside looks like:

The gasser 350 bellhousing adapter almost fits right off the shelf. It just needs 1 minor modification. In the photo above see the "pocket" for the nose of the starter at about the 8:00 position? It's not big enough, 'cause the nose of the diesel starter is bigger than the one for the gasser 350. Luckily cast aluminum is easy to cut. I made a couple of cuts with my 4.5" angle grinder........zip-zip, and whammo it fit like glove:

I'll tell you, with this project every time I turn around I'm benefiting from the fact that GM loves parts commonality. A LOT of things on the 6.2 diesel are the same as a gasser 305/350. Even the motor mount bolt pattern and location on the block is the same. I think at least in those days GM wasn't designing a new part unless they absolutely couldn't use something existing. This really works to your advantage when doing a repower. Almost everything you need is a standard off-the-shelf part.

The weather looks good for this weekend so I'm going to be hittin' the boatyard again tomorrow morning. I wish you all a good boat-work weekend.

 

[zach103]

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

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

Pink for breast cancer month? hahaha i like it

 

[NSBCraig]

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

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

Cool tech stuff keep it up

 

[SC's Forever!]

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

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

Just one comment Re: your fuel pump....Make sure it is for Marine Use...that is With-Out the normal "weep" hole in the bottom!!!!! For automotive use the "hole" is there to let fuel drain out on the ground, highway, carport or where ever it is when the diaphram breaks, which is good.......However in a boat, NO ONE wants a bilge full of Gas or Diesel.....NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!!!!!
Be SAFE and ENJOY!!!!!............Jim

 

[parrisw]

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

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

Awesome project, can't wait to see more.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

I was over at the boatyard doin' some more stuff today.

This is what $350 worth of bronze thru-hulls looks like. It's bloody painful to have to pay that but they're critical.

By the way I'm cheating big-time on the exterior wood trim. I know the right way is to remove each piece and lovingly sand it and tung-oil but I just don't have the patience for that. I've found that gel stain and clear spar urethane make it look really nice with a whole lot less effort.

Here's my daughter puttin' on the bottom paint where I had to epoxy/biax patch old thru-hulls:

I took the cabin door off to refinish in my garage, and install new plexiglass windows:

You'll notice the door is leaning up against my '81 Olds with original 5.7 diesel engine. That should tell you what a diesel freak I am.

 

[Blue Crabber]

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

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

Man, project looks like it is coming along well.

That is sweet that so many parts work right of the shelf. Sure makes life much easier.

I am learning a lot from this thread, keep us the posting, especially the tech stuff!

Can't wait to see this one completed!

 

[Shife]

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

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

Lookin' good.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Thanks for the replies guys. I can generally only work on the boat on weekends so I won't be able to post any new pics until Saturday. Although right now I have the cabin door in my garage for refinishing. Every morning at 6:30 I brush on a coat of spar urethane, then head off to work. When I get home at 7pm I hit it with another coat. By Friday it will be done.

As somebody here said: "There's a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"

 

[betayv]

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

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

good job, looking great keep the pics coming....

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

Hi Guys. It was another good weekend weatherwise in NJ so I got some stuff done. First, let's review what the cabin exterior looked like when I bought the boat in July:

Here's what it looks like now:

I'm really happy with the Spar Urethane I used on the wood. It's made by Minwax and it's their "Helmsman" product. It has a UV inhibitor and I'll tell you this stuff sets up HARD! I had to sand out some runs in a couple of places and my power sander had a tough time getting through it. (I put 3 coats on) I got it at Home Depot........about $8/quart which is way less than any marine brand.

I have a couple more pics I'll put into the following post in a minute.

 

[Luhrs28]

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

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

The shore power 30A outlet was cracked so I finally got around to replacing it and buying a pigtail adapter. (again painfully expensive) Now all the 115V outlets on the boat work. I still have to test out the little fridge.

Also I wasn't happy about buying a new Velvet Drive 'cause it was going to position the engine about 3" higher, forcing me to have a hump in the middle of the deck. There was no way I was having that, so I looked around and found a local guy selling this rebuilt Paragon, which is the type of transmission the boat had originally.

I have to change the rotation direction on it but that's no big deal.

 

[parrisw]

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

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

Looking pretty darn good!!

Yes those marine electrical adapters are pricey!! Try to see if you can just buy the ends much cheaper.

 

[Blue Crabber]

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

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

This weekends weather looks decent so here hoping that you got alot more done on the boat again!

Love seeing the pics of progress as you go!

As always, keep us updated.