Diesel powered outboard ?

[monoshock]

Has there ever been a diesel powered outboard?

 

[ivar]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

Yep, <br />Ruggerini from italy makes a 20hp(?) engine for work use, weighs a ton and looks like it too. <br />Also Yanmar had some engines a while back, 18/27/36hp, I havent heard much about them in recent years though.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

I'm pretty sure the Yanmars are still in production.<br /><br />There's also a very, very ugly small diesel engine available from China. It uses a horizontal shaft motor, so the gearing looks bizarre. It's just plain ugly.<br /><br />Did you know that Johnson and Evinrude had models that ran on kerosene? Some of your favorite old engines had kerosene versions. Someone actually posted about one of these in the forum not too long ago, so a search for "kerosene" will pop it up. Some of the kerosene outboards start on gasoline, then switch to kero once they're running. In lots of parts of the world, gasoline is hard to come by, and fish are a big part of the diet. Some pretty amazing engines running in those places.<br /><br />I've heard of outboards that run on alcohol, too, in use in South America.<br /><br />Ain't it amazing.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

Originally posted by CATransplant:<br /> I'm pretty sure the Yanmars are still in production.<br />

I did a Google on Yanmars and found this link, looks interesting. <br /> http://www.comcen.com.au/~minards/ymde_out.html

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

When they start making turbo diesel outboards, then they'll get somewhere.<br /><br />I'd go for one. I hate gas on a boat.

 

[DJ]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

Johnson/Evinrude currently make outboards that run on JP-5 (jet fuel). They are military use only.<br /><br />They are NOT however a true four stroke diesel. I was aware of the Yanmars and the Italian job.<br />Volvo also made some diesel outboards, in the past.<br /><br />Take a look at these.<br /><br /> http://www.yanmar.com.au/marine/d_series/dseries.htm <br /><br />Just do a "google search" for more.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

Scott/McCulloch made some diesel outboards back in the 1960s. They were about 25hp. There are two of them in the Antique Boat Museum collection (www.abm.org)....<br /><br />- Scott

 

[ivar]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

A friend of mine once ran out of gas on his 60 Yamaha 2-stroke. He ran it on a mixture of Iso and 80% alcohol (liqor) to get home.

 

[andymach23]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

There is a small boat near my marina that has a diesel powered outboard on it. Man is it loud. It sounds terrible. I don't think it's a Yanmar. Maybe they are better but this thing is awful. I like the concept but for leisure use the diesel outboard is way off the mark.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Diesel powered outboard ?

Diesel autos came into their own in Europe only when the makers started designing them with turbo's. Now they outperform their gas rivals. Capacity for capacity, they're now the same size and weight, but produce more torque with less fuel. It's the flat torque curve that makes them so driveable.<br /><br />Once outboard techs build diesels mated to turbo's - then we'll see some real performance motors.<br /><br />Can't wait!