[TheForge] costs of ownership question

[Ries Niemi]

I would agree there is nowhere near enough info to know much about this- but I do know that boats, especially big ones, are just plain expensive. My buddy runs two tenders in Alaska, which are basically big floating fridges- and so, on each one, there are at least a half dozen GM diesels. And he is constantly rebuilding an engine or two. 500 hours sounds way out of line, though, as if something else is really wrong.

But I would guess part of your problem is you have old ships, with decades of patches, switcheroos, hybrids of old and new tech, and half assed fixes. 
If you were building a new boat from scratch, then yes, you could intelligently look at cost of ownership for various power plants and propulsion systems. But you are stuck with what will fit, and what will integrate with what you have.
I sure am no diesel marine engine expert, but I am sure there are some out there, who could tell you what is the best unit today. Of  course, they will cost a fortune- anything to do with a boat does.


ries


On Sep 11, 2012, at 8:38 AM, CGRAF wrote:

> If it is only 500 what else is out of line, worn or otherwise in need of 
> replacement? Perhaps doing more than the sleeves might get you back to a 
> brand new engine at less cost than a new one.
> 
> This is the sort of thing I not only weigh costs , but how long a new 
> one would last. Given the tendency to lighten up and do fairly exotic, 
> and expensive to repair, modifications in the interest of efficiency 
> creates a maintenance nightmare of its own.
> 
> Mike Graf
> 
> On 9/11/2012 9:54 AM, Ron Childers wrote:
>> Only 500 hours for a diesel is ridiculous; Did you mean 50,000? What
>> kind is it? Certainly not a 6-71 GM or Detroit, Clark, Waukesha,
>> Caterpillar, Cummins, Mack, etc.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of terry l. ridder
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 4:45 AM
>> To: theforge e-mail list
>> Subject: [TheForge] costs of ownership question
>> 
>> hello;
>> 
>> what do others use as part of their decision making process when
>> deciding that the cost of maintenance[1] of a piece of equipment has
>> reach the point of searching for a replacement piece of equipment that
>> has a lower maintenance cost[1]?
>> 
>> preventing corrosion by painting, oiling, coating with spray on coatings
>> like pickup bed liners i do not consider part of the cost of
>> maintenance. that falls under "normal wear and tear"
>> 
>> having to rebuild an auxilary diesel engine every 500 hrs I consider
>> excessive. by rebuilding i mean pulling out the cast iron sleeves and
>> have to install new ones because the sleeves have worn unevenly causing
>> the cast iron sleeve to become more oval in shape internally. this is
>> causing a serious lose of compression. machining the cast iron sleeves
>> is not an option since the amount of machining required results in a
>> cast iron sleeve bore for which oversized pistons, rings, etc are not
>> available.
>> 
>> right now at any given time one of the auxilary diesel engine is in a
>> state of being rebuilt. this time and money, could and should be spent
>> elsewhere or saved.
>> 
>> 
>> [1] maintenance cost: both time and money.
>> 
>> --
>> terry l. ridder ><>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> TheForge mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net
>> 
>> TheForge mail list group photo site is
>> http://www.photoworks.com
>> Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>> Password: anvil
>> 
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> 
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2437/5262 - Release Date:
>> 09/11/12
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> TheForge mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net
>> 
>> TheForge mail list group photo site is
>> http://www.photoworks.com
>> Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>> Password: anvil
>> 
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> TheForge mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net
> 
> TheForge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoworks.com
> Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> Password: anvil
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html