A Fountain 47’ converted to diesels for use with biodiesel?
02-20-2011, 08:20 AM
#11
Registered
Biodiesel good, bad, cheap or not was only part of the question - my answer was more aimed at manufacturers don't want you to run B100 and if you run a B20 the fuel savings you will get just won't matter.
Also, the other basic truth is if you got the fuel for free you could not use the boat enough to offset the price of the diesels and the conversion costs on a go fast boat.
Don't take any of that wrong, if you search my posts I am the 150% diesel person but the facts are the facts you go diesel for these reasons and not dollars:
- ability to have sustained high speed cruising
- not fuel quality sensitive like gas engine with needing certain octane
- ability to get diesel at remote areas for refueling(bahamas) where they is a lack of good gas (higher oct)
- longer time between overhaul
- less adjustments to keep running ie plugs, timing, setting overheads, adj carb
- the components last longer because of fresh water cooling ie blocks, exhaust manifolds, oil coolers
- longer service intervals between oil changes
- slightly better fuel economy
These things make a diesel boat better not the $'s, need to run to baseball with the kids now will write more later.
Also, the other basic truth is if you got the fuel for free you could not use the boat enough to offset the price of the diesels and the conversion costs on a go fast boat.
Don't take any of that wrong, if you search my posts I am the 150% diesel person but the facts are the facts you go diesel for these reasons and not dollars:
- ability to have sustained high speed cruising
- not fuel quality sensitive like gas engine with needing certain octane
- ability to get diesel at remote areas for refueling(bahamas) where they is a lack of good gas (higher oct)
- longer time between overhaul
- less adjustments to keep running ie plugs, timing, setting overheads, adj carb
- the components last longer because of fresh water cooling ie blocks, exhaust manifolds, oil coolers
- longer service intervals between oil changes
- slightly better fuel economy
These things make a diesel boat better not the $'s, need to run to baseball with the kids now will write more later.
02-20-2011, 08:29 AM
#12
Gold Member
Bio Diesel is a waste of time and money. A diesel engine was Built to run on Peanut Oil not fossil Fuel. My VW PickUp runs on straight oil non of that Bio crap. I have run Veggie Oil, PS, Trans, Engine, Hydraulic and Mineral Oils thru the truck with out a problem. There is an outerlimts with diesels in it. I want to try running WVO/SVO or Hydraulic oil thru that.
-Mike
-Mike
02-20-2011, 08:37 AM
#13
Charter Member #927
Charter Member
There are a couple of points that some people seem to have confused.
Biodiesel, is from oils Like vegetable oil of soybean oil. Not from corn. I suppose you could burn corn oil as well, but it would be cost prohibitive be cause the oil level in corn is so low.
We saw a couple of percent increase in our fuel mileage when we switched to b10, 5 years ago. My wife did the same with her 20 truck fleet and only had to change fuel filters after a few tank fulls of fuel. That is on trucks with 200k + miles. lower mile trucks just stayed on regular maintenance.
Ford warrentees include B20 fuel.
The only down side we see is winter service. B10 will gel sooner than straight diesel. My supplier simply adds some anti gel and my mileage drops to that of straight diesel.
Biodiesel, is from oils Like vegetable oil of soybean oil. Not from corn. I suppose you could burn corn oil as well, but it would be cost prohibitive be cause the oil level in corn is so low.
We saw a couple of percent increase in our fuel mileage when we switched to b10, 5 years ago. My wife did the same with her 20 truck fleet and only had to change fuel filters after a few tank fulls of fuel. That is on trucks with 200k + miles. lower mile trucks just stayed on regular maintenance.
Ford warrentees include B20 fuel.
The only down side we see is winter service. B10 will gel sooner than straight diesel. My supplier simply adds some anti gel and my mileage drops to that of straight diesel.
02-20-2011, 10:25 AM
#14
Registered
OK I'm back and to your point finally.
Your choice of hull is 100%, I would do the same. Like them or not $ for $ and Hp for Hp the Fountain's move through the water easiest of all the mass produced go fast boats.
You need to look at how much gas horsepower it takes to move the current boat the speed you want the diesel boat to go. make sure the boat has Bravo drives on it. A 35' or 38' can use the Cummons 480 Hp B series or a staggered 38' or 42' can use the 600 Hp Cummins C's.
The 47' use the triple 480 Hp B's and you have a great running boat that will cruise at around 70 all day!
I know I said Bravo drives because i would call RIK right up and get his Bravo to Arenson conversion kits with some OD gearing get the prop speed up to 4,000 rpm and go to town! You might have some low speed crusing problems but you can take out a little gear add a little prop diameter and you have lower speed cruise back with a couple off top end.
I think I mentioned it on Offshore before that if I had money now I'd buy a single engine Fountain put in the Cummins, put the Arenson conversion on it and go record hunting or race the HOBRA races for under 30'.
One more thing, people are putting on here about Bio in the car or pick-up truck, you need to remember you put 3 - 480Hp B's in a 47' Fountain and you run it fast not full throttle but a god fast cruise from NYC to Atlantic City and back for a night gambling you will burn about 45-50 gal/hr in total and it will take 2 hrs down and 2 hours back or 200 gallons of fuel for 1 trip.
You put 25 gallons in a diesel car and it might last all week, here it's 200 gallons a day - can you supply that much B100 yourself?
Your choice of hull is 100%, I would do the same. Like them or not $ for $ and Hp for Hp the Fountain's move through the water easiest of all the mass produced go fast boats.
You need to look at how much gas horsepower it takes to move the current boat the speed you want the diesel boat to go. make sure the boat has Bravo drives on it. A 35' or 38' can use the Cummons 480 Hp B series or a staggered 38' or 42' can use the 600 Hp Cummins C's.
The 47' use the triple 480 Hp B's and you have a great running boat that will cruise at around 70 all day!
I know I said Bravo drives because i would call RIK right up and get his Bravo to Arenson conversion kits with some OD gearing get the prop speed up to 4,000 rpm and go to town! You might have some low speed crusing problems but you can take out a little gear add a little prop diameter and you have lower speed cruise back with a couple off top end.
I think I mentioned it on Offshore before that if I had money now I'd buy a single engine Fountain put in the Cummins, put the Arenson conversion on it and go record hunting or race the HOBRA races for under 30'.
One more thing, people are putting on here about Bio in the car or pick-up truck, you need to remember you put 3 - 480Hp B's in a 47' Fountain and you run it fast not full throttle but a god fast cruise from NYC to Atlantic City and back for a night gambling you will burn about 45-50 gal/hr in total and it will take 2 hrs down and 2 hours back or 200 gallons of fuel for 1 trip.
You put 25 gallons in a diesel car and it might last all week, here it's 200 gallons a day - can you supply that much B100 yourself?
02-20-2011, 12:35 PM
#16
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thanks for the detailed post..
Say I have the boat, what would the costs be for the whole set up in all size boats you mentioned?
Say I have the boat, what would the costs be for the whole set up in all size boats you mentioned?
OK I'm back and to your point finally.
Your choice of hull is 100%, I would do the same. Like them or not $ for $ and Hp for Hp the Fountain's move through the water easiest of all the mass produced go fast boats.
You need to look at how much gas horsepower it takes to move the current boat the speed you want the diesel boat to go. make sure the boat has Bravo drives on it. A 35' or 38' can use the Cummons 480 Hp B series or a staggered 38' or 42' can use the 600 Hp Cummins C's.
The 47' use the triple 480 Hp B's and you have a great running boat that will cruise at around 70 all day!
I know I said Bravo drives because i would call RIK right up and get his Bravo to Arenson conversion kits with some OD gearing get the prop speed up to 4,000 rpm and go to town! You might have some low speed crusing problems but you can take out a little gear add a little prop diameter and you have lower speed cruise back with a couple off top end.
I think I mentioned it on Offshore before that if I had money now I'd buy a single engine Fountain put in the Cummins, put the Arenson conversion on it and go record hunting or race the HOBRA races for under 30'.
One more thing, people are putting on here about Bio in the car or pick-up truck, you need to remember you put 3 - 480Hp B's in a 47' Fountain and you run it fast not full throttle but a god fast cruise from NYC to Atlantic City and back for a night gambling you will burn about 45-50 gal/hr in total and it will take 2 hrs down and 2 hours back or 200 gallons of fuel for 1 trip.
You put 25 gallons in a diesel car and it might last all week, here it's 200 gallons a day - can you supply that much B100 yourself?
Your choice of hull is 100%, I would do the same. Like them or not $ for $ and Hp for Hp the Fountain's move through the water easiest of all the mass produced go fast boats.
You need to look at how much gas horsepower it takes to move the current boat the speed you want the diesel boat to go. make sure the boat has Bravo drives on it. A 35' or 38' can use the Cummons 480 Hp B series or a staggered 38' or 42' can use the 600 Hp Cummins C's.
The 47' use the triple 480 Hp B's and you have a great running boat that will cruise at around 70 all day!
I know I said Bravo drives because i would call RIK right up and get his Bravo to Arenson conversion kits with some OD gearing get the prop speed up to 4,000 rpm and go to town! You might have some low speed crusing problems but you can take out a little gear add a little prop diameter and you have lower speed cruise back with a couple off top end.
I think I mentioned it on Offshore before that if I had money now I'd buy a single engine Fountain put in the Cummins, put the Arenson conversion on it and go record hunting or race the HOBRA races for under 30'.
One more thing, people are putting on here about Bio in the car or pick-up truck, you need to remember you put 3 - 480Hp B's in a 47' Fountain and you run it fast not full throttle but a god fast cruise from NYC to Atlantic City and back for a night gambling you will burn about 45-50 gal/hr in total and it will take 2 hrs down and 2 hours back or 200 gallons of fuel for 1 trip.
You put 25 gallons in a diesel car and it might last all week, here it's 200 gallons a day - can you supply that much B100 yourself?
02-20-2011, 02:32 PM
#17
Registered
You need to get RIK on here to give you the Arenson costs and I think a trans comes too and then call Cummins? I bet you it's $50,000 an engine & drive when your all done?
02-20-2011, 03:21 PM
#19
Registered
Don't understand your question, the B's are 33" wide they fit side by side or staggered no problems, they might be a little long? You'll have meause once and cut twice - that's how the saying goes right?
The 600 C's are 33" inches wide as well but pretty long?? Staggered on them could work, again measure and cut to fit.
I've not done this work since 1994and I say that many times, everything I talk about was provened in the 80's, things have not changed since - the engines are still the same size (more power stock), no one has a gear box to mate to a Bravo to run the diesels and Arenson is probably the best, easiest, cheapest and most trouble free off the shelf way to convert Bravo gas to diesel.
Anybody wants to try it I'll offer all my advice and time for nothing email me [email protected] and we can talk, if it's close I'd drive to help you at least make sure things fit right after you make your cuts
The 600 C's are 33" inches wide as well but pretty long?? Staggered on them could work, again measure and cut to fit.
I've not done this work since 1994and I say that many times, everything I talk about was provened in the 80's, things have not changed since - the engines are still the same size (more power stock), no one has a gear box to mate to a Bravo to run the diesels and Arenson is probably the best, easiest, cheapest and most trouble free off the shelf way to convert Bravo gas to diesel.
Anybody wants to try it I'll offer all my advice and time for nothing email me [email protected] and we can talk, if it's close I'd drive to help you at least make sure things fit right after you make your cuts
