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New BETA 25 Engine installed

  • April 11, 2018 10:11 PM
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    Message # 6095932
    Kevin Donahue

    We completed the installation of our New Beta 25 a week ago with an assist from Bud.  Bud has a template that makes the process simple and relatively quick.  The new Beta is MUCH quieter and smoother than our old Volvo MD11C.  It also weighs a couple hundred pounds less which is great as the W28's are kind of stern heavy to begin with.

    I ended up modifying the exhaust mixing elbow by welding in another 12" to its height.  This was necessary to get it above the waterlock and also now places the mixing point well above the waterline.

    We replaced the drive shaft with a new one Bud supplied as there was no way the old Volvo coupling was ever going to come off after 40 years.  We have a MaxProp so there was no need to replace it, we just had to reset it for the opposite direction rotation.

    If you are thinking of doing a repower I highly recommend you contact Bud, he made what was a somewhat intimidating process very simple and easy!  Thank You BUD !!!

    Hopefully the photos I'm trying to attach are here...

    Kevin

    2 files
  • April 12, 2018 3:55 PM
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    Reply # 6097149 on 6095932
    Anonymous member

    Wow Kevin , looks great . I take it the Beta 25 is a twin ? Is that a flex coupling ? Looks like you can still sit on the bench .
  • April 12, 2018 4:55 PM
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    Reply # 6097196 on 6095932
    Kevin Donahue

    The Beta 25 is a 3 cylinder.  It has several features/improvements over the old Volvo MD11C.  It's fresh water cooled,  self bleeding, much lighter and smaller, has built in oil change pump, and a 40 amp alt. is standard.  The bright red color gives at least a 2 knot increase in IBS* under sail !

    Yes that is a flex coupling.

    Here's a photo I took of the old Volvo before I removed it.  That flywheel must weigh 100# by itself.

    * IBS = Imagined Boat Speed

    Kevin

    1 file
    Last modified: April 12, 2018 5:01 PM | Kevin Donahue
  • April 12, 2018 5:42 PM
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    Reply # 6097242 on 6095932
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Kevin:  Yes the red color does make the boat go faster ... your installation looks very neat for sure. 

    Couple observations:  the plastic muffler - Pygmalion had one when she had a MD2B and the owner discovered that if the engine sea water pump stops working and the engine loses sea water - the heat of the engine exhaust will melt a hole in the muffler and fill the engine bay and cabin of a W32 very quickly with exhaust fumes. 

    If you then use the fresh water tanks to pump water into the engine to cool it and limp back to your slip - now you get steam and exhaust filling the cabin/cockpit and your passengers (relatives) have to evacuate the cabin for the deck -- all 11 of them in this case. 

    The long riser for the exhaust - I've thought about making a longer riser but I also worry about the long lever arm and the forces being applied by the motion of the boat / engine and the exhaust hose - eventually causing a crack/split in the fitting where it mounts to the engine.  

    Just my thoughts -- HTH...

    Jay 
  • April 13, 2018 8:59 AM
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    Reply # 6097903 on 6095932
    Anonymous member

    IBS thats' funny , why does everyone's  boat look faster than Patricia A ? Is the Beta much longer then the Volvo ?  It still looks like you have a lot of room in there . Jay good point about the muffler , I'll remember that as a new one is on our horizon . Also about the exhaust riser , way back when we got our W28 I had a guy doing a lot of work on her as I had never owned a Diesel before (the guy was a Yanmar dealer (from Hell) he re built the exhaust system in the yard and made the  riser tube longer so that the elbow was just about 5" under the cockpit sole, so it's about 2' over all . When I got back to the slip and looked in the engine room the pipe was laying on it's side . The fix was simple , I got some angle iron and made a brace that went from a mounting bolt on the tranny up to a bracket (more angle iron) that was held to the tube with hose clamps .    

    Last modified: April 13, 2018 9:01 AM | Anonymous member
  • April 15, 2018 6:41 PM
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    Reply # 6100451 on 6095932
    Kevin Donahue

    Mark,

    The Beta is actually several inches shorter in both length and height than the Volvo MD11C.

    I had no choice about extending the height of the mixing elbow as the Beta supplied raised elbow outlet was lower than the inlet to the waterlock.  The waterlock was already mounted as low as possible.  I added a couple gussets to the mixing elbow mounting flange to strengthen the whole thing.  The new mixing elbow is about 14" high.  I had to do something similar with the Volvo exhaust for the same reasons.  I had an exhaust fail during a Pacific crossing several years ago and am aware of the issues and the mess.

    Kevin 

    Last modified: April 15, 2018 6:51 PM | Kevin Donahue
  • April 17, 2018 5:21 PM
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    Reply # 6108341 on 6095932
    Anonymous member

    Sounds good Kevin .
  • April 23, 2018 8:39 PM
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    Reply # 6117071 on 6095932
    Deleted user

    I have a similar install with a phasor 33 hp 4 cyl. I also worry about the long riser, and am thinking I can shorten it two inches, but am waiting for a nice day to get in and measure it. Must say mine is speed silver and aching for a race!
  • April 23, 2018 8:40 PM
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    Reply # 6117074 on 6095932
    Deleted user

    I am adding a engine room camera so I can watch my beauty in action!