Anybody know why????

[easytimes455]

Okay, you diesel dudes have pushed me into question mode. I began looking around and I'm wondering why John Deere isn't mentioned as much in the marine industry as other names? Is it the initial cost? Or maybe parts availability or pricing? Maybe it's a hunk of junk? Checking their website makes their 6.8 look pretty good, if it would fit in a Shamrock. For a diesel lover, it sounds like a pretty good hunk of iron.

I mean, what would it do for the value an '84-'86 Shamrock 26 Cuddy like Lep's to have a 6.8 tucked in the bilge and an Awlgrip job, like Morning Wood did on that red boat... pick your color? Would we still be talkin' $22,500 territory?

And for anyone who has experienced a Deere on the water... is it really as smooth operating as they try to claim, or is that all hype? The only other thing about them would be... Can ya get one in John Deere green? I understand the yellow, since diesel engines in boats tend to be light colors, but that green would just make a statement, in an engine compartment or room. Wouldn't it?
Charles

[flcaptainbill]

Easy,

See my posts here:

http://www.fishtheclassic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=35046&highlight=#35046

I have worked both a 26' tug and a 31 Island Hopper with the Deer Marine Diesels in them. Both great running boats. Another guy in the thread had a buddy with a 34ft Hatteras with Deers and had good things to say.

Bill R.

[skipm]

I have a neice that works at a heavy equiptment rental company , JD & Cummins have the least repair incident ratio.

[Pedlyr]

CB-

All my experience with the green machines (even though they ARE painted yellow) is with generator sets. Deere's, as mentioned in this forum elsewhere, tend to be heavy and tall. This isn't always a bad thing,
but when you don't gots the room..........

They do put them in lobster boats, though.

They are a metric engine and we haven't had any major problems except for water pumps (fresh water) and alternators. It seems this is SOP with allot of gen sets. The heat exchangers seem flimsy but functional. I like the keel cooled ones.

Their parts support is OK, but I have seen better. The parts books are confusing to me, but that is easy to do.

I always though the Isuzu was a better engine in similar applications.

Ed

[easytimes455]

I always though the Isuzu was a better engine in similar applications.


There was a Mitzubishi driven genset across the street from our building during my working years. It was huge... before they came up with these new self contained data processing rooms with their individual generators... it ran the entire processing center for eight major bases on the east coast, as part of their UPS system. They processed the payrolls for all of those bases, so it was pretty critical, at the time. It was a monster.

It wasn't as big as the peak shaver set they had to keep the peak feed down for the whole base, but the engine in that DPI feed was a real engineering feat. I just had a heck of a time controlling the exhaust from it.

My best buddy was a specialist in that area, and in DC motors. So he was the the "go to guy" for generators of any kind at Camp Lejeune. He's one of the few I miss from my working days, but since we both retired on the same day... not much to miss, now.

That Deere 6.8 just sounded like a decent piece to me. You guys may be winning me over, but it's getting mightly late for it to do any engine manufacturer any good. Just something to ponder and marvel about, now. My back's bothering me, today, anyway.
Charles

[Mistress]

Don't know for sure..but I believe their entry price is MUCH higher than a Cummins or Yanmar (same with Cats). On a bigger/pricey boat that can be absorbed.