I am currently repowering a 28' Fiberform. Both of the OMC 302's and
outdrives were junked and the transom holes filled.

A 6.5L diesel from a Suburban is being installed with a single Arneson
surface drive.

I should have it running in a couple more weeks, just waiting for
fabrication of the custom exhaust risers to the Detriot allison turbo.

Paul

"Terry King" wrote in message
.. .
Hi Brian,

I've done conversions on automobile V-8's and run them for years..

I have a 350 GM in the same boat I built in 1978 (25th anniversary last
Summer on Lake Champlain).

The 'conventional' conversion adds exhaust manifolds, water
pump/plumbing, flame arrester, drive train solution, and motor mounts.

Since it's been so long since I've done one, and I'm interested in 1 or 2
small diesels for a slower bigger boat, I wonder what people here have
done.

In article ,
says...
I've done an engine aero conversion, and there is more to it than
meets the eye, so I am leery.
But thinking on your suggestion, we are talking cooling and we are
talking forward/reverse. Think you could handle those?
If you can, VW would be very, very promising.
Or howz about a Mercedes?
--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont

The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?

Hi Paul,

That's quite a project. I've only seen the surface drive units on high-
powered high-speed boats. Can you point to any photos (maybe yours?) of
a more typical boat installation?

How are you doing reverse? What kind of overall ratio to the prop, and
what size/pitch prop??

I am currently repowering a 28' Fiberform.
A 6.5L diesel from a Suburban is being installed with a single Arneson
surface drive.

--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont

The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?

I am using a standard GM marine bellhousing and shaft coupler mounted to a
manual transmission flywheel. Attached to that is a volvo transmission to
give me a 2:1 reduction and forword-nuetral-reverse gears. I had a constant
velolcity joint made from 2 universal joints that connects between the trans
and drive to take up the engine vibration and slight angle change.The
exhaust manifolds were right out of the OSCO catalog and I am having custom
risers made to connect them to the turbo.

My prop is 17X18" so I may need to get it recupped after I see how it
performs.

This project is a bit of an experiment for me. I am a little concerned about
the ability of the volvo tran to take the power. I was told this trans was
from a 160hp TAM series. With the added turbo I hope to get 175-200hp out of
the 6.5l.

I have not taken any pictures yet, but I will try to get some this weekend.

Here is a nice ASD equipped pilot boat
http://www.pacificdriveline.co.nz/ar...face_drive.htm

This site features several applications using ASD's
http://www.h-ri.com/ASD_Photos/ASD_photos.html


"Terry King" wrote in message
.. .
Hi Paul,

That's quite a project. I've only seen the surface drive units on high-
powered high-speed boats. Can you point to any photos (maybe yours?) of
a more typical boat installation?

How are you doing reverse? What kind of overall ratio to the prop, and
what size/pitch prop??

I am currently repowering a 28' Fiberform.
A 6.5L diesel from a Suburban is being installed with a single Arneson
surface drive.

--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont

The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?

Paul, What RPM do you plan to run that engine at for 'cruise'?? The prop
will be 1/2 that, I understand. Does the surface drive have more 'slip'

than a non-cavitating prop? And how much does that change the RPM
calculations??

I have OSCO manifolds on the 350 GM I'm running and they've been fine,
and a decent price. Wish they had one for the Rabbit/Golf diesels!
Although there is an British supplier... I built welded copper manifolds

years ago, but had trouble keeping flanges intact. They were real
effective cooling the exhaust, with a .062 copper wall, though. Maybe
I'll think about doing that for a VW Diesel. I think I'd start with a
1/2" steel plate bolted to the block as a 'manifold starter plate' and
braze the copper pipes to that. I have to look at the VW geometry. Maybe

I can pick up a blown engine to play with and measure before making any
committments :-)

Thanks for all the info; I'll be waiting to hear about your launch!

In article SD83c.210320$jk2.722631@attbi_s53, you say...
I am using a standard GM marine bellhousing and shaft coupler mounted to a
manual transmission flywheel. Attached to that is a volvo transmission to
give me a 2:1 reduction and forword-nuetral-reverse gears. I had a constant
velolcity joint made from 2 universal joints that connects between the trans
and drive to take up the engine vibration and slight angle change.The
exhaust manifolds were right out of the OSCO catalog and I am having custom
risers made to connect them to the turbo.

My prop is 17X18" so I may need to get it recupped after I see how it
performs.

--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont

The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?

I am hoping to cruise around 2200-2500. Normally aspirated, the Gm motor
(actually designed by Detroit Diesel) achieves peak torque at 1800 rpm and
at peak power (best combination of torque and hp) at 2800rpm. The motor is
governed by the fuel pump to 3600-3800. Its best to keep the rpms under 3000
since power drops off rapidly above that.

With the addition of a good sized detroit diesel allison turbo from 6V71
which is about 20ci larger than my motor my goal is 18-20lbs of boost at
cruise. I will be monitoring an exhaust gas temp gauge to make sure I dont
overheat the motor from too much boost.

Some research leads me to believe the design of the suface drive does have
more slip than a submerged prop. It is designed so that at planning speed
only half the prop is in the water. Thus the "surface piercing" prop is
likely slipping more, but this can be varied by the trim.
Interesting paper on the topic: http://www.well.com/user/pk/SPAprofboat.html

The main advantage of this is less drag, only the rudder and half the prop
are in the water. The disadvantages I see are that at hull speed I have too
much prop in the water and may get too much bit for the engine\trans. and
reversing can cause spray over the transom if the drive is not trimmed down
first.

I still dont have a good feel for the prop size yet. In the past I have
relied more on a trial and error process for prop selection.
How big do you think my prop size should be????
Figure my engine, trans and drive weigh approximately half of the two old
302s , omc drives. The weight is now farther forward as well due to the way
the engine and trans is mounted inline. I am estimating my empty boat weight
to be 5500lbs with another 1000-1500 for fuel and gear.

More as the story develops.

Paul

"Terry King" wrote in message
.. .
Paul, What RPM do you plan to run that engine at for 'cruise'?? The prop
will be 1/2 that, I understand. Does the surface drive have more 'slip'

than a non-cavitating prop? And how much does that change the RPM
calculations??

I have OSCO manifolds on the 350 GM I'm running and they've been fine,
and a decent price. Wish they had one for the Rabbit/Golf diesels!
Although there is an British supplier... I built welded copper manifolds

years ago, but had trouble keeping flanges intact. They were real
effective cooling the exhaust, with a .062 copper wall, though. Maybe
I'll think about doing that for a VW Diesel. I think I'd start with a
1/2" steel plate bolted to the block as a 'manifold starter plate' and
braze the copper pipes to that. I have to look at the VW geometry. Maybe

I can pick up a blown engine to play with and measure before making any
committments :-)

Thanks for all the info; I'll be waiting to hear about your launch!

In article SD83c.210320$jk2.722631@attbi_s53, you say...
I am using a standard GM marine bellhousing and shaft coupler mounted to
a
manual transmission flywheel. Attached to that is a volvo transmission
to
give me a 2:1 reduction and forword-nuetral-reverse gears. I had a
constant
velolcity joint made from 2 universal joints that connects between the
trans
and drive to take up the engine vibration and slight angle change.The
exhaust manifolds were right out of the OSCO catalog and I am having
custom
risers made to connect them to the turbo.

My prop is 17X18" so I may need to get it recupped after I see how it
performs.

--
Regards, Terry King ...In The Woods In Vermont

The one who Dies With The Most Parts LOSES!! What do you need?

"Paul Winchester" wrote in message
news:fuQ2c.138061$4o.178972@attbi_s52...
A 6.5L diesel from a Suburban is being installed with a single Arneson
surface drive.

What year was the 6.5 and was it mechanical injection (i.e. no computer)? I
wanted to convert my suburban from gas to diesel and am looking for which
years were mechanically injected... Also post back with how you make out
there are quite a few readers here that wanted to do the same project. You
are the pioneer... Thanks

mark

This engine is a mechanical from a 1990, I really like the simplicity of
this setup From what I have read most all the motors 92 and prior were
mechanical. But really any year can be converted to a mechanical pump. Its
really amazing how cheap these motors can be found. The only significant
internal difference between the 6.2 and 6.5 is the bore, in fact many
builders perfer the 6.2 block bored .040 to a 6.5. There are some
differences in the heads over the years but I have not found a good source
of infomation on that.

Injectors and pumps can be upgraded for more power. Dont know if I need to
go there yet until I see my performance vs GPH.

So far the conversion has been easy going. The very little difference than
installing any other gm motor.

Stay in touch and I will keep you posted as I get her launched.

"rock_doctor" wrote in message
roups.com...

"Paul Winchester" wrote in message
news:fuQ2c.138061$4o.178972@attbi_s52...
A 6.5L diesel from a Suburban is being installed with a single Arneson
surface drive.

What year was the 6.5 and was it mechanical injection (i.e. no computer)?
I
wanted to convert my suburban from gas to diesel and am looking for which
years were mechanically injected... Also post back with how you make out
there are quite a few readers here that wanted to do the same project.
You
are the pioneer... Thanks

mark