Steve wrote:
If we are talking about the original VW that came out in the early '80s, the
25 HP limit is probably true.

Been there done that.. That engine is just a converted Rabbit gas engine. I
think I remember that it only produced 40HP as a diesel.

Actually it was 50 hp, naturally aspirated.

I blew-up two of
them in my '82 Vanigon. Never got more than 20,000 out of either engine.
Couldn't handle Calif. Freeway (80mph) speeds for sustained periods (hours).
These engines didn't have a tach but I suspect it was turning about 3k at 80
mph.

Bad guess! Depending on tire size, 80mph in a Diesel Vanagon
(lower final drive ratio than the gas engine models) is about
4600rpm. The engine redline is 4200 rpm.

Hole in the block both times. Too many broken pieces to tell which
broke first.

Cruising long-term at 400+rpm above redline tends to do that :-)

A VW diesel in a sailboat would probably last forever, running
2500rpm, but by the time you 'marinized' it, it would probably be
more expensive (with more weight/hp) than a new marine engine.

Keith Hughes

A VW diesel in a sailboat would probably last forever, running
2500rpm, but by the time you 'marinized' it, it would probably be
more expensive (with more weight/hp) than a new marine engine.

Take a look at:
http://www.volkswagen-marine.de/
for the already-marinized VW's
and
http://www.ejbowman.co.uk/products/index.htm
for a supplier of marinizing parts (Exhaust manifolds etc) for VW diesels
and
http://www.lancingmarine.com/dieseliz.html
for a number of diesel conversions, and
http://www.lancingmarine.com/sdieselb.html
(See right columns for two types of VW diesel marine conversion parts).

There are a LOT of boats in Europe, the Eastern Atlantic, and the
Mediterranean, and many of them have smaller diesels.

The US seems to think a Bayliner with raw water cooling is a great
idea...

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

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

Try to find a Mercruser 320EFI. This engine was offered in the late 80's to
early 90's. All electronics and control modules were mounted on the block.
Instalation should be easy drop-in and wire up. 320 hp out of a Base 350 Chevy
should be a great starting point!

John