detroit diesels

[thomas]

Let me start out this post with :smt100
Don't ask me how I talked the admrial in to looking at a 1997 searay 500 Dancer, but I did.
Happens to be that this boat has detroit 6U92TA's detroit diesels. I know my fair share about cats from Frank. Need help with the 692's

 

[fwebster]

Detroits are generally good engines but they are 2 stroke diesels and usually need a cylinder overhaul somewhere around 1600 to 2000 hours depending upon how they've been cared for and how hard they have been run. A lot of otherwise very nice boats are put on the market when the owner gets the news that he is looking at a major overhaul expense. Several years ago, the cost for an inframe overhaul was in the $1500 per cylinder area, but now since the 6v92 has not been produced for several years, parts are hard to find and the cost for an overhaul can be in the $4000+ per cylinder ballpark.

Do not buy a boat with Detroit diesels unless you do a full mechanical survey. Expect to pay roughly $3000 to survey a pair of Detroits.

 

[ImpulseIII]

Frank

Are you saying $4000 per cylinder or per engine?

 

[thomas]

frank,
looking at 500 dancers, most of them have detroits 692's or 892's
these engines have around 850hrs on 692's. if they accept my offer i will be sure to have the survey done on both the engines and the boat.
just a little nervous because parts can be hard to find.

 

[SeeRay96]

DD 6V92's

In '04 I bought a 1995 500DA with 6V92's, which had 439 hrs. Other than routine stuff, the only change I've made is adding block heaters. The DD's like to be warm at start-up. The Cat 3208's in my previous boat - 390 EC - weren't so temp sensitive.
One more thing - while it's in winter storage, I'm replacing the traditional deep cycle starting batteries with 4D's.

 

[Petep]

The guys are right on when they say that these Detroits smoke at startup when cold. Every one I know that has these has added heaters and they still call them "bus motors".They do run well and have a very distinct sound to them while running, the 50 DA's of that vintage will give you lots of room up and down, as with any SR of that vintage get the best surveyor you can find, If it has a TNT check that whole transom. I know that there is one (1994) in Detroit here that was a bank repo. and they really want to move this one. It's at Gregory Boat on their web site, won't go anywhere near what it's listed for.

 

[Dancin Dave]

500 Dancers are nice boats and there are some out there with Cats in them.