Why do the 6v92s Have such a bad reputation

[Hatt-Trick]

I have never owned one but have been aggressively in the market looking to go to a bigger Hatt and every boat I'm interested in have that model Detroit.When really taking a look at things like time on market ,prices they sold for and opinions of people who have had them or worked on them they are for the most part undesirable power.The biggest problem I have heard about how much they overheat and how many boat designs lack the air intake they need,loudness etc.What are your thoughts,Thanks

 

[SKYCHENEY]

They are great engines in the lower hp versions.

 

[Hatt-Trick]

They are great engines in the lower hp versions.

What do you consider a good match for a '97 43' Hatt Express,Thanks,Peter

 

[GJH]

Sky's right, keep the HP down below say 500 and run them nicely; how fast do you want to go in that boat? The rep comes from engines juiced way up there and run on the pins all the time.

 

[captddis]

I would go for the 550 6V92. They have plenty of cooling capacity and wet turbos and bypass blowers. They have been great.
Avoid the 625's TIA's Although if all the updates were done and run at 1800 ish they will be ok.

 

[Fanfare]

I have 22 years now on new 6V-92TA engines at 550 hp. They have been flawless. But I mostly run them under 2000 rpm. I do 100-150 hrs per year. Mine start instantly, don't smoke on starts, burn no oil. Because of the water cooled turbos and the exhaust manifolds my engine rooms are much cooler than when I had my 8V-71Ns. I just ran today between Ft. Lauderdale and West End, Grand Bahama at an average 18+ kts. at 1,980 rpm. Treat them gently and they are fine.

 

[saltshaker]

I had 550HP 6V92TAs. Great engines at that configuration. The bad reputation comes from some of the configurations that had issues. Compared to many modern diesels they aren't as good but they're also not as complicated. As Dave said the 550HP with the bigger heat exchanger and wet turbos are much better than the earlier versions

 

[Boatsb]

People talk about the mike their the Oldsmobile diesels. Not so. They outlast the fuel misers too.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have 22 years now on new 6V-92TA engines at 550 hp. They have been flawless. But I mostly run them under 2000 rpm. I do 100-150 hrs per year. Mine start instantly, don't smoke on starts, burn no oil. Because of the water cooled turbos and the exhaust manifolds my engine rooms are much cooler than when I had my 8V-71Ns. I just ran today between Ft. Lauderdale and West End, Grand Bahama at an average 18+ kts. at 1,980 rpm. Treat them gently and they are fine.

I'm sorry to take this off topic, but what else did you change, Jim, when you put the 692's in? What shaft size and props did you go with?

 

[Fanfare]

I spoke with Jack Hargrave and with my marine engineer friend Paul Lesky, N.A.-M.E., of C.M.P. Associates, Ft. Lauderdale. We decided the limitation would be the shaft size. Moving up from 2 inch would get too complicated. Calculations indicated that a 1.71 reduction gearing could retain the 2" shaft size if I changed to Aquamet 22. Props went from three blade 28x31 to four blade 28x28. As an added bonus this really improved my idle speed manuaverability. At sea trial she topped out at 23 kts. with full fuel, water and about 7 people on board.

 

[polarizer]

I think the rep came from the Covington conversion units. Covington was doing their own thing taking a low HP to 550. They ran out of specification and as a result, threw rods, blew turbos etc. My father had a set in his 1985 45 and it was a nighmare until Roger Penske took the helm and sent us two units gratis.