Recently a great blog, The Marine Installers Rant, ran a post “High tech, live fast and die young”. It highlights the life cycle of the average boat, some operating for 40 years or more. His philosophy is, “the older the build of your boat, the longer it will live. The newer your boat is, the shorter it will live.”
He makes a great point about the lifespan of older boats and parts vs. newer technology. When a boat is loaded with custom built electronics, they can be difficult to maintain, need to be upgraded frequently and boat manufacturers don’t usually support the equipment long term. However, diesel engines are still a great power source for your marine needs, and you can still buy parts for them. So we took a look at what else makes diesel engines a good buy and came up three great reasons to go diesel:
Better Fuel Economy? Yes Please!
A gas engine just doesn’t get the MPG of a diesel engine. The chemical properties of diesel fuel has more potential energy than gas. It takes much less diesel fuel to get the same amount of energy released.
More Torque? Yes Please!
Diesel engines supply a greater amount of torque than the typical gasoline engine. Torque is important because that’s what powers your vessel to move and tow. Your horsepower is how quickly you can apply that torque.
Longer Engine Life? Yes Please!
Engine life is a big deal in marine power. A diesel engine is much more robustly built than a gas engine. The compression engine of diesel squeezes air until it builds up the heat required to inject the diesel fuel into the cylinder and ignite. It’s required to be heavy duty to build up that force. Due to it’s configuration, with proper maintenance, the diesel engine is going to last longer than a gas engine.
Do you have a diesel engine? What made you choose it?
Interested in purchasing surplus, rebuilt or used equipment? Depco has your marine power needs covered. Have questions about which best suits your needs? Please do not hesitate to call us at 800-723-3726 or chat with us online.
