Potential project, need advice

[somebodyelse5]

K guys I am thinking about making a project out of dropping a diesel into a direct drive wakeboat next summer. At this point its an idea in the works, I still need to find a deal on an old boat, and a few other things need to be worked out but its definitely something i would like to do.

I need to know which motor you guys think I should use. It will need to be a little smaller, I dont think I could fit a 7.3L. Ill need to be able to fab up motor mounts, and some type of adapter to the transmission. Something really reliable, it wont be tuned (not to begin with at least) and ill need to find it for pretty cheap.
what do you guys think my best option would be?
I have been leaning to an old cummins, but which specific motor should I look for??

I am in the initial stages, i really just thought about seriously doing it the other day, Ill work out the specifics once I get drawings on paper and some parts built on CAD.

Thanks guys!

[somebodyelse5]

4BT or 6BT?

[Drew60diesel]

sounds like an awsome project! im not one to give you advice but keep us posted on it! what size boat you lookin for?

[campbellflage]

Sounds like a cool idea, but man... sounds like alot of fab work, but that would be one awesome boat. Something to think about though would be egt's. How would you keep them down runnin high rpm all the time while towing a boarder? And where would you mount an intercooler?

[somebodyelse5]

Originally Posted by Drew60diesel

sounds like an awsome project! im not one to give you advice but keep us posted on it! what size boat you lookin for?

Thanks man, somewhere between 20 and 24 ft. most likely will end up with a 20 ft i-drive. Its something I plan on doing, whether or not its as soon as I would like it to happen. As long as I get all my project done before I have to get married (way down the road) and am totally tied down in a job. I dont wanna me that engineer stuck in a cubicle!
My list consists of basically building a prerunner, tube body up with my old man, building an IH scout with a 4BT in it, and this boat. Im learning a good amount

Originally Posted by campbellflage

Sounds like a cool idea, but man... sounds like alot of fab work, but that would be one awesome boat. Something to think about though would be egt's. How would you keep them down runnin high rpm all the time while towing a boarder? And where would you mount an intercooler?

Yea, its quickly becoming a pretty involved project. I need to do a little bit of research on transmissions, but ill most likely end up attacking the high RPM by putting a higher pitched prop. The diesel has the torque to spin that sucker unlike most gassers.
Our current boat, an 02 Tige 20V has a 6.2L V8 and has a 1.5:1 reduction in the tranny, if i remember correctly. Most direct drives have either a 1:1 or 1.5:1

I know that they put turbo-diesels in boats these days, not often in wakeboats, so I know its something that is possible Im just not entirely sure how they manage the intercooler, i know itd have to be water cooled.
I figured I could adapt something from a gasser that was in a boat to cool the block. not sure about the intercooler tho.
Thats why I love this forum, you guys think of everything!

I found a 4BTconversion forum that ill have to post up on.

[campbellflage]

yeah man keep us informed, that thing would be awesome!!! lol you should make the exhaust like a donzi where you can dump underwater and flip a switch and shoot soot clouds out above water and smoke out the skier.. lol