[davidpm]

A friend is buying a Catalina 30 (11 HP maybe) with a raw water cooled Universal.

It seemed to start OK and ran without smoke.

We are waiting for the survey.

What should we know about this engine other than it is a little under-powered for this boat?

Are there engine zinc's? If so how often do they need to be inspected.
Are the cooling passages flush-able, if so how?

Any other pre-purchase inspection or post purchase maintenance tips.

 

[davidpm]

It is a universal 5411 raw water cooled.

The PO says he has had the engine out for service and that it does not have any engine zinks.

 

[Donna_F]

We got rid of our Universal 5411 two years ago. The boat was definitely underpowered as subsequent models moved up in HP because of owner feedback probably. It was fine as long as as we carefully timed the tidal current, especially under the bay bridge.

We weren't sorry to see it go as we spent a few months of a summer at the dock waiting for enough people to need an exhaust manifold cast. Then the starter stopped working. Then the transmission.

Depending on where your friend is sailing and in how good a condition it was kept by the PO, he/she might want to anticipate having to replace it in the near future.

 

[capt jgwinks]

The good news about any Universal diesel is that it's really a Kubota and most parts can be had dirt cheap from a tractor shop. The only ones you can't get there are the exhaust manifold, bell housing, and transmission.
If 11 hp proves to be inadequate, it is possible to graft a larger Kubota, say 20 hp, onto the exsisting bell housing. Everything else should fit with little to no modification. Save the raw water pump from the old engine. A used 20 hp can be found for under $2000. You would still need to have an exhaust manifold made. Beats $6000 -$10,000 for a new engine of any brand.

 

[JimsCAL]

See my reply here.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/138762-universal-5411-inboard-diesel.html

 

[davidpm]

You would still need to have an exhaust manifold made.

How does one get an exhaust manifold made?

 

[Donna_F]

How does one get an exhaust manifold made?

We had one made. The year before the transmission crapped out and we threw in the towel completely.

I don't know how it happened, but the mechanic told us we had to wait until enough people around the country needed them so they could cast more than one. For some reason I remember the magic number was 12.

Dunno where these "people" were from or who "they" were but we had a new exhaust manifold in about three months.

 

[jjablonowski]

Check for wobble in the raw-water-pump shaft.
That pump is a direct drive from a shaft internal to the engine. I had the seals go on a 23-year-old Universal M-12 diesel, and seawater got into the engine sump.
Not good.

 

[davidpm]

Check for wobble in the raw-water-pump shaft.
That pump is a direct drive from a shaft internal to the engine. I had the seals go on a 23-year-old Universal M-12 diesel, and seawater got into the engine sump.
Not good.

Thanks for that?

How exactly do you check for wobble and how much is OK?

 

[Capt Len]

Not sure about your model but I bet you take the pump off and wiggle the stub. That seal you're looking at is all that's between the ocean and a flooded sump.

 

[JimsCAL]

With regard to the pump, just look for leakage out the weep hole between the two seals. If its not leaking you are fine. Universal replaced the original pump with a new one a number of years ago. If you have the original and its bad, I suspect you will have to replace the entire assembly which includes the new pump and the engine mounting flange. Not cheap ($500+).