6v53 fuel burn rate

[Old Boat Goat]

Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s pushing a
45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.

TIA

Don

[Steve Lusardi]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Old Boat Goat]

Thanks, Steve, for the very credible analysis. My reason for asking was
estimating the cost of bringing a boat from California to Vancouver Island
(B.C., Can.), approximately 1400 miles, 150 hours. With this fuel
consumption, about $5000-$6000. Although the boat would be a bargain, I'd
blow the savings out the stack. I'll be passing on this deal, I think.
As an aside, I was engineer on a 150 ton packer/towboat for a couple
years in the '90s. She had an Enterprise 6 cyl., air-start, direct reversing
engine. We burned about 20 gph, loaded or light, made 10 kn. steady.

Thanks again,

Don

Post by Steve Lusardi
It depends of quite a few variables you have not stated, but you will do
well with .4 pounds per horsepower hour. Your engines will have constant
speed governors that should have a cap at 2800 rpm. Your engine manual
should state the max rated HP. These engines have ratings between 210 HP
and 400 HP depending on their configuration. Your most efficient cruise
speed should be acheived around 2000 RPM. At this speed you should be
around .6 max (250 x .6 = 150 HP). So, 150 HP x .4 pounds = 60 lbs .
Divide this by 6 pounds per gallon and you have 10 gallons an hour per
engine at cruise. with this, you can work other permutations yourself. But
this theoretical boat with cost you about $50 for every 13 miles you drive
it. Think sail boat, let God blow you about.
Steve

Post by Old Boat Goat
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s
pushing a 45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.
TIA
Don

[Lew Hodgett]

Post by Old Boat Goat
Thanks, Steve, for the very credible analysis. My reason for asking was
estimating the cost of bringing a boat from California to Vancouver Island
(B.C., Can.), approximately 1400 miles, 150 hours.

<snip>

If you like the boat, have it hauled.

Much less expensive is my bet.

BTW, only a masochist takes a boat up the left coast<G>.

Lew

[Old Boat Goat]

Post by Lew Hodgett
If you like the boat, have it hauled.
Much less expensive is my bet.
BTW, only a masochist takes a boat up the left coast<G>.
Lew

I don't think it would be haulable. At least not reasonably. 15' beam,
15'-16' height. On a trailer, probably 18'. Pilot car(s), overpass and
bridge clear route, etc. All too much for my interest in this boat. As for
running it up the coast, that'd be a blast. Couple of old boat buddies,
grub and coolies, 1 bottle of single malt (well, maybe 2 :), a few thousand
in fuel. Priceless!

Don

[w***@hotmail.com]

If you cut your speed back to no more than about 1.1 x SQRT(LWL), about
7 kts, you can probably get your consumption well below 1 gph. I have
a 30 ton 49 footer with twin 671s. At 1000 RPM we get 7 kts at about
.7 gph, at 1300 RPM 8.5 kts at 1 gph.

[Old Boat Goat]

<snipped>

"Steve Lusardi" <***@lusardi.de> wrote in message news:dim35h$km7$03$***@news.t-online.com...
Think sail boat,

Post by Steve Lusardi
Think sail boat, let God blow you about.
Steve

Actually Steve, I am a windboat guy. I have a 35' mahogany planked sloop in
the boatshop right now. Hoping to put her back in come Spring. Just that
this boat is "such a deal" and I kinda like the idea of a big, comfortable
cruiser that goes anywhere, anytime, without tacking, reefing, lying to, or
getting wet & cold in winter (we do sail in winter).

Don

[Steve Lusardi]

Don,
It is a shame. I love 6V53s. I have rebuilt many Detroits and the 6V53 is my
favorite. They are built like a Swiss watch. I have a 3-53 as an aux in my
sailboat.
Steve

Post by Old Boat Goat
<snipped>
Think sail boat,

Post by Steve Lusardi
Think sail boat, let God blow you about.
Steve

Actually Steve, I am a windboat guy. I have a 35' mahogany planked sloop
in the boatshop right now. Hoping to put her back in come Spring. Just
that this boat is "such a deal" and I kinda like the idea of a big,
comfortable cruiser that goes anywhere, anytime, without tacking, reefing,
lying to, or getting wet & cold in winter (we do sail in winter).
Don

[Meye5]

too much, sell it and buy a sailboat you fuel hog.

[Old Boat Goat]

Post by Meye5
too much, sell it and buy a sailboat you fuel hog.

Yeah, thanks for the subtle advice. Actually I have a sailboat (see other
posts) but am just fanasizing about buying this cruiser ( I haven't bought
it yet) and running her home. I think I've admitted the folly of my fantasy
and will watch the auction with interest, without putting out the $$$.

Don

[Old Boat Goat]

Post by Steve Lusardi
Don,
It is a shame. I love 6V53s. I have rebuilt many Detroits and the 6V53 is
my favorite. They are built like a Swiss watch. I have a 3-53 as an aux in
my sailboat.
Steve

Yeah, I know of which you speak. Nice simple injection system, durable and
parts available (or robbable) anywhere. I think of them as the Land Rover of
diesels, parts from a '40s 53 series will fit an '80s 53 series. Try that
with a Cat, Cummins or Volvo. 3/4" & 9/16" pretty much the only wrenches you
need. I was once at an old, abandonned Dew line site on the Beaufort Sea.
The powerhouse still had the carcasses of two Detroits sitting in their
beds, pretty much intact. Detroits don't fit well into a snowmobile or
little tin boats, I guess. I wish I had a 2- or 3-53 in my boat. I've got a
20hp Sabb (not Saab) with v.p. prop. Not enough poop to give you good
maneuvering, but better than using sweeps.

Don

[Old Boat Goat]

What the hell... I won't be bidding. Here's what caught my eye. Doesn't it
look pretty good for the money?

Don

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4581522362&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[Larry]

Post by Old Boat Goat
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=458152236
2&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Wow....700 gallons at $4/gallon. I'm impressed...(c;

Probably make a nice dock condo if you could put it somewhere under
$400/month.

[Brian Whatcott]

On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 23:00:57 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat
What the hell... I won't be bidding. Here's what caught my eye. Doesn't it
look pretty good for the money?
Don
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4581522362&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

40+ feet of mahogany planks on oak framed hull - looks like a mobile
wood store!

Brian W

[Brian Whatcott]

On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 15:04:10 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s pushing a
45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.
TIA
Don

Hmmmm let's see:
thrust times speed = power required.
power divided by efficiency = fuel consumption rate

We're almost there at the answer....now tell me:
what thrust? depends on the prop size and RPMs
What speed?
What drag?

That's all we need now! :-)

Brian W

[Old Boat Goat]

Post by Brian Whatcott
On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 15:04:10 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s pushing a
45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.
TIA
Don

thrust times speed = power required.
power divided by efficiency = fuel consumption rate
what thrust? depends on the prop size and RPMs
What speed?
What drag?
That's all we need now! :-)
Brian W

Well I figure there has to be one or two guys around here with twin 6V53s,
or even a single, in their boats, that already know their engines burn 6
gph, 8 gph, 10 gph or whatever. That's all I was asking for. That's accurate
enough for me. Steve (see above) gave me more than expected and did so
without being patronizing.

Don

[Steve Lusardi]

Don,
These are '69 engines, non turbo, with 45 injectors unless modified. If you
kept her speed to about 7 knots and with a relatively clean bottom, you
might realize 6 gallons each per hour.
Steve

Post by Old Boat Goat

Post by Brian Whatcott
On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 15:04:10 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s pushing a
45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.
TIA
Don

thrust times speed = power required.
power divided by efficiency = fuel consumption rate
what thrust? depends on the prop size and RPMs
What speed?
What drag?
That's all we need now! :-)
Brian W

Well I figure there has to be one or two guys around here with twin 6V53s,
or even a single, in their boats, that already know their engines burn 6
gph, 8 gph, 10 gph or whatever. That's all I was asking for. That's
accurate enough for me. Steve (see above) gave me more than expected and
did so without being patronizing.
Don

[Brian Whatcott]

On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 16:03:05 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat

Post by Brian Whatcott
On Thu, 13 Oct 2005 15:04:10 GMT, "Old Boat Goat"

Post by Old Boat Goat
Can anyone give me a ballpark figure how much fuel a Detroit 6V53 will
consume, loaded? Trying to estimate fuel consumption of twin 6V53s pushing a
45' hard chine, V-bottom cruiser, 29 gross tons.
TIA
Don

thrust times speed = power required.
power divided by efficiency = fuel consumption rate
what thrust? depends on the prop size and RPMs
What speed?
What drag?
That's all we need now! :-)
Brian W

Well I figure there has to be one or two guys around here with twin 6V53s,
or even a single, in their boats, that already know their engines burn 6
gph, 8 gph, 10 gph or whatever. That's all I was asking for. That's accurate
enough for me. Steve (see above) gave me more than expected and did so
without being patronizing.
Don

I didn't mean to pastronize - I like to help!
But accuracy is not at stake. It's all the variables.

How about this approach - for any diesel,
say 0.4 lb of fuel per HP hour
So an honest 100 HP costs 40 lb/hr = 7 gal/hr
an honest 200 HP costs 14 gal/hr

A 100HP drives different hulls at different speeds. Naturally.


Brian Whatcott Altus OK

[Don]

Thanks Brian. I was expecting a much lower fuel consumpiton figure than
either what you or Steve calculated. More in the range of what Wayne gave me
here

"If you cut your speed back to no more than about 1.1 x SQRT(LWL), about 7
kts, you can probably get your consumption well below 1 gph. I have a 30
ton 49 footer with twin 671s. At 1000 RPM we get 7 kts at about .7 gph, at
1300 RPM 8.5 kts at 1 gph."

I've heard commercial fisherman up here (B.C. Canada) brag about the
economy of their 6-53s in 35' - 40' trollers. Heavy built, beamy,
displacement hull workboats. 2 - 3 gph is what I recall guys telling me but
I sometimes can't believe what I remember. It's been 25 years since I was
involved in that fishery.

It's all a moot point since the boat in question has now sold. Still, It
would have been a neat, relatively cheap adventure for this old seadog.
Might have had some good times and sold the boat at profit a few years on.
You wouldn't believe what a "dock condo" rents for in Victoria harbour right
now.

Don

Post by Brian Whatcott
I didn't mean to pastronize - I like to help!
But accuracy is not at stake. It's all the variables.
How about this approach - for any diesel,
say 0.4 lb of fuel per HP hour
So an honest 100 HP costs 40 lb/hr = 7 gal/hr
an honest 200 HP costs 14 gal/hr
A 100HP drives different hulls at different speeds. Naturally.
Brian Whatcott Altus OK

[Brian Whatcott]

Post by Don
Thanks Brian. I was expecting a much lower fuel consumpiton figure than
either what you or Steve calculated. More in the range of what Wayne gave me
here
"If you cut your speed back to no more than about 1.1 x SQRT(LWL), about 7
kts, you can probably get your consumption well below 1 gph. I have a 30
ton 49 footer with twin 671s. At 1000 RPM we get 7 kts at about .7 gph, at
1300 RPM 8.5 kts at 1 gph."
Don

If using 100 HP takes 7 gal/hr, then 0.7 gal/hr means you throttle
down to 10 HP tops. Nothing magic there. And yes I know, it is
pleasant to dream that if you held your mouth just right, you could be
at the helm of a mighty sea boat again! My dreams tend to focus on
airplanes these days - the only toy I do not presently own but do
covet.

Brian W

[Old Boat Goat]

Post by Brian Whatcott
If using 100 HP takes 7 gal/hr, then 0.7 gal/hr means you throttle
down to 10 HP tops. Nothing magic there. And yes I know, it is
pleasant to dream that if you held your mouth just right, you could be
at the helm of a mighty sea boat again! My dreams tend to focus on
airplanes these days - the only toy I do not presently own but do
covet.
Brian W

Had one of those too. Sold it at a low (and broke) point in my life.
Starduster II, a lovely biplane, 190 HP, CS prop. Wish I still had it but...
It's still around the area and I could have it I really wanted it but... at
this time in my life, the annual meds. are a concern.

Good luck. Get one if you can, you (and your kids) will never regret
it. You can always sell an airplane. Not so a boat.

Don

[w***@gmail.com]

Post by Brian Whatcott
If using 100 HP takes 7 gal/hr, then 0.7 gal/hr means you throttle
down to 10 HP tops. Nothing magic there. And yes I know, it is
pleasant to dream that if you held your mouth just right, you could be
at the helm of a mighty sea boat again!

Just noticed that typos crept into my fuel consumption post which
should have read ".7 GPM" (gallons per mile) at 1000 RPM instead of gph
(gallons per hour).

If only it were true :-)