Cummins Marine Diesel Repower Specialists Forums Cummins Marine Engines 6bt 180 how much horsepower can i get safely?

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  • #33076

    J Cooper
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Black Bird
    Engines: 2005 cummins Recon 6bt 180
    Location: SW florida
    Country: United States

    Hello I am new to the forum . I have read through it and really feel it is the best marine diesel forum on the internet . I have a new recon cummins 6 bt 180 2 to 1 gear to me . I got it with a boat I currently purchased which was a 1987 Boca Grande center console straight inboard with a slight tunnel at about 6 thousand pounds total . This is the second one I have owned , first being a gas . The reason I ask about cummins horse power boost was this was a water taxi and never planed . The boat sank and they put new engine in and then bought bigger water taxi and abandoned this one . I will be using it for pleasure only . I have read you can get a ton of horse power out of these engines but really don’t want that , just enough to run a good plane and not hurt the engine . I have heard of adjusting injector pump up to get tp 210 , is there more safely ? Maybe to 250 ? From what I have read on your other post you seem to be honest and very knowledgeable . Please advise . Thanks

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  • #42786

    J Cooper
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Black Bird
    Engines: 2005 cummins Recon 6bt 180
    Location: SW florida
    Country: United States

    Lol was just curious on what the differences were . Not planning to do it . I would be happy with either .Thanks for the insight

    #42784

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    …a late 6BTA M-3 315 / 355

    the street names being the 330 and the 370..

    #42782

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    Simple R&R.. 250 HP is not cost effective, trust me. Sell what yo have and upgrade to a late 6BTA M-3 315 / 355

    #42761

    J Cooper
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Black Bird
    Engines: 2005 cummins Recon 6bt 180
    Location: SW florida
    Country: United States

    Thank you for posting . Two additional questions ? I have removed a pump before on a perkins 6.3 and had a key way to get pump back in correct timing .Is the cummins pump the same to replace in correctly ? And second question . Just for the knowledge of it , what would it take to get the 180 to a 250 ? New pump ?injectors ? cooler?
    Thanks

    #42716

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    Rob’s answer is only a 100% “qualified right”… If your finished vessel is really hard to get up on top ( it’s a true 2-step hull) , then the close to 100 ft lbs of extra torque available during the “acceleration period” could pay dividends getting it “over the hump” and up to its realistic cruise speed…

    But understand this…………..That the realistic cruise speed will be the same with either injection pump setting if you want to run within the design of what this engines has to “power available” for CRUISE.–

    You have about 170-175 BHP as to cruise power available with either version (at the upper end) –How fast your vessel moves forward with 175 BHP being put into the prop will be determined by the total weight of the vessel, the quality of the prop, the windage and running gear condition under the boat–NOT by whether you have the pump re-rated of not..

    With the 210 rating, yes at WOT, you would have a faster boat and it would get there FASTER.. Is that where you want to run the engine going from Point A to Point B?

    As to re-rating the pump–Pretty simple– You just need to R&R the pump properly and send it to a certified pump shop to have it re-set.. $400 ?? plus your labor.

    Hope this helps………………..

    Tony

    #33088

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    180 >>> 210

    The 210 version has quite a bit more power available at all RPM’s, so if it’ a planning hull, it would get the boat up on top way easier. The 180 has quite a cork in the fuel limiter thru-out the RPM range. Just prop the 210 light..

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