STERNDRIVES TO THE NEW CATERPILLAR 6.4L ENGINE??

[nabeelah]

Whats the max hp/rpm that could be matched to the Konrad drives or any other sterndrive? Saw this on the web,that may interest sterndrive prospects:


Caterpillar Announces the Development of New High Performance Diesel Engine for the Pleasure Craft Industry
New Cat® C6.4 Marine Engine Features Compact Design for Powerful Performance
Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is pleased to announce the development of the Cat® C6.4, a new marine diesel engine platform for the pleasure craft industry. The C6.4 will provide industry-leading performance in the power range of 335 mhp to 505 mhp with the latest innovations in high technology, including common rail fuel injection. Designed specifically for the pleasure craft industry, the new engine is a compact, powerful and user-friendly solution for customers seeking maximum performance with decreased engine noise and reduced emissions. Featuring a 3400 rpm rated engine speed, the C6.4 is a vee-configuration, 8-cylinder, 4-stroke engine with 98.2 mm bore and 105 mm stroke displacing 6.4 total liters. The C6.4 offers four "E" level ratings, including the highest rating, which is 505 mhp at 3400 rpm. Additional ratings available include 450 mhp at 3400 rpm, 380 mhp at 3400 mhp and 335 mhp at 3400 rpm. Production is targeted for the first half of 2012.
C6.4 - Marine Diesel Propulsion Engine for the Pleasure Craft Segment
"We're pleased to introduce a segment-specific marine engine for our pleasure craft customers," said David Shannon, Caterpillar Marine Power Systems Pleasure Craft Global Sales Manager. "The new C6.4 is designed from the ground up to be reliable with clean, quiet operation and require less maintenance. We've taken extra measures to offer a new product capable of pleasing even the most discerning marine customer."

The C6.4 meets current exhaust emission regulations including U.S. EPA Tier II marine recreational craft limitations, the EU 94/25/EC recreational craft directive and is IMO II compliant. The engine is also capable of meeting future U.S. EPA Tier III marine exhaust emissions requirements. Reduced engine noise is achieved through innovative design in the two-piece CGI cylinder block, combining the bed plate and block casting to provide additional stiffness and subsequently lower operating noise. The High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system also provides quieter performance through the pilot injection of fuel and integration of Piezo technology to eliminate electro-mechanical control solenoids.

"Vessel owners will immediately notice the quieter performance of the C6.4 due to significant reductions in gear train and valve noise as well as the addition of the HPCR fuel system," noted Tony Pattle, Marine Products Engineering Manager. Tom Withers, Chief Engineer for the C6.4 project added, "A great deal of focus has been put on incorporating Caterpillar's many years of pleasure craft marine experience into the overall package design of this product resulting in a very compact design in the always exciting V8 configuration." Extensive laboratory testing has been completed and will continue along with on the water testing, which has already begun.

The new engine model will be manufactured in the Wimborne Marine Power Center, located in Wimborne, United Kingdom. Standard equipment on the C6.4 includes a built-in oil cooler, centrifugal water pump, self-priming sea water pump, low profile oil pan, top access to service oil level and oil fill locations as well as a single Cat heavy-duty spin-on high efficiency oil filter. The engine is equipped with an automatic fuel priming pump, 12V DC electric accessories and a solid-mounted Cat 70-pin electric plug-in connector for yacht control harness. The new C6.4 is fully compatible with the Cat Multi-Station Control System (MSCS) and MSCS II components for shift and throttle integration and Cat helm displays, including the Color Marine Power Display (CMPD).

[Chaps]

You AK guys would know better but it seems like some of the boats in the Bristol Bay fishery have big diesels on stern drives . . .

[CTMD]

The new series 600 Konrads would go close but I'd be surprised if they stretched to the "E" rating. You really need torque numbers to confirm. It will also depend on the weight of the boat.

[nabeelah]

Thanks Chris.When is your website operational?

[CTMD]

One day ;)

[frozencpa]

Go to Konrad's website to see how much torque they will take. Also, ZF used to make high capacity sterndrives. They were rarely imported because of the cost. Sterndrives are efficient in transmitting power but have short service lives and high repair costs. You may wish to consider jet drives as an option. The commercial fishermen in AK are generally leaving sterndrives for jets with the exception of Volvo's engine/sterndrive pairings.