Yanmar 4JH3-TE consumption

[Alexandria452]

What is everyone's experience with the diesel consumption of that engine? I have it in my 2002 SO 45.2. If I am reading the charts in the manual right, the consumption is around 2.5 g/h at around 2800 rpm. My own observation is significantly lower, close to 1.5 g/h at around the same cruising rpm.

Any insights will be helpful - we are preparing for an 800 mile passage and need to get this one right!

Thanks.

[Zanshin]

The consumption charts are at full load, so I always had significantly less.

Are you planning on motorsailing - that also makes a huge difference in consumption rates for any given RPM.

[sailbleu]

I suppose you will be departing in a good wheather window no ?
In that case your worst case scenario would be using the engine for max 400 Nm.
I would say engine speed between 6 and 7 knts and fuell consumption max 2g/h also depending on what you are carrying .
The SO 45,2 has a standard 63 gallons fuell tank.
Meaning 6,5 knts speed times 24 hours = 156 Nm/24h .
2g/h times 24 hours = 54 gallons/ 156 Nm
Do the math yourself and you will arrive at 54g +54g + 18g =126 gallons
Dont know if you have an extra tank installed 60 gallons are quite a few jerrycans


But most likely you will be consuming less , provided the wind doesn't hold you back.
Again ,the wheather predictions remain an important factor on which you can be prepared for I guess.

Regards

[Alexandria452]

Thank you for the replies.

This is a race from Charleston to Bermuda, so the date is set and no motor sailing except if we decide to drop from the race. I don't have an extra fuel tank, so extra fuel need to be in cans. Your calculations are are very close to mine. The worst case scenario = a lot of yellow cans!

As a side note, if anyone is interested on what went into making a standard SO 45.2 compliant with ISAF Cat 1 offshore racing requirements, I am happy to share the experience.

[sailbleu]

Wow a race , that means you'll have to take the weather as it comes.
That could very well be disappointing.
You can always turn back of course :-)
No serious , I dont have a Yanmar but a VP 50 HP (no fancy electronics) , I know a different engine all together , but fuel consumption will - with respect to horse power that is - not be that different I guess.
At max 2000 RPM being 5,5 tot 6 knts my engine takes about 1 gallon .
I'm sure , considering the race you'll be in , you will be travelling light no doubt. Beside the fuel cans that is.
But no engine allowed you say ? I've always wondered how the race authorities are able to check that ? Is it the hourmeter ? In that case many boats with VP engine controlpanel will have a hard time proving a fair race since most of those panels are out of order. Well know disease in fact.

Good luck with the race , may the best man win.

Regards

[rxc]

I have the 4JH3TE (75HP) on my 43DS. On a trip from Stuart Florida (St Lucie Inlet) to Bermuda in 2008, we started out with a full tank of diesel (200l), plus 13 5-gallons jugs. We did a fair bit of motoring because of weather (no wind or too much wind from the wrong direction) and because we were not racing, but still entered Bermuda with most of the jugs still full. I think we transferred about 25 gal of the jug fuel into the main tank, but it still had quite a bit of fuel in it when we got into Bermuda.

I usually estimate that I will burn about 6 liters of diesel per hour, at about 2800 rpm, and this gets me a speed of about 7 kts. If I motor-sail the consumption is much lower. My general planning assumption is that I can motor for 2 days continuously, at a speed of almost 7 kts, with a full tank of fuel. I stored the diesel jugs in my barn for 4 years, till last year when we took 4 of them along on our second trip to Scotland.

I think you should be fine from Charleston to Bermuda if you bring along a few jugs. We had 5 on each side, plus 3 on the stern, but that was primarily for the Bermuda-Horta leg, where we used it all.

[dakota1]

49 DS with a Martec folding prop and Yanmar 4JH3-HTE. Seem to be averaging 1.5 to 2.0 gph at 2800 rpm.

[alcheringa]

Our 43DS has this engine but we only very rarely use the higher end of the rev range. We have found we can motor along at around six knots give or take depending on conditions using 2,000rpm. On two long runs we have recorded consumption figures of just 2.4 litres per hour and don't consider the slightly quicker speed achieved at 2,800rpm worth the extra fuel burn.

SV Alcheringa
www.dreamtimesail.blogspot.com

[dilligaf]

When we sailed to Alaska we were worried about the amount of fuel on board was something to worry about. Since then we have sail across the Pacific only using 20gal of fuel with the rest in the tanks or on deck.
Sailing takes much less fuel
Bill