Yanmar unleashes new V8 Diesel Pleasure Craft Power

by Bob Carter on 25 Jul 2011 Yanmar has announced the arrival of the all new Yanmar 8LV series in Australia – this is a V8, 4.46 litre diesel engine that will astonish boaters with its acceleration, fuel economy and low noise.

It will be shown to the Australian public for the first time at the Sydney International Boat Show. Due to interest already being shown in this new model, Power Equipment, the Australian Distributor of Yanmar, is air freighting a demonstration engine especially for the 2011 Sydney Boat Show.

The Yanmar 8LV has applications from family blue water cruisers and sport fishers all the way through to ski boats. That’s no mistake – here is a V8 diesel engine that delivers all the attributes of power, performance, safety and economy to the ski boat market!

'The Yanmar 8LV is expected to generate wide interest from Australian boat builders and our dealer base handling repower enquiries,' said Michael Blair, Marine Sales Manager for Power Equipment.

'There is ever growing demand for more technically advanced and refined diesel engines amongst the boating public. Boaters are no longer prepared to accept the options of diesel versus petrol. Informed boaters are demanding hi-tech contemporary diesel technology and the Yanmar 8LV is just such an engine.'

The Yanmar 8LV is offered at 320 mhp (239 kW) the 8LV320, and 370 mhp (272 kW) the 8LV370.

At the heart of the new Yanmar 8LV is a 90°, V8 cylinder block. It features twin turbo chargers and direct injection with a common rail fuel system. There are four valves per cylinder. Tipping the scales at just 435 kgs dry weight without gearbox, this Yanmar continues the Yanmar tradition of delivering high power from a low weight package.

The Yanmar 8LV - V8 diesel engine has been designed and packaged to suit the customer’s choice of a stern drive, conventional down-angle or vee drive transmission.

Yanmar has beefed up their ZT350 stern drive unit to provide a robust, durable leg which can handle the power and torque of the Yanmar 8LV. The new Yanmar ZT370 sterndrive has been specifically designed and built to mate to the Yanmar 8LV.

The quiet hydrodynamic ZT370 has an upgraded hydraulic clutch which is destined to impress, as the ZT350 already is well known for its exceptional smoothness during gear shifting. Precision forged gears deliver long life and the two counter rotating propellers have been purpose matched for superb acceleration and tight hold tracking.

The 8LV engine is EPA Tier 3 compliant. It has amazingly low noise levels and delivers smooth performance with a flat torque curve.

In addition to the new Yanmar ZT370 sterndrive, the compact 8LV diesel can be installed with Yanmar’s KMH50 series transmission, down angle or V-drive. Single or twin installations are easily achieved in sterndrive or inboard configurations.

This is the first engine to use Yanmar’s own, newly developed CAN-bus vessel control system, the Yanmar VCS. In the near future it will also be available with Yanmar’s new VCS joystick control system. The VCS joystick control system facilitates 360º turn, sideways and diagonal movement and has already impressed Power Equipment’s staff during a recent factory demonstration.

A key feature of the high torque 8LV is its wide power and torque band. It idles at 550 rpm, making for an impressive crawling speed in the marina and is aided even further by a trolling valve option on its shaft drive gearbox models. Maximum rated engine speed is 3,800 rpm – well ahead of other engines in this segment and hence providing for a wide available power range.

Further benefits are exceptionally low noise levels and minimized vibration, ease of installation and servicing, and the advantage of a powerful 12V / 180A alternator.

Power Equipment is the exclusive and authorized Australian, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and South Pacific Distributor of Yanmar Marine and Industrial diesel engines importing product from Yanmar plants in Japan, Asia, USA and Europe. Power Equipment is also the exclusive authorized Distributor of JCB DieselMax engines for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific. Power Equipment also distribute the Yanmar powered MASE diesel marine generators range and Gori high quality folding sailboat propellers.