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Duramax VLX


cowwboy

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Saw this on wakeworld.
https://www.onlyinboards.com/Malibu-Wakesetter-VLX-with-6.6L-Duramax-Diesel-Engine-for-sale-South-Vienna-OH-Ohio-80950.aspx

45k is a bit much especially since they didn't replace the factory dash and trim pieces. Guessing they were part of the theft before he got it. 
Also noticed how he didn't water jacket the exhaust. 
But I love the idea and for mid 30's and it being done correctly. My boat may have been up for sale and I'd be driving to Ohio.  

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The heat coming off that exhaust/turbo setup is pretty dangerous in there. I'm surprised it hasn't melted the damn seat-backs. Not to mention, the heat-soak and not running an intercooler is just going to force piping-hot air into the intake which is going to kill the horsepower.

EDIT: looks like he's running a water-air heat exchanger in-place of an intercooler. Good idea for sure. Exhaust and turbo is still going to generate a lot of heat in there, so the other concerns are still valid.

He may have replaced the dashboard because it's difficult to interface the engine outputs with the stock malibu stuff.

Edited by boardjnky4
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Even if it is an interfeace issue you can change gauges and not rip out both sides of your dash. 
I am with you on the piping. Just imagine when EGT's get close to 1k how much heat is being put out in that compartment. 
Also didn't state if he is running a closed or open cooling system. 

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6 minutes ago, cowwboy said:

Even if it is an interfeace issue you can change gauges and not rip out both sides of your dash. 
I am with you on the piping. Just imagine when EGT's get close to 1k how much heat is being put out in that compartment. 
Also didn't state if he is running a closed or open cooling system. 

I agree. Or AT LEAST he could have vinyl wrapped the dash to look at least sorta close to factory.

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The throttle mount makes no sense either. Bending that stainless is not easy, why didn't he just get the panels from Great lakes skipper. They have them and I even think they have the entire dash also. 

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I'm mixed on the dash.  It does resolve a few shortcomings of the factory dash and there are newer boats with dashes that are similar.  It's well enough done that I won't fault the boat for it.  My complaints:
- WTF did he do with the armrest area (where the shifter attaches)??!!!  That's just awful.  It looks bad and can't be comfortable
- The boxed area to house the V-drive looks like cheap crap - and you obviously lose a seat
- Forgot to carpet the fuel tank cover - why?
- Questionable safety of that turbo setup and some of the diesel downfalls
- THE PRICE!!!  45k for that, lol.  Remember, this is probably a salvage title 2002.  

You could take a nice condition '02, pay a shop to do a LSA swap and be in it for less than 45k.  Just think about that.  The owner's argument about power is also very poor.  I have mine fairly sacked out and get out of the hole fine with the LS1 (and proper prop).  If he really needed more than overkill power for a SV23 hull, a LS3 swap would have been quite appropriate.

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1 hour ago, Nitrousbird said:

I'm mixed on the dash.  It does resolve a few shortcomings of the factory dash and there are newer boats with dashes that are similar.  It's well enough done that I won't fault the boat for it.  My complaints:
- WTF did he do with the armrest area (where the shifter attaches)??!!!  That's just awful.  It looks bad and can't be comfortable
- The boxed area to house the V-drive looks like cheap crap - and you obviously lose a seat
- Forgot to carpet the fuel tank cover - why?
- Questionable safety of that turbo setup and some of the diesel downfalls
- THE PRICE!!!  45k for that, lol.  Remember, this is probably a salvage title 2002.  

You could take a nice condition '02, pay a shop to do a LSA swap and be in it for less than 45k.  Just think about that.  The owner's argument about power is also very poor.  I have mine fairly sacked out and get out of the hole fine with the LS1 (and proper prop).  If he really needed more than overkill power for a SV23 hull, a LS3 swap would have been quite appropriate.

I'm guessing he went the diesel route only b/c he's a diesel shop owner. 

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Emmissions or not, the smell would be bad. I remember doing dive trips on diesel boats and the smell of the exhaust would make half the people ill before we got to big water. I'll pass.

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22 minutes ago, Falko said:

Emmissions or not, the smell would be bad. I remember doing dive trips on diesel boats and the smell of the exhaust would make half the people ill before we got to big water. I'll pass.

FAE should fix that easily

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3 hours ago, jtryon said:

FAE should fix that easily

uh, my experience on a friends '17 LSV with FAE.. it only helps while driving at decent speeds. If we were just going at idle speed you would smell it still. So at the low speeds you would still get that good ole diesel smell

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I wonder if he installed something like this on it?

https://victorianmarinetechnology.com.au/products/duramax-diesel-marine-exhaust-system-stainless-steel

Here is another cool project. They did custom water-jacketed manifolds and up-pipes, then they wrapped the rest of the exhaust, which I believe would be acceptable, in terms of heat.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/155-site-information/60-vendor-info-specials/438905-mastercraft-duramax-project-started.html

Edited by boardjnky4
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4 hours ago, AJwakedevil said:

uh, my experience on a friends '17 LSV with FAE.. it only helps while driving at decent speeds. If we were just going at idle speed you would smell it still. So at the low speeds you would still get that good ole diesel smell

I like good ole diesel smell from my truck.  not a wakeboat. if it were my 50ft yacht,(dreaming) that would be okay.

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Personally I would love to have a diesel boat. But this specific one was not done correctly.
I personally would have started with a larger boat so you have more space to cram it into. 
Just imagine the ballast you could run with an dual cummins X-80. 

Also for me, any lake that we would keep the boat on the water overnight has diesel. 
If you go into the salt water scene the majority of boats are diesel. It's honestly a better match for the needs of power for marine. 

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dual cummins wold be putting out 800 tq at the crank for each motor.  prolly have to modify an allison to handle it.  would need a bigger boat than an X80.  the motors could spin prolly 20in dia.  props. an X80 would not be big enough to carry all the ballast the motors could push.  my college buddy(did well for himself) has a 60 ft boat that weighs around 60000 lbs.  he has twin 600 hp diesels with 24in props with 2.5 in prop shafts.  for reference.

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The X-80 that I posted above was a single-engine version. They had to upgrade it to a ZF-63IV trans with a 1:1.3 gear ratio to get the torque and gearing right for the boat. The ZF-45IV can't handle the power either.

I'm sure that ZF has some offerings that can handle high-torque engines.

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11 minutes ago, JeffK said:

I'd hate to be surfing or wakeboarding back there and get a mouth full of black soot every time I got up.

All you would have to do is add a DEF system along with Selective Cat. Reduction and Diesel Particulate Filter...lol.

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1 hour ago, JeffK said:

I'd hate to be surfing or wakeboarding back there and get a mouth full of black soot every time I got up.

That cloud at 1:36 is nasty!

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