Unveiling the Marvel: BMC 1500 Diesel Boat Engine Norfolk Broads Forum

[@samsails9820]

Good video, thanks for the information!

[@jozg44]

The petrol version of the B-Series was used in all sorts of things from the 1952 Austin A40/A50 Cambridge to the last MGB in 1980. The 1489cc version was used across the BMC range until the mid 1960s. As for the diesels, the 1500D was put in the 'Farina' Austin Cambridge/Morris Oxford from 1962 to 1971, and then in certain versions of the Morris Marina until 1980. The Austin/Morris J4 van used the 1500D between 1960 and 1974 - the Leyland Sherpa used the 1800D. It was also put in the Nuffield 4/25 tractor, which became the Leyland 154 and is still built (along with the engine) in Turkey. The 1500D was also the diesel option for the Indian-made Hindustan Ambassador, a Morris Oxford Series III built until 2013. BMC never built full marine engines but instead sold base engines to firms which carried out the marinisation. There were dozens of these, but the biggest was Newage Marine, which sold its BMC 1500s as the Captain (the 2.2 Black Cab engine was the Commodore). BMC also sold the engine to industrial users - some early JCBs used the 1500. MOWOG stands for "MOrris WOlseley mG" - it was the branding for the aftersales parts of Morris before the merger with Austin, and then BMC adopted it as their own brand for cast parts such as blocks, cylinder heads, pistons and the like.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Nice post. I'll add that to my forum if you don't mind. Very interesting

[@jozg44]

Feel free - glad to help. I forgot to say thanks for an interesting video (and going through your other episodes has been an enjoyable way of spending time at home in the snowy weather). I've seen the BMC diesels on land, and knew they were very popular on inland waterways craft but never seen one installed in a sailing yacht. It occured to me that my statement "BMC never built full marine engines" might be slightly wrong - British Leyland might have sold them in 'ready to run' form in the 1970s under their Thorneycroft brand. Certainly once Thorneycroft was sold off in the 1980s the new owners sold marinised BMC diesels (before switching to Mitsubishi) but I can't lay my hands on any confirmation whether BL did. It might have been a back-deal with Newage where BL bought Newage-converted engines, slapped the Thorneycroft stickers on it and a coat of gold paint and sold them through their own outlets.

[@mohammedshaji9785]

Good explanation from Jackgrover Chartered Engineer Kochin,Kerala,India

[@coldstartdaily9738]

ive also got a bmc 1.5 in mine, brilliant engines, as are the 2.2s in the old brooms, and the 2.5 and 3.4 commodore engines used in JCBs and bigger boats

[@marklawrence855]

Great little engine thanks for sharing 🤠

[@johnbrookes2196]

It looks in good order Miles.

[@DIY-DaddyO]

That’s answered a lot of questions I had about those engines. With that water cooler device, could you in theory use a more modern diesel car engine to run a boat?

[@alanguest5492]

AVG45 Its just the same as my engine and I love it, so easy to work on and service.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

+alan guest Do you have the same water cooler?

[@alanguest5492]

No, My engine is cooled by Keel tubes. so I don't have to worry about winterising that part of the engine. The raw water only quietens the exhaust.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Yes mine is quiet.

[@coldstartdaily9738]

the road cars that had the 1.5 were morris j vans and old morris marinas [some were indeed diesel and VERY slow] also used in some smaller tractors mf's etcetc the 2.5 is the commander i believe, the 3.4 beng the commodore. ours are 1.5 captains

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Excellent and thanks for the information.

[@g0fvt]

I don't think the 1.5 was used in the Marina, they had moved on to the slightly larger 1.8 by then. These are still popular boat engines... the marinised ones as follows: Thornycroft Engines 90 & 90/2 Tempest Newage Captain Westerbeke Four-90 & W30 Mermaid Marine Lancing Marine C T Marine Watermota G & M Powerplant Mostly they seem to be referred to simply as BMC Captains

[@MrUmpleby]

@@g0fvt They made a Marina with this engine but not available in UK, I believe most of them were exported to Portugal in kit form for use as taxis

[@spdfrdm]

The Morris Marina had the 1.5 BMC Diesel ;)

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

I haven't heard that before. I understand the J2 Vav had the 1.5 and black cabs had the largest engine commonly used in boats.

[@clarencemccraw7337]

can you tell me the model number and type of the borg warner velvet drive?

[@coldstartdaily9738]

When cold have you tried grabbing prop shaft and feeling hearing for backlash? And so the same when hot?

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

No noise at all.

[@biker-dog-poppy]

perkins 4108 on my beastie and loves it i do...

[@biker-dog-poppy]

btw milton or any similar like home bargains cheap stuff is excellent at removing mold and stench especially in the bilges ... ;-)

[@coldstartdaily9738]

mowog is morris and woseley mixed

[@g0fvt]

It stands for Morris Wolseley Garages....