Top-end and full overhauls of marine diesel main engines and generators — measured, phased and tested. A fixed scope, a fixed sequence and a documented result, carried out on board or with components reconditioned ashore.
An engine tells you when it is approaching an overhaul long before it fails: rising oil consumption, falling compression, crankcase pressure creeping up, wear metals climbing in oil analysis, exhaust temperatures spreading apart between cylinders. Read early, an overhaul is a planned yard job. Ignored, it becomes a tow, a lifted engine and a cancelled season.
We assess condition first and then quote a defined scope. That means you decide between a top-end overhaul, an in-frame overhaul and a full overhaul with real numbers in front of you, rather than opening the engine and discovering the budget afterwards.
| Level | Work included | Typical trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Top-end overhaul | Cylinder heads removed and reconditioned, valves and guides, injectors, turbocharger service, valve train, gaskets and seals. | Compression loss, smoke, valve or injector wear at mid-life hours. |
| In-frame overhaul | Top-end scope plus liners, pistons, rings and main and big-end bearings replaced with the engine in the vessel. | High oil consumption, blow-by, liner and ring wear at overhaul hours. |
| Full overhaul | Engine removed, stripped and rebuilt: block and crankshaft measured, crank ground or replaced, all running gear renewed, engine test run. | End-of-life hours, bearing or crank damage, or a rebuild to zero-hour condition. |
An overhaul is a logistics exercise as much as an engineering one: parts lead times, crane and yard access, engine room removal routes, class attendance and the vessel's charter or cruising calendar. We phase the work so long-lead parts are on order before strip-down begins and the engine is not sitting open waiting for a delivery. Where the vessel has two main engines, we can stagger them so the vessel stays operational.
Overhauls are carried out on Caterpillar / CAT, Cummins, MAN and MTU engines and on auxiliary generator sets. We are an independent engineering company, not an authorised dealer or official service partner of any manufacturer.
A top-end overhaul on a medium-duty engine is typically one to two weeks on board. An in-frame overhaul commonly runs two to four weeks, and a full overhaul with engine removal and machining depends on parts and workshop lead times — usually several weeks. Parts availability, not labour, is normally the critical path.
Often yes. Top-end and in-frame overhauls are done in situ when engine room access allows. Removal is only necessary when the crankshaft, block or bearing bores need workshop attention.
For most superyacht and commercial installations an overhaul costs a fraction of repowering and avoids the engineering that comes with new mounts, controls, exhaust and classification. We give you both numbers so the comparison is honest, including cases where repowering genuinely is the better answer.
A properly measured overhaul with parts within manufacturer tolerance restores compression, oil control and thermal performance close to original. What determines the next 10,000 hours is run-in discipline, fuel and coolant quality and maintenance intervals.
Yes. Measurement sheets, parts records, test data and photographs are supplied in a form suitable for class surveyors, insurers and prospective buyers.
Send the details below and you will hear back from an engineer, not a call centre. For a vessel that is stranded or on a tight departure slot, call +31 6 20743967 or message us on WhatsApp.
Send the engine type and running hours and we will advise whether a top-end, an in-frame or a full overhaul is the right investment — and what each option costs in time and money.
The interval work that pushes the overhaul point further out.
→ Read more AlignmentEssential after any engine removal or re-installation.
→ Read more RepairDiagnosis first — an overhaul is not always the answer.
→ Read more