New John Deere commercial marine engine available

A new engine from John Deere Power Systems, the PowerTech 4045SFM85, is now available to operators and boatbuilders. Waterloo, Iowa-based John Deere Power said the engines’ high power-to-weight ratio delivers impressive torque in a compact package, making it an ideal choice for planing and semi-displacement hulls.

The 4045SFM85 marine engine has two ratings (M4 and M5) — 205 kW (275 hp) at 2,600 rpm and 235 kW (315 hp) at 2800 rpm. These ratings are ideal for light-duty commercial vessels, high-speed governmental applications and high-speed pleasure crafts, Deere said. Both ratings are applicable to commercial and recreational applications.

Sea trials for the 4045SFM85 were conducted by John Deere marine application engineers, engine distributors and marine dealers. “The sea trials offered us the opportunity to evaluate the installation and performance of the 4045S in varied boating applications with an M4 or M5 rating,” said Mike Van Donsel, senior marine application engineer. John Deere partnered with end-users to gather data from a bow picker, crabber, dive boat and recreational vessel.

“The 4045SFM85 is lighter and about half the size of my old engine, but it packs some power for its size,” said Donald Haught, a lifelong commercial fisherman. “I’ve calculated that it consumes about 19 liters (5 gallons) of fuel per hour — almost half as much as my previous engine. That’s a great cost savings for my business.”

The 4045SFM85 meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 emissions regulations, as well as International Maritime Organization Tier II standards. To date, this is the only known ABS-certified, 315-hp, 4-cylinder in-board diesel engine that will be type approved by the American Bureau of Shipping, DNV GL, Lloyd’s Register and Bureau Veritas, Deere said.