In late 2017, John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) announced a new marine engine designed for light commercial duty and pleasure craft vessels. The PowerTech 4045SFM85, a 4.5-liter engine, is lighter and has greater power density than its 445AFM predecessor. Available in 275- and 315-horsepower variants, it’s a great option for repower of full- and semi-displacement boats, as well as planing hulls.

In designing its new 4.5-liter, JDPS emphasized durability, reliability, and fuel efficiency, undergoing extensive bench testing, which included 500 hours spent cycling between high RPM and sudden low RPM throttling. Last summer, the manufacturer field-tested four of the new engines on boats around the country: a pleasure boat, a dive boat, a bowpicker in Alaska, and a New Jersey-based crabber. According to the manufacturer, all four owners were impressed with the repower, noting excellent power delivery at low RPM and improved fuel efficiency.

Donald “Spike” Haught, of Port Norris, New Jersey, replaced his old, original 1982 diesel engine with the new 4045SFM and increased the speed of his 32-foot Crab Chaser by 7 knots. Haught figures the 4045SFM shaved about 300 pounds off the weight of his boat, virtually doubling her fuel efficiency. He estimates it will save approximately $10,000 dollars a year on fuel alone.

Vince Rodomista, JDPS marine sales engineer, says the 4045SFM is a great repower option for trawlers, as well as new build engines on custom boats. The manufacturer has already seen several charter operations employ the engine in their charter fleets because of the reliability and fuel savings the product is said to offer.

According to Rodomista, the 4045SFM is the only engine in its displacement range that has replaceable cylinder liners, which lends itself to both dependability and longevity. For trawler owners, the 4045SFM is a viable replacement for aging Detroit or Perkins engines. Offering strong low-RPM performance and superior power density in a tight package, the 4045SFM, Rodomista says, is a great repower option to bring new life to an older trawler.

For more information: deere.com/marine