MTU marine · Independent specialists · Melbourne
MTU marine service, brought to your berth.
Series 2000, Series 4000 and older MTUs, in motor yachts and working boats. Serviced to MTU’s schedule by independent specialists, with a clear rundown of what’s urgent and what can wait.
- Independent MTU specialists
- Servicing Melbourne boats since 1995
- At your berth across Port Phillip Bay
- Twin Disc dealer & ZF Service Point
Your setup
Which MTU setup do you have?
MTU engines work in fast motor yachts and in ferries, patrol boats and workboats, usually on shafts through a marine gearbox, often a ZF. Pick the one closest to your boat, or see what we look after behind the engine.
On a motor yacht, an MTU is usually a Series 2000 with a yacht rating, built for fast boats with low load factors and limited hours each year. We service the engines and their sea water side together, so nothing is left waiting for the next visit.
- Engine oil and filters
- Fuel prefilters and filters, water drained
- Raw-water pump and relief bore check
- Charge-air cooler and heat exchanger checks
- Coolant concentration check
- Air filter contamination indicators
- Belts, hoses and leak checks
- Engine mounts and coupling check
Twin installations
Twin MTUs, one visit.
Many MTU-powered motor yachts run a pair, like the Maritimo M75 with its optional twin Series 2000s. We service both engines and both gearboxes in the same visit, so the pair stays on one schedule.
- Both engines and both gearboxes serviced in one visit, at your berth where possible
- Side-by-side checks, so a difference between engines shows up early
- A separate record for each engine, the history buyers and surveyors ask to see
- Haul-out work planned with your yard
What you get
You’ll know exactly where your engines stand.
Every service ends with a plain-English rundown. Each item is marked done, keep an eye on, or needs attention, so you can see what’s urgent and what can wait. Anything beyond the service is quoted first.
- A separate record for each engine and gearbox
- Kept for your survey, insurance and resale history
- What’s due next, so you can plan around the season
Under factory warranty?
If your MTU is still under its factory warranty, check the terms for what they say about servicing, parts and records, and tell us when you book. If the terms send any work to an authorised MTU service partner, we’ll tell you which items before we start. Either way, we record every visit. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply in addition to these terms.
Service rundown
Twin 10V 2000 M96L · Shaft drive · 1,450 hours
- Done
Engine oil and filters
- Done
Fuel prefilters and filters
Drained. No water found.
- Needs attention
Raw-water pump relief bores
Port pump relief bore dripping. MTU says none should show on this engine. Quoted to inspect and reseal.
- Done
Charge-air coolers
Inspected. No sign of leaks.
- Done
Air filter indicators
No restriction showing.
- Done
Gearbox oil
Clean, no sign of water.
- Done
Belts and hoses
Checked. No cracking or soft hoses.
- Needs attention
Coolant concentration
Below spec on the starboard engine. Quoted to correct.
Something not right?
Signs your MTU wants attention.
Many problems give a warning first. If you’ve noticed one of these, it’s worth a look before it turns into a lost weekend, or a lost day’s work.
A high coolant temperature alarm
MTU’s first steps are to reduce power, check the coolant level and the coolant and raw-water pressures, look for leaks and check the coolers. If the temperature keeps climbing, a second limit can shut the engine down. On a well-used engine it commonly traces to the raw-water side.
A high charge-air temperature alarm
MTU lists a contaminated charge-air cooler, the wrong coolant concentration or a hot engine room as causes. A fouled cooler quietly costs power, so it’s worth catching early.
A drip from the raw-water pump
MTU’s limit depends on the engine. The Series 2000 M84 manual allows up to 10 drops of water and 5 of oil an hour from the raw-water pump’s relief bore, while the M72 and M96 manuals say nothing should come out at all. Past the limit for your engine, MTU’s instruction is to have it looked at, before a small leak becomes an engine problem.
Won’t reach full rpm
MTU’s list starts with the fuel: a part-closed supply valve or clogged prefilters and filters. A blocked air filter or a faulty injector come next. Fouled charge-air coolers, a tired turbo or an overloaded engine can rob top-end power too.
Smoke you haven’t seen before
MTU links black smoke to a clogged air filter, injectors or overload, blue smoke to oil getting where it shouldn’t, and white smoke to a cold engine, water in the fuel or a leaking charge-air cooler.
Oil under the engine
Seepage from gaskets and seals, the sump gasket among them, is common on well-used engines. We find the source, reseal it and check the fix holds.
Timing
Book around the boating season.
A little planning means the boat is ready on the first good weekend, not the third.
78%
of maritime incidents reported in Victoria in 2024–25 were vessel breakdowns, most of them engine failure or running out of fuel.
Source: Safe Transport VictoriaAugust to October
Pre-season service
Book before the rush. November to Easter is our busiest period, so a service in late winter or early spring has the boat ready for the first good weekend.
Book a pre-season serviceNovember to Easter
On the water
Peak boating, and our busiest months. If an alarm won’t clear or something doesn’t feel right mid-season, call us.
Easter to July
Bigger jobs
The best time for higher-hour services, cooler cleaning, gearbox work and haul-outs, with the least boating missed.
Who you're dealing with
Independent MTU specialists, looking after Melbourne boats since 1995.
We’re not an MTU dealer. We’re an independent marine workshop that services and repairs MTU engines at your berth or in our Spotswood workshop, with genuine or quality aftermarket parts.
- Independent, not an MTU dealer
- Genuine or quality aftermarket parts
- Authorised Twin Disc dealer and ZF Marine Service Point
- Also authorised for Volvo Penta and Yanmar
MTU marine engines we service, old and new
The full designation on the engine plate tells you the engine. In 12V 2000 M96L, 12V is the cylinder count, 2000 the series and M96L the rating. MTU moved Series 2000 to common rail in the mid-2000s, so an M70 or M90 is an earlier engine, and an M70 can be a Series 2000 or a Series 4000. Send us the full designation and serial number when you book.
MTU engines are fitted, as standard or as an option, to boats like the Maritimo M75 motor yacht (twin 10V 2000 M86 or M96L), and power patrol and commercial vessels around Australia. The M75 is also built with Scania engines, so check the engine plate.
Questions
What MTU owners ask us
How much does an MTU service cost?
It depends on the engine, whether you have one or two, and what’s due on its schedule. We confirm all of that and give you a clear quote before any work starts.
Are you an MTU dealer?
No. We’re an independent marine workshop. We service and repair MTU engines as part of our marine engine servicing, with genuine or quality aftermarket parts, and we’re an authorised Volvo Penta, Yanmar and Twin Disc dealer, and a ZF Marine Service Point.
Do I need to bring the boat to you?
No. We service MTU engines at the berth or on the hardstand around Port Phillip Bay. Bigger jobs come into our Spotswood workshop or are done during a haul-out.
How often does an MTU need servicing?
MTU sets its maintenance by operating hours and time limits, whichever comes first, in a schedule written for your engine and its application group. The oil change interval also depends on the oil used. Commercial ratings have their own schedules. We work to the one for your engine and record every visit.
Which MTU do I have?
The engine plate carries the full designation, such as 12V 2000 M96L or 16V 4000 M63, which gives us the cylinder count, series and rating. Send it with the serial number when you book. Older boats may have an early Series 2000, or a Series 183, 396 or MTU-badged Series 60.
I have twin MTUs. Can you do both at once?
Yes. We service both engines and both gearboxes in the same visit and keep a separate record for each, so the pair stays on one schedule.
Do you service MTU generators?
Yes. We service MTU Series 1600, 2000 and 4000 gensets, on board and onshore, for standby and prime power. See MTU generator servicing.
How do I book?
Use the booking form at the top of this page or call (03) 9399 5888. We aim to reply within 1 business day.
Ready when the weather is.
Tell us about your MTU and where the boat is, and we’ll take it from there.
Mariner Engineering is an independent marine service and repair provider and is not an authorised dealer of, or affiliated with, MTU. MTU and associated model names are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to describe the engines we service.