DeFever 40 Passagemaker
Built 1973–? by Jensen Marine
About the DeFever 40 Passagemaker
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1973–?
- Builder
- Jensen Marine
- Designer
- Arthur DeFever
- Length
- 39.67 ft
- Beam
- 13.67 ft
- Draft
- 4 ft
- Displacement
- 28,000 lb
- Hull
- fiberglass
- Hull / keel
- semi-displacement
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 450 gal
- Water
- 200 gal
- Holding
- 40 gal
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
-
Fuel 450 gal
“450 gallons of fuel” — owners' association (1973-1982 (Jensen and DownEast builds)), defevercruisers.comDeFever Cruisers (owners' club) design page says these boats usually carry 450 gal.
-
Water 200 gal
“230 GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER” — search excerpt (1976), craigslist.orgThe owners' club design page gives fuel only. One 1976 for-sale ad says 230 gal water (and 500 fuel), but a single ad isn't enough to change our earlier figure of 200.
-
Holding 40 gal
No builder or association holding figure found.
-
Water heater unknown
Neither the DeFever Cruisers design page nor the PowerBoat Guide text mentions a water heater.
Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.
Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
-
Bow thruster unknown
“Bow thruster & Stern thruster 7.5 hp with remote (new 2026)” — search excerpt (1974), greatloop.orgOne 1974 boat for sale (seen in two ads, probably the same boat) has bow and stern thrusters; no builder equipment list was found.
-
Stern thruster unknown
Only the same single 1974 boat shows a stern thruster, apparently recent.
-
Steering unknown
The DeFever Cruisers design page gives build history only: Jensen Marine built 132 before the tooling went to DownEast Yachts in 1976. A 1973 Bangor Punta ad couldn't be checked.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
Sources disagree on last year — left blank rather than guessed.
U.S.-built (Jensen Marine, California) fiberglass successor to the wooden Passagemaker 38. After Jensen closed in 1980 the molds went to Downeast Yachts and the boat was sold as the Downeast 40, which added cabin and engine-room liners. Single 120 hp Lehman cruises 7-8 knots with close to 1,000-mile range; twins were optional. Aft stateroom has a door to the large cockpit.
Engines fitted
-
Ford Lehman 120 — 120 hp, diesel, single
standard
HMY's guide gives a single 120 hp Lehman as the usual power (about 7-8 kn cruise, ~1,000 nm range); the DeFever Cruisers owners' club design page says the same. A 1974 listing shows a single 120 hp Ford Lehman.Sources: hmy.com · defevercruisers.com · powerboatlistings.com
-
Ford Lehman 120 or 135 — 120 hp, diesel, twin
factory option
HMY says twin diesels were optional; its BoatUS note gives an 8 kn cruise with twin 120 hp or 135 hp Lehmans (note also covers the post-1980 Downeast 40 version).Sources: hmy.com
-
Perkins — diesel, single
factory option
The DeFever Cruisers design page names a Perkins diesel as the alternative to the single Lehman 120; model and rating not given.Sources: defevercruisers.com
-
Ford SSD 655M — 117 hp, diesel, single
factory option
Owner of a 1979 DeFever/Downeast 40 reports the boat's original single engine is a Ford SSD 655M (117 hp), an obscure Ford marine six; one boat only.Sources: trawlerforum.com
-
Cummins 6B5.9M (naturally aspirated) — 115 hp, diesel, single
common repower
The same 1979 DeFever/Downeast 40 owner replaced the Ford SSD 655M with a naturally aspirated 115 hp Cummins 6B5.9. Only one documented case found, so 'common' is not established.Sources: trawlerforum.com
Boats of the same model can differ — check which engines yours actually has before ordering parts.
Generator
No builder or review source mentions a generator. A 1973 Jensen brochure exists online but couldn't be checked.
Known problems for this model
No well-sourced problem reports found yet.
Engines & parts
Ford Lehman 120 (6D380 / 2715E) parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Ford Lehman 120”
Marinized by Lehman from the Ford of England 'Dorset' 2715E six-cylinder (380 cu in) industrial/truck diesel; Ford built the Dorset base engines 1964–1984. Base-engine internals interchange with the Ford 2715E, and marine-specific parts (raw water pumps, heat exchangers, injection elbows, gaskets, lift pumps, air filters) are widely stocked. American Diesel Corp (founded by former Lehman people) still sells parts, publishes spare-parts lists and gives technical advice. Rebuilt and used 120s are also sold by salvage yards.
Parts sources: American Diesel Corp, Go2marine (Ford Lehman parts collection), Fred Warner Marine & Outdoors
Common problems (2)
-
Chronic oil leaks engine
Most 120s weep oil somewhere; owners often trace it to the rear of the engine near the heat exchanger (head/head gasket area) or to the drive seals of the gear-driven injection pump. Moderate oil use is treated as normal on these engines.trawlerforum.com · marineengine.com
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Fuel leaks at injection pump, lift pump and return lines fuel
Slow diesel drips usually come from loose bleed screws or banjo washers, perished rubber injector return hoses, a failing lift-pump diaphragm, or worn internal seals in the Simms or CAV injection pump, which needs a pump shop to overhaul.yescenters.com
Maker’s service schedule (16)
| Engine oil & filter change | 200 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 1. Change Engine Oil ... Every 200 hours running ..... 17. Change engine and transmiss” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Fuel filters & water separator | 200 hrs | “Every 200 hours running ..... 18. Change all engine and fuel oil filters.” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Change oil in fuel injection pump | 50 hrs | “Every 50 hours running ...... 13. Check cleanliness of intake air filter. 14. Check (exchanger) zinc pencil. 15. Change” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Transmission fluid change | 200 hrs or 1 yr | “Change oil every 200 hours of operation or at least once each season under normal conditions” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Valve clearance check / adjust | 400 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 3. Adjust valve clearances. ... Every 400 hours running ..... 22. Adjust valve clearan” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Injector test / service | 400 hrs | “Every 400 hours running ..... 21. Remove and service injectors.” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Engine pencil zincs | 50 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 4. Check (exchanger) zinc pencil. ... Every 50 hours running ...... 14. Check (exchang” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Drive belts inspect / replace | 200 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 5. Adjust belt tension. ... Every 200 hours running ..... 16. Adjust belt tension.” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Air filter / intake silencer | 50 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 8. Check cleanliness of intake air filter. ... Every 50 hours running ...... 13. Check” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Clean fuel lift pump | 200 hrs | “Every 200 hours running ..... 19. Clean fuel lift pump.” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Clean injection pump cover filter | 200 hrs | “Every 200 hours running ..... 20. Clean injection pump cover filter.” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Remove raw water pump and check drive coupling | 400 hrs | “Every 400 hours running ..... 23. Remove raw water pump and check drive coupling. Place dab of grease on coupling halves” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Adjust idling speed (if required) | 400 hrs | “After first 15 hours running .... 10. Adjust idling speed (if required). ... Every 400 hours running ..... 24. Adjust id” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Check engine/propeller shaft alignment | 6 mo | “After first 15 hours running .... 9. Check engine/propeller shaft alignment. (twice annually, minimum).” — manufacturer (1986), marinedieselbasics.com |
| Replace Borg Warner transmission oil cooler | 1,200 hrs | “Suggested replacement is at 1200 hours.” — manufacturer, img1.wsimg.com |
| Inspect drive damper | 2,500 hrs | “Inspect your drive damper if you have more than 2500 hours on the engine.” — manufacturer, img1.wsimg.com |
Service part numbers (3)
| Raw-water impeller | Jabsco 1210-0001 | “6D380 5850-0001 040 3/4" NPT Flange SK33 3298 1210-0001” — manufacturer, marineengine.com · “Breakdown of 2C48 Pump ... 9 1 1210-0001 IMPELLER” — manufacturer, marinesurveyorontario.com |
| Raw-water pump kit original 2C45 pump (Jabsco 5850-0001) |
Jabsco SK33 | “6D380 5850-0001 040 3/4" NPT Flange SK33 3298 1210-0001” — manufacturer, marineengine.com |
| Raw-water pump kit Lehman 2C48 replacement pump (Jabsco 10950-2401 type) |
Jabsco SK239 | “Service Kit SK239 - Comprising Key 7/8/9/17” — manufacturer, marinesurveyorontario.com |
From the engine maker’s parts lists, or two independent parts dealers. Numbers change with serial number and get superseded — check yours before ordering.
Cummins 6BT / 6BTA 5.9 parts: good
Factory common repower engine — you entered “Cummins 6B5.9M (naturally aspirated)”
Mechanically injected 5.9 L inline six from the Cummins B-series truck/industrial family, so base-engine parts are everywhere. Cummins still sells factory ReCon (remanufactured) marine 6BT/6BTA engines (152–210 hp ratings) with a 2-year/2000-hour warranty. Seaboard Marine is the best-known marine specialist, selling aftercooler/heat-exchanger service kits, upgraded raw water pumps and technical guidance; TAD also sells Cummins packages.
Parts sources: Seaboard Marine, Cummins (ReCon 6BT/6BTA), Diesel Pro Power
Common problems (2)
-
Aftercooler corrosion letting seawater into the intake cooling
On the turbo-aftercooled 6BTA the seawater-cooled aftercooler core has vertical tubes and an aluminum housing that corrodes from condensate; a leak can put salt water into the cylinders and wreck the engine. Owners pull, clean, grease and pressure-test the core every few years and fit new O-rings.trawlerforum.com · sbmar.com
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Heat exchanger and aftercooler service cooling
Routine seawater-side service (O-rings, gaskets, zincs) is a recurring owner job; kits are sold for it and refilling coolant without trapping air is a common question.sbmar.com · sbmar.com
Service part numbers (5)
| Oil filter | Cummins 3937743 | “| Oil Filter | 3937743 |” — dealer, marineenergy.com.au · “Cummins Oil Filter 3937743 Spin-on type, 3.66" outside diameter, 6.95" height” — dealer, dieselpro.com |
| Fuel filter 6BT 5.9 210 hp (CPL 742) |
Fleetguard FF5052 Replaces FF42000, FS1251 |
“on-engine fuel filter with drain for all 6BT 210 B’s (CPL 742). Replaces the FF42000, FS1251.” — dealer, sbmar.com · “Cummins 6BT Fuel Filter 3931063 FF5052” — dealer, marineenergy.com.au |
| Fuel filter late 6BTA (also late 4BTA and 6CTA) |
Fleetguard FF5285 | “Fleetguard FF5285 Fuel Filter – late 4BTA 6BTA and 6CTA’s” — dealer, sbmar.com · “Cummins 6BTA Fuel Filter 3890017 FF5285 ... suits late model Cummins 6BTA's, 6CTA8.3-M” — dealer, marineenergy.com.au |
| Raw-water impeller seawater pump with 1-1/4 in hose ports (Sherwood M70/M71 type, early 4BT/6BT) |
Sherwood 10615K | “Seawater Pump Impeller | **1-1/4" PORTS** 3908220 10615K” — dealer, marineenergy.com.au · “Cummins Marine Water Pump Impeller 10615K 2 9/16" diameter, 1 5/8" length” — dealer, dieselpro.com |
| Raw-water impeller keyway-shaft pump, 2 in inlet / 1-3/4 in outlet, 11° offset flange (e.g. P1716/P1730 on 6BTA) |
Sherwood 17000K | “**2" inlet & 1-3/4" outlet ports with 11° OFFSET flange** 17000K” — dealer, marineenergy.com.au · “Cummins Impeller for Key Shaft 17000K” — dealer, dieselpro.com |
From the engine maker’s parts lists, or two independent parts dealers. Numbers change with serial number and get superseded — check yours before ordering.
Model sources (5)
hmy.com · defevercruisers.com · powerboatlistings.com · trawlerforum.com · trawlerforum.com
Own a DeFever 40 Passagemaker? Add her to your boats, then share a photo — names, numbers and faces are blurred before it appears.
Other DeFever models
- DeFever 41 Trawler 1980–1995
- DeFever 44 Offshore Cruiser 1981–2007
- DeFever 48 Offshore Cruiser 1978–1992
- DeFever 49 Pilothouse (soft chine) 1977–2006
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.