Gentlemen, a little help if you can?

[Guest]

I made the mistake of reaching over and scratching a small white patch of what appeared to be dried salt off the bottom of the outlet fitting on my raw water intake strainer for my Perkins 4-108. As you can guess...it was a mistake, or was it a blessing in disguise? The result was a stream of water squirting out nonstop as it is below the water line...and.....uh, uh, the seacock wouldn't close!! This was done just after having discovered the "cracked" nylon fitting in my freshwater house system.... Gee, one problem at a time isn't nearly enough. Well, after we loosened up the side nuts on the seacock and beat it around alittle I got it closed and the leak stopped.

At any rate, it appears that the previous owner had installed an all plastic (clear) raw water intake strainer unit, and in the process of doing so, used the wrong kind of fitting on the engine side and turned it in too far...cracking the assembly slightly.... but he did put 5200 or something on it. Well, now I have another small project.

By the way.....Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all!!
Would any of you have an idea of how large of a raw water strainer I will need to replace it with? It seems that when I direct the question to some of the engine parts suppliers all I get is "uh, I'll call you back", and then I never hear anything.

I'm not sure if the same brands are available in the UK, but the most common ones here are Groco and Jabsco.

If you have any ideas...even as far as nominal capacities, I would welcome your input! Can't go anywhere until I get it fixed!!!

 

[Strathglass]

Rob, First of all we need some details. What size is the engine?, is the skin fitting part of the strainer or is there a seperate strainer and skin fitting?. I always use a gunmetal skinfitting, ball-valve and then a hosetail fitting all in gunmetal, then lead a hose from this to a vetus inlet water strainer mounted above the waterline. On small engines under 50HP I stick to 1" diameter fittings and hose. Hope this info is of use to you Iain Simpson

 

[Guest]

What material is the ball valve? Bet it's brass. And have you ever seen a ball valve after it has been frost damaged. IMHO yer average ball valves are not suitable as underwater skin fittings and should be avoided at almost all costs. Use a gunmetal gate valve or plug cock.

 

[Guest]

Gentlemen, thanks for your replies.

My engine is a 50 HP Perkins 4-108.

The seacock is a cylindrical type where the cylinder valve rotates on a horizontal axis. If you loosen the two nuts on the end opposite the handle you can bash it sideways to loosen it if it has been open to long and doesn't want to turn closed. But that problem was taken care of.. and I just need to exercise them open and closed more often.

My actual problem is what size of capacity of raw water strainer to install between the seacock and the engine. I need to replace the one that is in there...not really sure it was the right one to begin with....so I want to make sure that I put the correct size in.
Presently the one that is installed is attached with a 1 inch hose from seacock to strainer. It is approximately 6 inches tall and about 4 inches round....is one this size adequate or do I need something larger?

Thanks again!

 

[longjohnsilver]

Your raw water strainer sounds as though it's the same size as mine which is for a 215 hp engine and copes without any problems, so should be plenty big enough for a 50hp engine.

 

[Guest]

So as long as I stay with a strainer close to the same size....I won't have any problems with insufficient flow?
OK! Now I know which way to go. I just didn't want to buy one and have the engine getting insufficient water
flow while motoring.

Thanks again! and Happy New Year to ALL!!

 

[Guest]

Try the forum at boatdiesel.com. Some softwood plugs would come in handy too!

 

[Mr Cassandra]

HELLO BIG BOYWhat are you doing for the new year

Bob T

 

[longjohnsilver]

New Years resolution - upset as many raggies as possible!! ;-)

 

[Guest]

longjohn, come now.....you're not a "provacatuer" now are you....? Baggies?? Is that the opposite of "Stinkpotters"???

Well, just so you know....some of us have thicker hides than you might expect..;->....... afterall, its all just "fun and games" right?

I appreciate your answer....gives me something to go on. My manual doesn't give me any specifics and the strainer in my boat is definitely not the original.

Happy New Year to ALL .....Powerboaters and Sailors all!!

 

[longjohnsilver]

Rob, all a bit of fun. Enjoy your Glenlivet and Asti, wish I was somewhere a little warmer, have just woken up to a sprinkling of snow here in Somerset!

A happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year to one and all.

 

[chippie]

Longjohn, did you manage to sort the outboard?

Happy New Year.
ps. The temperature here is mid 20s.

 

[longjohnsilver]

No need to rub it in!!

Outboard is now turning over, put a spanner on thr flywheel and it turned without difficulty, don't know what was wrong with it. All I need now are the gasket sets and new plugs and hopefully all will be OK.

Happy New Year.