Getting back in the water and Petter engine parts.

C

cambscot

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Eala Bhan is around 30 years old, and was built by my dad as a kit. Since I've taken her on, we've been doing bits and pieces to her to sort wear and tear from 30 years of use as well as 4 years of non-use.

First major job was to replace the propeller shaft, a 1" stainless steel bar affair which had shown a little wear/corrosion around the bearing where it enters the hull. To replace the shaft, it meant moving the engine into the saloon by about a meter, so as to extract the shaft from the inside.

The engine is a Petter AC2WM "mini-twin", and in moving the engine, the water injection exhaust mainfold fractured and disintigrated (part 536a) ; 30 years of seawater coolant, hot exhaust gasses and cast iron are not a good mix.
http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10882.JPG.html
http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10883.JPG.html

Seems that this part is no longer available, but fortunately, I have access to a good workshop at my parent's home (wish I had access to something like that at MY home) and we managed to fabricate a new part.

http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10884.JPG.html
http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10879.JPG.html
http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10880.JPG.html
http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10881.JPG.html

Fitted perfectly...

http://www.kickingtyres.com/gallery/main.php/v/sailing/2009/ealabhan-april/SNC10889.JPG.html

...and we went for a spin up the Kyles of Bute after a bit of engine testing, without any problems.

But to the point..

Does anyone know a good resource for getting parts for these engines? I suspect that being so old parts are starting to get scarce.

Any ideas?
 
Nothing I "need" at the moment, but I'm considering buying up stuff that I come across to build up a stockpile.

Don't suppose anyone knows just how much is common between the AC2 and the AC2WM? I see an AC2 on Ebay for £not-a-lot, but it's missing the alternator and coolant pump. Whether these are differences between the AC2 and AC2WM or just that they are missing, I don't know.

a
 
Andrew,

I had a Petter mini six until 2005 and I obtained new parts from Sleeman & Hawken Ltd , in Devon, tel. 01626 778266. Their service engineer Jim 01626 879879 couldn't be more helpful. I also obtained parts from Cellar Marine in Cornwall, tel. 01326 280214.

On the subject of similarities, the engine was commonly used for cement mixers and dumper trucks. The water pump was, if I remember correctly, only fitted to the marinised version. I doubt if the cement mixer had a starter motor, but would be hand start, so would not have a battery and thus no alternator either.

I eventually replaced it with a Yanmar 1GM10

John
 
Yes, the W stands for watercooled.
The Mini -Twin is essentially two "sevens" joined up. The heads etc from the single would serve as useful spares, though there are some interchangability problems.
I would keep on the lookout for a complete marine used twin (eg on the forum For Sale section) they often come up quite cheaply. You would then have the bonus of all the starting and cooling parts with the motor.
Pat Manly covered the engine in PBO, Aug 97? in the "Know Your Engine" series and I found this a useful article. You could order a print of this but it is expensive at around a fiver.
 
A whole five pounds? Oh I could almost buy a drink after work for that much /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I'll check up on the back issue, thanks. And a useful tip about the sevens.

Cheers

a
 
Going back a heck of a long time I used to get Petter parts from Selwood in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire - they are not marine suppliers but Petters were used a lot in gensets and the like and they had or could get just about any part - give them a go.
 
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