Very tidy!

Thanks for the pics.

Unfortunately the DE start conversion isn't so simple on those as on many of the other engines we deal with. But like anything, it can be done, just costs money.

In my time here, I can remember discussion of only a few marine CATs. One I got involved with a bit was a 1940's yacht on the eastern seaboard that had twin D318's that were originally DE start I think. Then there was the yacht that Garlic Pete posted a bunch of pictures of a few months back. Old Magnet put up a link to some of those posts in his response to your thread. The most recent of course was the salvage operation conducted using "MaryAnn" to remove a sunken D397 powered tug.

On my tour of the Renfrew, I noticed that the pony fuel tank is mounted up at deck level, in a little alcove on the outside of the vessel. From there, a fuel line is plumbed down through the bulkhead, into the engine room and to the pony.

At the time, I thought this installation was simply to make filling the pony tank easier. Maybe, however, this installation satisfied the Coast Guard requirement by keeping the explosive gasoline on the topside, outside the boat. I didn't check, but perhaps there is a valve or maybe even two for safety outside, preventing gasoline from entering the boat when they are closed.

Would this solution perhaps be a way to keep the pony start solution while also making the Coast Guard happy?

If you check post #2 on this thread, there are two photos of the pony tank and it does have at least one valve outside the bulkhead.

www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.php?18846-A-Cat-goes-swimming

I hope this helps,

Pete.

there must be different Coast Guard requirements on gas tanks and engines for commercial VS pleasure boats---there are gas engine pleasure boats in my boatyard with under deck tanks--although I know they need flame arresters on the carbs and explosion proof vent fans for the under deck area that have to be run for a few minutes after re-fueling.-and outside vents for the tanks
I salvaged two 40 gallon monel tanks that I use to transfer diesel up the mountain to my machines
this pic was during superstorm Sandy--highest tides I have seen in my lifetime!

"dpendzic" wrote:

there must be different Coast Guard requirements on gas tanks and engines for commercial VS pleasure boats---there are gas engine pleasure boats in my boatyard with under deck tanks--although I know they need flame arresters on the carbs and explosion proof vent fans for the under deck area that have to be run for a few minutes after re-fueling.-and outside vents for the tanks
I salvaged two 40 gallon monel tanks that I use to transfer diesel up the mountain to my machines
this pic was during superstorm Sandy--highest tides I have seen in my lifetime!

I will have to check on moving the gas tank, I thought about using a portable 5 gallon so the tank and fuel lines could be removed. You can have gasoline engines in an enclosed compartment, but all of the rest of the equipment in that space has to be intrinsically safe. Given the amount of other equipment in an engine room my size, that means moving a lot of equipment and wiring, which would be time consuming and expensive.

Perhaps I can find some combination of moving the gas tank and installing an intrinsically safe suction vent fan above the carb flame arrestor which would satisfy the coast guard & insurance surveyor.

nice wilton, it's dated on the underside of the slide. 2 me it looks like u may have the starter mount boss on the right side of the flywheel housing. good luck with ur project.

Me to Mike, Looks like a cover plate for a starter there.

"Old wrote:

Me to Mike, Looks like a cover plate for a starter there.

According to the parts manual and operators instructions there was a direct electric start option, with a 32 volt motor. I'm amazed at the detailed drawings and wealth of information in those old books.

Still looking, but I still haven't found where it mounts. Where are you seeing the cover plate?

Picture is a bit fuzzy.....look on the front side of the flywheel housing under the engine oil filter manifold. Looks like a cover plate there that would mount starter similar to what ag-mike showed.
in post #4.

Starter mounting

"Old wrote:

Picture is a bit fuzzy.....look on the front side of the flywheel housing under the engine oil filter manifold. Looks like a cover plate there that would mount starter similar to what ag-mike showed.
in post #4.

Thanks guys. I'm on shift today but I'll try to get up to the boatyard tomorrow and have a better look. I couldn't catch him, but the main Coast Guard inspector out of Portland was down on our docks yesterday. Next time he's down I'm going to ask him about options for leaving the pony in place.