Air Cooled Gas Engines????

Gonzo, I agree that fuel lines in proximity to hot exhaust pipes is a hazard, but with proper installation and materials it is not illegal. Personally, I have a strong dislike of gasoline engines in enclosed spaces because I have seen too many boats blown up - diesel is safer but unfortunately less horsepower per pound. Exhaust silencers are certainly a necessity.

What I am trying to put across is that the conversion to air-cooled vs water cooled engines is possible, but not simple nor inexpensive. A retrofit is even more complex and expensive. I would look for better solutions to the problems of the present system rather than convert.

 

"I would look for better solutions to the problems of the present system..."

well said! its seems complicated though. i'll go checkout on that radiator heckdrive i've seen before, it looked original... no new air cooled gas engines or factory conversions?

yipster

 

mmd:
Proper installation is the key. My point is that it may not be possible to retrofit an existing instalation. For example, many boats have fuel tanks in the aft end of the engine compartment. A standard installation works fine as long as the operator is paying attention. When the temperature gage goes up, it is time to stop the engine. Alarms are an extra precaution. However, I've seen too many engines run until they seize after they overheated. With the new engine computers, claims by owners that "it only run hot a couple of minutes" are easily verifiable. A water flow or water pressure gage with alarm is another safety system that gives early warning. Ultimately, no system is fool-proof.

 

trying to re-engineer the entire cooling system does not sound practical. The idea is good, but the amount of time and money and risk would be awesome. I agree with the guys that want you to focus on working on solving the strainer/ice problem. what things would help prevent clogs etc?

 

air cooled

radiator cooling on diesel contruction equipment is standard, no ocean available, and it works fine even for a peice of equip that doesnt move.