V8 fuel pump plate

It isn't just American boats. You should read the documentation on accident reports, particularly by insurance companies. A lot of this type of legislation is driven by economic concerns, that is insurance companies having to pay for losses. I trust their numbers because they are based on hard data and not on speculation or politics. The main cause of fuel based fires is backfiring, which reverses the flow in the intake and sends ignited fuel/air mixture into the engineroom.

 

We didnt have insurance or coast guards we just built boats for the fun of it and went skiing. I would make everything,--I had to --I did'nt have any money,--I even made a propeller but I dont want to go int that.

I made sump coolers with a scoop and put mostly Ford 1500 in boats,---- again never ever ever had the slightest little fire and never saw one. I used to make my own water cooled Exhaust that was cooled with a washing machine pump and Singer sewing machine belts.

Yes a big laugh but it worked --I could not go and buy Mercury marine stuff out of magazines.

My freind had a straight six Mariner 90 HP that would set on fire, cure was just hit the starter and get it going or run away and leave it to burn!!!

But then we did'nt have any one telling us it was dangerous when it was'nt.

Can you please FWD a link to fire on boats not regulations of but fire of a boat and its reasons.

Did you see a fire or just read about the dangers of it.

 

The engine has to be marine standard for my insurance and they do come out and check the boat before they pass me as they did with the last boat, even the fire extinguisher was checked. I'm a member of a boating club and all boats have to be insured so there is no way out of it but to do it by their standers.

 

Frosty: I have investigated probably more than three hundred fires on boats. There were several causes. However, all of them were because of faulty installations or operation. If they had been up to code, it wouldn't have happened. Electrical fires are the most common, but fuel explosions are more catastrophic and more likely to cause serious injuries or death.
http://www.cgauxinternational.org/news/news5.html

 

I've also investigated many burned boats and off hand comments about the luck of someone isn't reality. Here in Floria, people burn, blow up and die every year, in spite of regulations. An automotive starter, an open vent carb, single diaphragm pumps, you name it, it happens and regularly, just because of people like Frosty who think "how bad could it be". These regulations aren't arbitrary, but in place because people like Frosty have been selling this line of crap for decades and others have paid for their inability to complete rational thought processes. It's these same parts of the world and similar thought processes, that have skippers load 250 people on a boat rated for 50, thinking "it'll be fine, we do it all the time". It's these same people that run off afterward and become short order cooks for a few years, to avoid getting beheaded for their arrogance and stupidity.

 

i think frosty has a point, americans seem to need extra rules to protect them from themselves. common sense is far more important than anything else imo. americans have such easy access to boats and cars because they are so inexpensive compared to other parts of the world. you people on this forum are educated boatman but what about the thousands that no nothing and go out and buy old cruisers. it happens here to but to a lesser extent because even old boats cost a lot of money here. like frosty i have owned and seen lots of boats with auto engines and never a fire. a spark proof bilge blower is all i need. i know of 3 boats burn't to the waterline and they were diesels.

 

Plenty of OZ ski boats have blown up and burnt in the old days when they where all converted car engines, mostly when cranking and there happend to be some fuel to ignite

 

Again, individual excerpts of luck, don't compare well with reality or statistics. With the advent of spark arrested components and vapor containment, the fires which were predominately fuel related, now are most often electrical. This said, the Jim Bob/Joe Larry techniques extolled as okay, just don't stand up against reality or the facts.

Americans don't need extra laws to protect us from ourselves, in fact it's usually quite the opposite compared to many parts of the world, where ignorance and blatant interest in not injuring the money makers can take virtue over common sense or a reasonable claim. Why do you think 50 person boats commonly get 250 passengers, yet the skippers, owners and designers are never held liable. They're protected, usually by a government, regulation or simple corruption, making it imposable for the average peasant to battle back. Yeah, that's the way it should be, every man for themselves and BTW good luck . . .

 

when and where, how many.

 

i don't do anything dangerous par, i am merely pointing out that common sense is what you need not loads of safety crap. people die every day in cars due to stupidity even though there are airbags, crumple zones and all the other safety stuff. i understand you are probably talking as a professional who has to stick to regulations so i will agree to disagree.

 

as a professional truck driver i see people do stupid things everyday, you would not believe half of it unless you saw it your self.

 

Looking at all the pictures here is what I think I see. The pictures from Premier Marine show a Rochester 2gc The pipe a the bottom is for the PCV valve, on his carb someone has put a pipe plug in this orifice . It is brass at the bottom of his carb. The fuel pump line you see is a vent, The inlet and outlet are on the side where you see the gasket. Can not be seen in the picture. The line you see on his carb at the top back is for this vent. If the diaphragm in the pump goes bad it will vent to the carb and not to the bilge, on the other carb you can see a small pipe plug in this hole. It is painted black and hard to see. He needs a fitting at the back of the carb for the PCV to go to the valve cover, and a breather line that goes to the spark arrester from the other valve cover. You can see his chrome breather in one picture and the white pipe on the spark arrester . Frosty is correct that you need to get spreaders for the valve covers. SBC came from the factory with them, because the cover are a thin metal and distort quickly due to heating and cooling. Aftermarket chrome covers are even worse as they are thinner, but most make spreaders that are about 2 inches to 4 inches long . Factory ones are about 1 inch long. Your project is looking great, I see lots of hard work in It!!!! Steve

 

This is a link to UK fire reports. http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_by_incident/fire_explosion.cfm
It shows a lack of knowledge and regards for people's safety to promote not following modern fuel system standards. Frankly, it is really stupid.

 

Here is a link to petrol warning to boats in the Broads in UK.

Interesting that it does not refer to fitted engines but mobile generators , engine driven power tools and fuel storage.. Frankly it too is stupid.

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/urgent-boating-news.html