Detroit Diesel 8V71TI - Long distance cruising?

[phlebas]

Many thanks to you both for your observations. Really helpful and interesting.

It would be nice to have the best of both worlds, which is to say it would be nice to have a 100hp diesel with its own prop as well.

Then there could be economical long distance passage making, and serious range, combined with the ability to turn on the powerful diesels and zip around bad weather

[Dumah]

I would NOT have any 71 series engine in a pleasure craft. I have 35 years working in and around ships and related machinery, we call them Detroit converters, convert fuel to noise. They tend to leak (fill up the oil and check the fuel) but in commercial vessels I find them excellent gen sets with virtually no "droop". They are cheap to buy and rebuild, the interchange is fantastic, and I believe they were original equipment on the "Ark", HA. Don't expect them to idle without hunting (rpms vary without throttle input) under 1000 rpm, in fact the work best as main power at 2400, run them like you hate them. I own a Mermaid (marinised Dorset built Ford) that powered my 35' Cape Island as a fisherman for 26 years and now makes a very reliable pleasure craft. This particular engine is rated 135Hp and burns about 2.5 L per H @ 1800rpm giving me about 9 knots. I would definately consider a repower as a 4 stroke gives more torque and HP for a given dispalcement, And, by the way, the comment on being very worried when they start working better than average is true, and generally will "run away" before most other makes. If you can live with the racket, all the best to you, I won't because they have cost me most of my hearing. Good fortune and hope this helps.,
Cheers Dumah, Halifax, NS

[oldironnut]

Just read Dieselboy's comment and wholly agree with his comments. Normally the flapper is spring loaded against the notch on the shaft. When activated- either by the solenoid or by a pull cable the pawl is pulled out of the notch and the flapper instantly closed. No air -engine stops. The pawl must be manually reset to open the flapper. This not difficult and should be easy to visualize once you take a look at the end of the shaft the flapper rotates on.