Life after a long rest.

[Anode]

In June of 2008 we brought Scout home. I promptly began taking things apart thinking we'd be back in the water in a year. Hah.....

I did prepare our little 500 hr 4 cyl Kubota for a years rest. Exhaust was removed for replacement along with raw water and fuel system. The engine had the oil changed, was fogged and closed up, dry*and under cover. Adequate I thought for a year.

Well, a year turned into three so I continued to bar the engine over every month or so as well as change oil annually. Even changed out the antifreeze. I still worried about the little engine sitting.

This weekend I was to the point where I could fire the engine by rigging a water supply system and a 'day' tank for fuel. The raw water pump was off for rebuild so I finished that up. Yesterday was the day of reckoning.

I primed the water system and fuel system (fresh secondary filter) and turned the start key. .....she started on the first rev and never coughed, sputtered or smoked. Just like the day I shut her up. I tried the kill switch to make sure she'd shut down and no problems. We ran her up to operating temps, topped off the antifreeze mix, fixed a drip on an exhaust fitting, checked oil. Smooth, clean and quiet. All altogether put about 3/4 of hour on the engine and burned about a quart of fuel.* I had to run two different hoses from two hydrants into my water bucket to keep up with my 1" water pump at 1000 rpms. At 1700 she'd suck the bucket dry in a hurry.

We're always looking for an excuse to drink champagne at our house so we celebrated the Kubota's new life with a bottle. I was going to sleep well last night.

Until a friend* pointed out to me...'just in time to winterize'.

 

[swampu]

Chip do you have alarms hooked up to your gauges or do they hook up to engine? I'm putting mine back together after a fire and have the Murphy gauges that hook to an alarm at the helm but I was thinking I should hook them directly to the shut off solinoid. Thanks Paul

 

[Anode]

Paul, the Cole Hersee Dual Alarm (red light in the panel) was apparently part of the engine package when Scout was repowered. It is wired into the engine wiring harness back to the sensors for oil and temp.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Chip,

That's wonderful and it sounds like your'e taking good care of miss Kabota. What model Kabota do you have? I lusted after one for a long time. And Dan Pease has a new 38 in Audition and is cruising now. We all tinker w our boats and fix them and replace things but you seem to have made a new boat out of yours. Youv'e taken re-fit to a whole new level. Anyway I'm glad Kabodie is alive and well. I'm about ready to pickle mine. Last year I kept Willy fully operational all winter long* ...and for several years but the expense of heating at $.23 kwa is tooo much.

 

[Anode]

Eric - It's the V3300. NA about 55hp at 2700rpm. I up sized the exhaust to 3" with a 3" lift muffler. Talk about quiet! Yes....obscession is the word I have heard others use when it comes to Julie and me and the 'boat'.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Chip,* I found a 75hp BV 3600 2600rpm on the Beta web site. Prolly a newer version of yours. My lift muffler is very quiet too. Charles,* Those murphy switches are wonderful. Ours prolly saved our lives once already. And I agree* ....no automatic shut down.

 

[FF]

Murphy sells a box that stays lit after the shutdown , so you can figure out what triggered the shutdown.

The unit we use has a pull plunger that is hooked to the engine shut down , and the gauges simply pull a pin to operate the shutdown , freeing the spring.

*

This is on a seperate dry battery , so no ships electrical power is needed for the gauges or shutdown system.* real CYA.

Murphy is not engaged on start up ,only after the engine is up to operating temp, and secured BEFORE any low speed (a lock or docking) manuvers are attempted.


-- Edited by FF on Tuesday 6th of September 2011 03:50:53 AM