> > Tell me more about that engine. Not because I would be any help. It's just that old engines interest me and I think I remember you saying that your boat was about 30 years old. I just sold my 43-year-old outboard motor to a collector and I guess I'm feeling guilty about that. I often use my referrences to identify old engines for people and information about yours could add to my data. If I'm not being too nosy, tell me about the brand name, configuration, number of cyliners, etc. I have about 15 vintage engines, mostly one-cylinder with brand names like Cushman and Vespa, of course, but also Maytag, OMC, Briggs-Statton, Craftsman, and even one I can't identify...yet.
> > Howard
>
> It is an inboard Yanmar one-cylinder 12 hp diesel engine. I think it's a year or two younger than the boat; the previous owners put it in new to replace the original petrol engine. (An inboard petrol engine on a boat! HORRORS! My skin crawls just thinking about it.)
> Yanmar is considered a really good make of marine engine. Mine still has excellent compression and has always run perfectly *once* you manage to get it started, which in the past has sometimes taken upwards of three hours. Now that it's had a full recondition, I'm looking forward to seeing how it runs after the electrics are sorted out. The engine *can* be started without the battery by hand cranking, but turning a key is much easier. I'm pretty sure the engine is now about half the size it was before they scraped all the rust off the outside and inside. I saw the interior while they had it in pieces in their shop - there was stuff like white fur coating the whole inside about five centimetres thick. EEEEeeeeeewwwwww.
>
> Brunnen-"before and after photos will be supplied on my web page, eventually"G
>
The next time you have trouble starting that engine, think about how easily gasoline (uh, petrol)vaporizes. It's worth the extra effort.

I remember a story a long time ago about a guy who installed an exhaust fan in his bilge to clear out the vapors, before starting his engine. The fan motor arced when it started and blasted the boat out of the water. That was before such fans were required, and he used a heater fan from a car. If I remember correctly, he was wet, but had only minor injuries.

I just talked to the guy who is going to repair my Vespa engine. He is going to bead blast it(the engine, not the scooter) and it should run and look like new. It's 26 years old and I can hardly wait to see it looking good again.

I'm going to file a hard copy of your description of the Yanmar. I've never seen one so I guess they don't make them in Tennessee.
Howard