For my small lack of knowledge (though I'm sure I'll get to the point where it isn't small any more) and the few shortcomings in design (agreed on the starter pull, though I did an on-air VHF seminar in Georgetown this winter on the replacement and - so far, for me - cure of same), there is a yahoogroups mailing list for the units .
Typically, folks tweak them, from external fuel tanks to 3-way conversions (propane, natural gas and gasoline), many others, and, significantly and very easy, hourmeter installations. Hourmeters are a cool, cheap mod which will allow better timing on oil changes in their small crankcase. There are users in that group with over 9k hours on their original units. Pretty simple, it seems, to keep them running, if, like on a boat, you're willing to keep up with the various things which may arise. Not too many massively built diesel auxilliary engines make it that far... As it happens, as I get ready to find someone smarter and with more parts than I, First Coast Honda was one of my lookings was into the web site of FCHonda cited by Ben. I seem to recall the same engine of which he sings the praises on an open-frame unit is the engine powering this unit. Perhaps FCH thought they saw someone coming, so to speak, and thought they could take advantage?? In any case, it may be a very simple fix. One of the things I'll look into tomorrow is the oil sensor, as one of the folks we've chatted up in our short time here, not a cruiser, FWIW, has a son with one which sensor failed. He bypassed it somehow (either disconnect, in case it relies on a connection or grounding, in case it relies on an open to make the failure, he didn't recall for sure) and it's been running ever since. There's also been some recent chatter about a guy who machines aluminum rod stock to make an oil extension, such that you can drain and fill it without the usual mess provided by the short entry. I'll definitely get one of those when he's made more - the current ebay BIN is sold out... So, until I've had a great deal more trouble than I've had, I'll stick with it. It may only be the crummy gasoline I bought in the Bahamas, such thinking being stimulated by both of my outboards being initially very reluctant to run, as well, and the 6HP, nearly new, having a sticky throttle. Or there may be some other more obvious thing I've overlooked... Same list has had some conversation on the Kipors (portable genset owners/enthusiasts tend to own more than one and more than one type) which I also considered; there wasn't much definitive conclusion (some plusses and minuses) from those owners other than service and parts might be challenging in other than major population areas (such as the US - but we don't expect to be back here any time in the foreseeable future, once we've left St. Augustine)... YMMV, but they are literally staples among cruisers. I'd bet there were a good half of the boats in Georgetown this past winter who had one - and very few other, other than built-in diesel gensets. Even many boats with such built-ins ALSO had one as it's so efficient for the relatively lighter loads it's designed for (won't run three 20000BTU ACs, for example, but will readily power most shore-powered chargers on sailboats)... I'm off to bed... L8R, y'all... Skip Morgan 461 #2 SV Flying Pig KI4MPC See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery ! Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it however." (and) "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hand (Richard Bach) _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
