Tropical Greetings All,
I have found a vessel with the above as the engine. Are they as noisy as great uncle Bob (who was the engineer on the pilot launch 'Effy' out of Mackay harbour) or is the noise manageable with proper insulation?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Ramona said..
The answer depends! What engine is it?

Thanks Ramona,
It's a 30hp (approx), 3 cylinder Perkins. I was assuming it wouldn't be too bad but it is always good to get other opinions eh!
Cheers.

Jolene said..

You sure its a Perkins?

I can only go by what is on the Inventory List Jolene, but maybe it is a Petter.Thanks for the input.

Saltuarius said..

Ramona said..
The answer depends! What engine is it?

Thanks Ramona,
It's a 30hp (approx), 3 cylinder Perkins. I was assuming it wouldn't be too bad but it is always good to get other opinions eh!
Cheers.

If it is a Perkins 3.154 then yes they can indeed be air cooled. I have seen them in tractors before. This is unusual for a boat to have an air-cooled engine as they need a steady airflow. Which in an engine box is not going to get. The air through the radiator find might make it a bit louder but that would be about it. The Perkins engine range is fantastic btw. Had a 6.354T in my old motor boat "Shanty".
PS I am not a professional mechanic but I have worked with engines for a fair few years now.

Donk107 said..
Hi Shanty

When you say a air cooled Perkins engine are you referring to an engine with no water cooling whatsoever that just relies on airflow over the engine itself for cooling

Regards Don

Yes, instead of pumping water as an outboard or most inboards and shaft drives would. Here is how an air cooled engine works.

Air cooled engines ( or any engine) are cooled by a closed circuit carrying liquid coolant through channels in the engine block and cylinder head, where the coolant absorbs heat, to a heat exchanger or radiator where the coolant releases heat into the air .Typically this is facilitated with metal fins covering the outside of the Cylinder Head and cylinders which increase the surface area that air can act on. Air may be force fed with the use of a fan and shroud to achieve efficient cooling with high volumes of air or simply by natural air flow with well designed and angled fins.

This is why Air cooled engines are rare in Boats. Air flow is usually simply not enough. Although on the Tv series "Swamp People" you can see air cooled outboards. To be fair look ugly but a cowl cover would restrict airflow (although i think the only reason they use air cooled engines on swamp people is so they can run the engine in as little water as they like, and not suck air or mud through the water intake: this would screw a normal outboard).


This is part of what I wrote on Wikipedia on the subject 3 months ago.

PS I probably just confused you more sorry
PPS yes another massive post Craig
regards Mick

Donk107 said..

Shanty1 said..

Donk107 said..
Hi Shanty

When you say a air cooled Perkins engine are you referring to an engine with no water cooling whatsoever that just relies on airflow over the engine itself for cooling

Regards Don

Yes, instead of pumping water as an outboard or most inboards and shaft drives would. Here is how an air cooled engine works.

Air cooled engines ( or any engine) are cooled by a closed circuit carrying liquid coolant through channels in the engine block and cylinder head, where the coolant absorbs heat, to a heat exchanger or radiator where the coolant releases heat into the air .Typically this is facilitated with metal fins covering the outside of the Cylinder Head and cylinders which increase the surface area that air can act on. Air may be force fed with the use of a fan and shroud to achieve efficient cooling with high volumes of air or simply by natural air flow with well designed and angled fins.

This is why Air cooled engines are rare in Boats. Air flow is usually simply not enough. Although on the Tv series "Swamp People" you can see air cooled outboards. To be fair look ugly but a cowl cover would restrict airflow (although i think the only reason they use air cooled engines on swamp people is so they can run the engine in as little water as they like, and not suck air or mud through the water intake: this would screw a normal outboard).


This is part of what I wrote on Wikipedia on the subject 3 months ago.

PS I probably just confused you more sorry
PPS yes another massive post Craig
regards Mick

Hi Shanty

Your definition doesn't make a lot of sense to me

As far as I am concerned if an engine has a water jacket and either a radiator or a heat exchanger it is water cooled where as a air cooled engine has no water jacket and relies only on air flow over the block and head for cooling


Regards Don

Hi Don
An air cooled engine still has a radiator. A radiator is a heat exchanger. What happens is the Hot radiator relays on Airflow to cool it down. Instead of water cooling it down.
Ps Sorry your posts made more sense when I read it better. Once again I have pulled a "Micky" as Craig calls it and have basically gone into to much detail.
Thanks Mick

Donk107 said..

Shanty1 said..

Donk107 said..

Shanty1 said..

Donk107 said..
Hi Shanty

When you say a air cooled Perkins engine are you referring to an engine with no water cooling whatsoever that just relies on airflow over the engine itself for cooling

Regards Don

Yes, instead of pumping water as an outboard or most inboards and shaft drives would. Here is how an air cooled engine works.

Air cooled engines ( or any engine) are cooled by a closed circuit carrying liquid coolant through channels in the engine block and cylinder head, where the coolant absorbs heat, to a heat exchanger or radiator where the coolant releases heat into the air .Typically this is facilitated with metal fins covering the outside of the Cylinder Head and cylinders which increase the surface area that air can act on. Air may be force fed with the use of a fan and shroud to achieve efficient cooling with high volumes of air or simply by natural air flow with well designed and angled fins.

This is why Air cooled engines are rare in Boats. Air flow is usually simply not enough. Although on the Tv series "Swamp People" you can see air cooled outboards. To be fair look ugly but a cowl cover would restrict airflow (although i think the only reason they use air cooled engines on swamp people is so they can run the engine in as little water as they like, and not suck air or mud through the water intake: this would screw a normal outboard).


This is part of what I wrote on Wikipedia on the subject 3 months ago.

PS I probably just confused you more sorry
PPS yes another massive post Craig
regards Mick

Hi Shanty

Your definition doesn't make a lot of sense to me

As far as I am concerned if an engine has a water jacket and either a radiator or a heat exchanger it is water cooled where as a air cooled engine has no water jacket and relies only on air flow over the block and head for cooling


Regards Don

Hi Don
An air cooled engine still has a radiator. A radiator is a heat exchanger. What happens is the Hot radiator relays on Airflow to cool it down. Instead of water cooling it down.
Ps Sorry your posts made more sense when I read it better. Once again I have pulled a "Micky" as Craig calls it and have basically gone into to much detail.
Thanks Mick

Hi Shanty

The airflow through the radiator on a water cooled engine cools the water (or coolant) that has absorbed the heat from the engine so I guess ultimately a water cooled engine is air cooled but a true air cooled engine has not water jacket or radiator (like a early VW Beetle/combi engine)

By common definition an air cooled engine has no radiator

The common types of cooling system for yachts that we have on this forum are

Raw water cooled which is sea water being sucked into the engine via a raw water pump and circulating through the engine and than existing via the exhaust

Fresh water cooled where the engine has fresh water circulating through the engine via a fresh water pump and passing through a heat exchanger and raw water is drawn into the boat via a raw water pump and passes through the same heat exchanger to remove the heat from the fresh water and then exits via the exhaust

Yachts normally do not use a radiator as you would see in a automotive application

Regards Don

Yes you are correct