Petter AC1 powered boat

I have just gotten hold of a nice little Petter AC1 attached to a marine gearbox for a nice winter project. The plan is to (or try to) fit it in my 16ft fibreglass pebble coble.





I am completely new to these engines and therefore would like to ask a few questions

1. What oil does this engine take? (It had to be completely drained of oil for the courier)
2. I would like to run an alternator from the engine. Is there some sort of conversion (shaft extension) i can do to get a shaft to protrude from the front to fix a pulley to?
3.Anyone know what the marine gearbox is?
4. Is there a Haynes type manual for these engines?

my serial is 07014589AC1C107

The craft:

Nice project, nice boat!

Someone else will answer regarding oil type etc but just remember you will probably want to install the engine on a 'slope' to allow the prop shaft to run true so before you install it work out what the correct position on the dipstick will be for a 'tilted' engine


(if you get my drift!)

michael3 wrote:Nice project, nice boat!

Someone else will answer regarding oil type etc but just remember you will probably want to install the engine on a 'slope' to allow the prop shaft to run true so before you install it work out what the correct position on the dipstick will be for a 'tilted' engine


(if you get my drift!)

Yes i certainly do my friend. I was reccomended to use you're method as well as a universal joint setup. Unsure what to go for as of yet.

UJs, a couple of thoughts:
1) I was always told they wear quite quickly if always at the same angle

2) If you use a UJ you have to think what effect the thrust from the prop is likely to have on adjacent bearings. If the shaft is straight this is taken by gearbox and engine bearers.

I know that setting up a straight shaft means that one has to work at alignment but I guess you are starting from scratch? This would give you the chance to put it all exactly in place and then glass it up.


IMG_1083 by dralowid, on Flickr

The last one I did. Here the shaft was already glassed in so the engine (Beta/Kubota) was aligned to it. No probs with accessibility!

Others will have opinions I'm sure...

A good person to speak to would be blackvan man as he used to work on alot of boats.

Matt

That reminds me, I still have a Petter AC2W marine engine in bits, got a spare NOS gearbox and all!

I would favour setting the engine up true and eliminating the need for a universal joint, do you have enough depth on the keel to stop the prop sitting on the bottom? Those cobles are usually fairly shallow draught

Matth92 wrote:That reminds me, I still have a Petter AC2W marine engine in bits, got a spare NOS gearbox and all!

I would favour setting the engine up true and eliminating the need for a universal joint, do you have enough depth on the keel to stop the prop sitting on the bottom? Those cobles are usually fairly shallow draught

I don't know any measurements off hand (havn't had alot of opportunities to visit the boat lately with work) and i think that the keels may need deepening a bit. I know the propeller that came with the engine is 12".

Guess you'll need to build some form of skeg...

I thought cobles were designed to be dragged up the beach stern first, not the best idea for an inboard with exposed prop protruding below...ponder further...

michael3 wrote:Guess you'll need to build some form of skeg...

I thought cobles were designed to be dragged up the beach stern first, not the best idea for an inboard with exposed prop protruding below...ponder further...

they may have been designed for that but not in my ownership. I couldnt bear to get my paint scratched

If you have a poke around on the net you should find the manual as a free pdf download.

I did this but can't remember the web address.

Quoting from this :-
" Recommended oil is fully synthetic 5W 20 (to API spec CC) for ambient temps up to 25'C, 10W 30 up to 50'C.
Thinner oils will aid cold starting.
Straight mineral oils and/or low detergent oils are not recommended. "

how would i go about rigging up a shaft to run an alternator from. I think that this is possible as i have seen these engines with shafts and starting handles in place at the front of the engine.

I can only suggest you prize out the plug just under the starting handle boss. Thats the end of the crankshaft.

Maybe you can connect a pulley to that - but then it would probably get in the way of hand starting. Unless you're using electric start.

yes it is electric start. i do not have a starting handle just a blank plate

Your crank case is a little different to mine - you have no start handle housing and no blank plate over the crank - so I'm afraid I can't help more.

I tried to post a picture of mine but the image hosting didn't seem to work.

Basically you need to find the end of a high speed shaft to fit a pulley to.

A common set up we use when we build the police boats in work is to line up the engine  with the propshaft drive plate (its a jet drive on these but sort of the same principle) and use a UJ between them (even though its all aligned absolutely spot on). If its difficult to understand i may have some pictures somewhere of us fitting one in