4HP inboard kicker ?

[rusty one]

I have a 4hp kohler with electric start generator . Why wont it just turn the shaft for steering and trolling? or is it just a dumb idea?

 

[Don S]

Re: 4HP inboard kicker ?

For one thing, there isn't enough information in what you say to even give an educated guess. Size, type of boat, main engine, etc. etc. all has to be taken into consideration. And steering isn't part of it.
Then, it has to be a marine unit. You can't stick some air cooled gas lawnmower engine or generator into the engine compartment of a boat. That's just ................. well ,,, dangerous.

 

[rusty one]

Re: 4HP inboard kicker ?

My boat is a 1973 25 ft. chris craft catalina . I installed a 4.3 L with omc marine manifolds .the motor is roller cam no shacker shaft .I to do a little more reseach so far the 4hp is marine base sealed gen. and points strange bowl vent. oh this is a full inboard pargon gear trans. A volvo engine coupler to a very heavy flywheel. . It idles down to 200- 300 RPM at 1.5 mph .But 1 cyl. runs cheaper than 6cyl

 

[abj87]

Re: 4HP inboard kicker ?

a few trawlers are set up to have a belt drive from the genset to the main propeller shaft to provide "get-home power" if the main engine runs into trouble.

I'm not sure if paragon gear will allow a shaft "freewheel" with the engine off, with out causing lubrication issues. You will have to check on that.

also running your main at 200-300 rpm is not a good idea. Engine bearings need to have a certain speed (bearing journal speed) to maintain the hydrodynamic lift required to keep the clearance from the crank to the bearing journals. In other words when the engine is running at the correct speed the bearings don't actually touch each other they ride on a film of oil provided my the oil pump and rotation of the crank.