Engine Cooling Water Pump

Bill Layton wrote: Charles remember the wire attaches to the smaller terminal of the water temp switch. The housing is symetrical so it makes no difference which way it is installed. Assuming of course that the plumbing (Y-pipe stb side)was installed correctly.

Curious, I have this wire in the larger post for the past four years. This year, my alarm went off, a high pitch, soft alarm. I always assumed my alarms never functioned before. I checked the engine temp with a hand held infrared thermometer, the engine was at 55 degrees celcius. I disconnectes the wire and alarm went off. If I put it in the smaller post and alarm stays off. I also checked oil and there is no water leaking thru the membrane. Just to be sure I checked the entire cooling system from water strainer to thermostat nothing to indicate water not flowing thru.Any thoughts? Faualty sensor? Or do I just have my wires crossed?

I will be happy to, however while I have built the interiors to other boats, I have not yet gotten into my own Laser. I am trying to good quality light-weight composite paneling to work with and as soon as I do, I will start working on my own boat and post progress, procedure, methods, photos etc. I expect to be back in China and Hong Kong next month and will focus on sourcing materials. These materials are available in North America from such suppliers as Jamestown Marine, etc., but they area really expensive. This stuff is mass produced and is not actually expensive at all from the manufacturer. I just have not been able to find a retailer or wholesaler outside of the marine industry from which to buy it. As soon as it comes from a "Yacht Shop" the price goes up 10 times.

Regarding wood to replace, I will start with the galley and totally rebuild it to the same configuration, but replacing all plywood with glass/foam composite. Next I would do the head area, Then the long strips of ply that house the engine and holding tank.

Next I will replace the main bulkhead, but I won't use the same paneling for this as it is structural and most likely it will be a glass/foam layup of my own development which will incorporate in it the athwartship stiffening currently done by the retrofitted aluminum bar. There is nothing wrong with my current bulkhead, except that someone varnished with this orange tinted junk. Also, I think it is epoxy glued and riveted to the hull and athwartship stringer, and I would prefer a glassed-in connection. For the time and trouble of stripping all the varnish and re-finishing in situ it won't take that much more time and effort to build a new one and eliminate the wood altogether.

I have been instrumental in bringing 3 more Lasers into the Vancouver yachting area over the past few months, (there are lots of deals around), and several of those boats' joinery is in much worse shape than mine. Lots of rot, particularly in the head and on the head/nav bulkhead, so when I take mine apart to use the old ply material as a pattern to cut the new composite, I may as well cut three of everything and spread the bits around. Also, all the other boats that have come in, save one, need new floorboards, and if we have the composite, why use wood?

If you have knowledge, or a connection to a reasonable supply of either 3/8" or 1/2" composite paneling, I would love to know of it. Mostly this material is commercially produced for the construction of trailers, RV's, and for the paneling on large delivery trucks and light weight containers. It seems the marine industry is either too small or too fragmented to attract the marketing efforts of the Chinese manufacturers. However I know of a yard in Hong Kong who brings panels in by the container, and then uses what they need and sells panels to DIY people and other small yards. All my friends in Hong Kong buy from them for their projects. I suppose I could buy from them and ship from Hong Kong, but the materials will have been double-shipped if I use that source, plus I will be paying his mark-up as well.

I have considered laying up the panel myself, and I did do this back in 1978 in Hong Kong when I built the interior of my custom built 1/4 tonner, but the modern manufacturing process uses vacuum and achieves a quality finish on both sides, which I would have to go to great lengths to achieve.

Thanks for any assistance you can lend.

Frank

tell me more about the wood fletch, what are you rerplacing?  And what is the wood you are referring to?  Can you share a link to show us?  Maybe "we" could help.....  :)bill

the housing was rotated because the mechanic was stupid-no other conclusion can be drawn- the alarm was disabled because the owner was stupid-see above

re the thermostat housing. When I bought my boat I found the yellow wire to the alarm was cut. Why? I reconnected it but the alarm would sound and the light for temperature would light up-turns out the thermostat housing was rotated 180 degrees- for some reason, either the motor was overheating (unlikely) or the temperature probe was getting a false reading. As the alarm also warns that oil pressure is low or the membrane is leaking, I certainly felt that unplugging it was not smart.

Thanks for the heads up, no pun intended. The boat did see a trip to the bahamas about 12 years ago. After the trip the owner had the engine overhauled. That being said, the boat has been and will be in fresh water, every winter it has been winterized with antifreeze and left in the engine. The manual does state you need to drain the antifreeze but I don't think many do this.

Seawolf: If you are running in salt water, please do one more check an that is where the cooling water re-enters the exhaust elbow. The cooling water comes from the head via a 1/2" ID hose that connects to a barbed fitting on the exhaust elbow whose ID is 1/4". If there is any rust flaking coming from either your cast iron head, or the inside of the steel cylinder cooling ports, they will jam up that 1/4" hole, the engine will overheat, and before you know what has happened the head gasket will be compromised. This will allow some water or vapor to get into the cylinder and you will have a much bigger project on your hands. A bit of vinegar won't help you. If you find any sign of rust flakes accumulating where the hose meets the small barbed fitting, then I strongly suggest that you install one of those small raw water inlet filter in that hose between the head and the outlet. The instructions will say that these fittings belong only on the intake side, but ignore that and just install the little filter such that the arrow is pointing in the correct position. This will allow the screen filter to pick up the flakes and prevent blocking the outlet. Then check that filter occasionally and empty as required.

I had this problem and it led me to rebuilding my engine. In other posts on this site you will find my explanation of how I fitting a heat exchanger to my engine an no longer run raw water through my engine and sleep much better. At the very least, if you are running in salt, you should plumb a separate pick-up on the intake side so that when you put the boat away each time after use you can run a bucket of fresh water through it. This is very easy to do.

I think you will find that the other tab is to receive a wire for a temperature guage if you opt for one.

It plugs onto the small terminal... you may have to use pliers to get it to stay on