No kill switch on Perkins 4108

[Ryanthamilton7]

I recently purchased a 1973 Gulfstar 41 equipped with a Perkins 4108. I was able to successfully bleed the fuel system and get the engine running, only to notice that there is no kill switch run to the helm. The previous owner had a solenoid set up to activate the kill switch electronically, but the solenoid is frozen up. Rather than having to access the engine compartment every time I need to kill the engine, I adjusted the anti-stall screw to allow me to throttle back until the engine dies. Is there any harm in doing this? It's a temporary fix until I replace the solenoid or install a manual kill system, but I may not get around to that until this Louisiana summer heat goes away in a few months. Any tips are really appreciated!

[Cheechako]

I wouldn't do that. Simply install a cable with a T handle to kill it if you don't want the solenoid. The problem is... as you adjusted it, when you come into a dock, you will kill your engine and bash another boat or dock. It's a PITA that way.

[model 10]

Messing with the anti-stall valve is a weird way to shut down your engine. A push pull cable is the most dependable way.

[onestepcsy37]

That solenoid is not a kludge. Some 4-108's were equipped that way - made it easier to install when the engine was located far from the operator. If you want to fix it parts are still available from perkins. Or just replace it with the control cable version.

Sent from my SCH-I200PP using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Moontide]

Parachute cord to a convenient place inside or outside the engine room would be fine for a temp fix. f course that assumes it is a pull lever arm, not a push one.

[n8kraft]

If it were me, I'd just replace the solenoid if I wasn't cruising. The risk involved with running into another boat because you idle down too low coming in to or out of port to kill the engine doesn't seem like the right solution. If you know how to shut off the engine and it's just a PITA then it will give you the motivation to either install the solenoid or find the reason the solenoid doesn't activate.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Moontide

Parachute cord to a convenient place inside or outside the engine room would be fine for a temp fix. f course that assumes it is a pull lever arm, not a push one.

The fuel shut off arm on a Perkins Cav fuel pump is a pull to shut down. You might want to add a retuen spring if it does not already have one.

[Jim Cate]

Unless access is badly restricted, the replacement of the solenoid is a very easy job. This is the sort of maintenance that should just be done ASAP, and not put off... as others have said, there are some serious possible outcomes from delaying this job.

The general idea of deferring boat maintenance is a bad habit to get into...

Jim

[TrentePieds]

Originally Posted by Ryanthamilton7

I adjusted the anti-stall screw to allow me to throttle back until the engine dies. Is there any harm in doing this?

Why would you run the risk of losing control and bashing some other guy's boat (or your own) to the tune of thousands of dollars of damage for the sake of not having to buy a twenny dollar solenoid just now and not having to do a twenny minute maintenance job just now?

Any kind of jury rig will take longer to set up, and cost more, than it will to do the job right, right now, before you leave the dock again.

TrentePieds

[Ryanthamilton7]

Ok, point taken. I hadn't thought of accidentally shutting down the engine when trying to slow down, which seems inevitable now that I think about it. I'll pull off the solenoid and see if I can get it working, if not I'll be buying a cable stop. Thanks for the insight!

[TrentePieds]

Originally Posted by Ryanthamilton7

Ok, point taken. I hadn't thought of accidentally shutting down the engine when trying to slow down, which seems inevitable now that I think about it. I'll pull off the solenoid and see if I can get it working, if not I'll be buying a cable stop. Thanks for the insight!

Glad to hear it :-)

Mechanical is always better than electrical when there are bux and safety at stake ;-)

Sometimes you just can't avoid electrical, but in such situations you must, if you ask me, ALWAYS have redundancy built in.

I flash up from below, and test the idling at the shift while still made fast alongside. If the engine stalls at the shift, I make the deficiency good before I go.

On the other hand, looking at the long chance of a man over board scenario, I MUST have "kill capacity" at the steering station(s). A three bladed prop turning at 800 RPM (which happens to be my situation) inflicts 80 cuts per SECOND, and the length of time it takes to "cut threads" from head to toe on a human body is less than a second!

An "Evinrude rash" is deadly. So make sure that your "kill" is as reliable as your idling!

And remember the wisdom of ole Brother Occam!

TrentePieds