Marine Automobile Engine - Safety Modifications

Safety Modifications

Electrical systems

• Marine starter motor — it has an internal screen to minimize the egression of spark movements.
• Marine alternator differs from an automobile alternator — it has an internal screen to minimize the egression of spark movements.

Fuel systems (petrol/gasoline engines)

• Fuel pump vented — if the fuel pump diaphragm ruptures, then the excess fuel will be directed into the carburettor. This kind of fuel pump is referred to as a marine fuel pump.
• Marine carburettor does not allow the overflow into the boat engine compartment.
• Spark arrestor on the air intake (carburettor or electronic fuel injection) — a wire mesh screen on the spark arrestor cools any internal flame or spark created by back-fire, thereby preventing it from igniting fuel vapours inside the engine compartment.

Fuel systems (diesel engines)

Cooling systems

• Marine automobile engines are water-cooled; drawing raw water in from a pickup underneath the boat. In an open cooling configuration, the raw water is circulated directly through the engine and exits after passing through jackets around the exhaust manifolds. In a closed cooling configuration anti-freeze circulates through the engine and raw water is pumped into a heat exchanger. In both cases hot water is released into the exhaust system and blown out with the engine exhaust gasses.
• The transmission oil cooler is cooled by raw water.