Hi looking to pick a few brains ,we have our mk11 1995 out on the lake on a mooring we have flattened the batteries a couple of times . When we take the engine cover off there is a shaft with splines on it , can I put a lever on that to hand crank the engine thank again Kenny
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Geileis
Hull 1489
1995
Fin Keel
U shape Lounge
Westerbeke M35 engine
Mikuni heating
Second best thing that ever happened to me
I doubt you'd be able to crank an M35 by hand -- and even if you could, if your battery was so flat that it couldn't crank it, then no doubt the glow plugs couldn't be activated either so it wouldn't start anyway.
If you have a properly set up system with a totally isolated and dedicated starter battery, there should be no reason that you would have a situation where you lack enough power to crank -- even if your house batteries were run down. I'm guessing that either your starter battery is bad, or your battery wiring scheme needs to be reviewed.... See, e.g., www.catalina36.org/forum/technical-discussion/battery-compartment-wiring and the further links in that thread
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
I agree with Matthew in working on the electrical / battery aspects.
We had an '82 Cape Dory 25D with a small Yanmar 1GM (one cylinder ~ 12 HP). This had the option of a manual crank start. The crank and splines in the pulley were designed to engage in the direction of engine rotation and pull out in the opposite direction- kind of like a screw (for safety reasons). If you had straight splines- it might be difficult to pull the crank out when the engine engaged, creating a very dangerous situation. The Yanmar also had a decompression lever so you could readily get the engine turning. I'm not sure if the M35 has a decompression lever.
Paul & Wendy Keyser
"First Light"
Rye NH
2005 C36 MKII #2257
Wing, M35B
I hand cranked a old Volvo MD2 (IIRC) when the starter/generator bracket broke on a cruise in the San Juan's on a Pierson Oriel -- it came with a crank, and if the compression release even thought of un-releasing you would almost throw out your shoulder. once the crank stuck in the slot and it started -- the boat almost shook apart before i could kill the motor. I would spend lots on batteries before subjecting myself to that again.
Les
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore