Engine Room Ventilation

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Brent Headberg

I am still stumped about where the ventilation is on my 1990 Hunter 335. I have looked thru-out the back of the engine room access panel in the aft cabin, trying to find where this compartment is ventilated. This compartment is also where the dual batteries are located and I plan to replace the maintenance free batteries with 2 Group 27 Deep Cycle lead-acid batteries. Did the Hunter design team really forget to ventilate this compartment? Where does the engine get fresh air from too? I am anxious to hear from other 335 owners who may have discovered where the ventilation is located, if there is any????? Brent Headberg S/V Elena Lua http://www.elenalua.homestead.com
 
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Paul Akers

Slatted floorboards?

Brent, are there any slatted floor boards around the engine compartment? On my L37, I have slatted floor boards both in front of, and behind the engine that allow air into the compartment.
 
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Steve O.

no vent

There is no vent. The engine draws air because the engine compartment is nowhere near airtight. I've been thinking of adding a vent to mine to try an reduce the diesel smell when running under power. Also, its a real pain to access the dipstick from the stbd side. I wouldn't reccomend using a deep cycle battery for starting purposes. Get a starting battery and use it for starting only.
 
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Paul Akers

If there are none...

...as Steve says, you can always add a vent, if you desire. Find a place that you can cut a hole (either rectangular or round) and install an aluminum vent that can be acquired from Home Depot.
 
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Gary Wyngarden

Hi Brent

If there is one on my 92 335, I can't find it. As previously said, the access panels to the engine compartment are anything but air tight. That must be the source of air for the intake. We do get some exhaust smell under power and adding an intake vent might be a good idea. Let us know what you decide to do. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
 
Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
Engine Intake Air

There should be a source of intake air for the engine or it won’t run properly. Requiring it to suck air through cracks in the cabinetry isn’t really adequate. Even the refrigeration compressor requires a fairly large area for intake and exhaust and the diesel engine requires much more air than that. If you smell diesel exhaust it is most likely from the station wagon effect. And diesel exhaust fumes are very bad for one’s health, even as bad as smoking several packs of cigarettes per day depending on the quantity one breaths. If the smell is diesel, and not the exhaust, it’s likely there is a small leak in the fuel lines somewhere.
 
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Bob Fuller

Future Project

My '90 33.5 has exactly the same issue. One of my winter projects is to add both a supply duct and fan assisted exhaust duct. My thought was to bring ducting through the bulkhead on the starboard side below the aft berth deck, run them forward into the engine compartment leaving the supply duct on the hull and running the exhaust duct to the top of the engine compartment. I would place the hull penetrations on the rearward portion of the starboard cockpit seat over the fuel tankand use soft white vinyl vent hoods. My reasoning for doing this was not necessarily for making sure the engine was getting enough air as there are plenty of openings around the companionway stairs, but to cool the engine compartment down faster so as to keep the aft berth more comfortable for sleeping. I will be checking with the Admiral to see if it's in the Boat Budge first however.
 
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Brent Headberg

RE: Engine Room Vents

Thanks for everyone's input....and, as I suspected....NO VENTILATION in ENGINE ROOM. I also emailed Hunter Marine and they confirmed that the Engine Room is not vented. However, he did say that the original battery location of the 335 was in the port-side locker in the cockpit, but most owners moved the batteries under the aft cabin bunk like mine. Maybe the 335's that were built after 1990 had a port-side locker in the cockpit, but mine doesn't. I guess I will take on this project and vent my engine room whether I use AGM's or lead-acid batteries or not. Fresh air couldn't hurt. Thanks again for everyone's help. Brent Headberg S/V Elena Lua
 
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Dick Carey

RE: 1990 H-33.5 Batteries

Brent, I would suggest that you use 2 Group 27 DUAL PURPOSE batteries rather that either DEEP CYCLE or STARTING. The Dual purpose are built for BOTH starting and deep cycle. That's what I use on our 1990 H-33.5. They were GNB batteries, but GNB was bought out by Excide. They now just use the name Excide Gold Dual Purpose Batteries. The are available from Excide distribution centers or dealers. I use one battery one day of boat use,and the other on the next day of use. I have got 6 to 7 years out of each battery. Keep them topped off with distilled water. Also, I too have often thought about adding vents for intake and exhaust of the engine compartment. I may do it one day. Regards, Dick Carey S/V Puffin
 
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Terry

BRENT, NEITHER OF MY HUNTER BOATS...

have a ventilation system for engine incoming air. Enough comes in through hatchs, weep holes, etc. Our P42 has a manual vent fan to discharge battery gases from the engine compartment. Terry
 
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