Dorman

Thanks Richard I access to a lathe and operator but appreciate your kind offer. Keep you posted. Simon

Yes the casing of the starter sits in the bell housing and has a turned section to accomodate it about 5-6mm deep. Simon

Yes typo it is a BS5 Just come back from the boat and checked clearance between pinion and starter ring face and its nearer 6mm! Manual quotes 0.79mm to just over 3mm for "smooth engagement" so probably coming at the starter ring a bit briskly, so not moving it back. Spoke to suppliers of the starter motor and they are coming to have a look. One thing though managed to get a good look at the starter with covers off and somebody turning the key and it appears to be engaging ok but the "clacking" noise seems to be coming from backlash on the pinion shaft and pinion gear as it turns initially on the flywheel it moves back and forward. Didnt get this on the old one but it had a phosphor bronze pinion, not steel so maybe its just a bit louder in operation? Anyway no damage to flywheel or pinion teeth since last year so didnt need to do any more deburring.The teeth look ok and within couple of mm from nearest to furthar away ones from the pinion when rotated with no breaks etc--normal wear and tear l guess. When l stop engine on decompression it seems a bit smoother missing the wear points on TDC helps l guess. Definitely looks as if new starter needs to move forward as slightly different clearance situation. Tempted to have the front casing turned down to try and get it nearer as there is plenty of teeth length on the ring. Simon

Hi All Sometime back had a problem with a replacement starter motor damaging the flywheel on the engine. Its a BD5 axial starter with starter pinion which pre-engages by a pair on contacts before coming up to full torque on a Dorman 3AL. Sent away the starter to a specialist who carried out a full rebuild with proper parts i.e. manufactures contacts etc and set up properly and deburred the flywheel and worked great --------- until yesterday. Suddenly it started clashing before fully engaging and l am worried that it will start to rebur the flywheel and damage the pinion and we are back to square one again. The clearance hasnt changed between the pinion and flywheel. Does anyone know somebody in the Worcestershire or Warkwickshire areas, we are at Wyre Piddle on the Avon, who is knowledgeble about older vintage engines as l want to seek some advice before sending it back or doing more damage! Simon

Been there done that Similiar experience on the Avon still brings me out in a sweat even 10 years later. I learnt more about boat handling in a couple of hours than the previous 20 years NOT recommended. Meet 2 hireboats coming up stream who would not give me room--being driven by hire base staff at about 1/2 mile hour at full throttle visted a few tree branches. Coming into the locks was the easiest bit once you passed the weirs it was relatively calm. OMG Simon

Is it absolutely neccesary to have a water cooled exhaust or is this something you could do without on a low load application like a narrowboat? Just wondering as all my Listers are dry exhaust

Timothy Spall down sizing project?

Lovely pictures thanks for all the effort it must have taken--just the thing to cheer you up on a grey autumn day! Simon

cos orignal was not repairable. l am going to check clearance tomorrow. Not easy as its not visible. Simon

I have done a bit more inspection of the flywheel and starter ring and enclose some photos to see if anyone can shed some light on the problem. http://www3.snapfish.co.uk/snapfishuk/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=16561863011/a=3309103011_3309103011/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfishuk/ I had to source a new starter and the problem has occurred since then. The starter is a CAV pre-engage type with a solonoid that pushes it up on a machined spiral slot to allow smooth (not) engagement before the power goes across to the main brushes and it spins up to speed. The starter no of teeth and shape are identical as is the face to face dimensions--in fact the new and old motors are identical. The old bendix gear on the old starter was not damaged but l suppose the starter gear and ring gear have worn in together over 40+ years? To me the flywheel seems ok? No badly worn sections and when l mark the flywheel the engine seems to stop in 1 of 3 different positions and the teeth are ok when l check throught the starter hole. Even with no teeth damaged or worn the starter is still struggling to mesh. There is a slight burr on the leading face which l suppose stops the bendix gear engaging smoothly before the main brushes whizz it around. Resulting in a nasty sort of clacking occasionally before sliding it onto the rest of the gear and whizzing it round with no problem. This is not something l want to encourage as it appears to spreading the front of the teeth into more of a burr. This may well be the problem--would a debur of the teeth help? The teeth dont seemed worn enough for the clacking sound to be the to gears slipping over each other. i suppose the wear on the ring is gradual and all around the ring and still possibly bad enough to create the noise. One more thing. The manual quotes a clearance for the CAV starter onto the starter ring which has never been altered as it sits tight into a machined recess in the bellhousing. It worked ok up to know. Many thanks as the whole lot may have to come out--the flywheel is not loose either btw Simon

My daughter is the same, my son happily stays inside reading playing the guitar while she has been steering locking since ten and wants to live on a boat at university. Girls seem quite headstrong these days--her friends all want to muck in. Simon

Thanks everbody will make some enquiries Simon

It may be time to change to starter ring on my Dorman 3AL as its getting a bit worn, Anyone have any experience or sources of new one--may need to be made and is bolted on. Many Thanks Simon

How come the bath water goes up when l lie down in the bath then

Thanks Alan wish l could have made it. Simon

For the sake of your sanity.....dont

We moor at Wyre Piddle Tewkesbury Marina will probably put you up...at a price. They had space last year. Avon lock may agree to let you stay longer we never asked. Otherwise only up to a few days up to Evesham on public moorings such as Pershore. Evesham Marina may have visitor moorings. Im afraid it will cost you if over a few days in duration and have to be private boat yard arrangement. Edit for spelling Happy boating Simon

Droitwich Junction Lock 2 Tuesday 1 May 2012 until further notice Customers are advised that due to damaged brickwork the side pond at Lock 2 is no longer in use and it has been necessary to isolate it from the lock (the paddles between the lock and the side pond are locked). The lock remains open and should be operated as a standard lock. Side ponds at Lock 1 and 3 remain in use. Enquiries: 01452 318000 More stoppages on this waterway: http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-rivers/droitwich-junction-canal/boating/stoppages You can find all stoppages at the url below: http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/stoppages Please do not reply to the email. It has been automatically generated. To unsubscribe from this service please go to: http://www.waterscape.com/login and uncheck the relevant box. Not them blooming working boats breasting up again!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome and fireaway with queries--the more specific the better there are plenty of knowalls on here

Dont take it too seriously nicknorman we had a similiar experience when locking through their last year from a "residential self elected advisory BW agent" who kept giving advice to my daughter reference paddles etc which she couldnt understand due to the poor chaps poor teeth tongue combination. He siddled up to me and chatted but friendly and did help so maybe not the same man? Maybe known to locals l suspect and frequents the pub on the river. Keep smiling Simon

Where did l leave my boner