NewCanalBoy

Got the email, got the later email, followed the link, bank balance looked healthier a few minutes later 👍

Well I'm a year late but I parked in the caravan site, got a friend in there too ! Same problem this year, phoned the caravan site but they said they need the space as some of the land is waterlogged. Some of the leaflets say the car parks don't open until 9 am (campsites 7am). So I'm going to need to move my car again at some point from the centre of the village, to a car park. Looks like you might get pushed to go to the School Lane car park as it might be a one way system in place which means you can't get to the other one......

Well I've just attempted a fix - and it's worked 😇 Taken out that connector, cut off the ends to get rid of the olives, went and bought some very tight fitting fuel line, pushed over the pipe as far as I could physically get it and clamped everything up. Pumped the primer and we were away - no leaks. So I know this is not long term and have to get a proper pipe made asap - but at least I can charge my batteries occasionally. Very, very difficult to get hold of anybody right now - spring is on its way !!

It's not leaking from there, it's coming out of the bottom of the joint lower down. If you buy the pipe I assume you have to have a pipe bender too - or you're going to crease the pipe when bending ?

I was wondering whether it could be a fuel hose rather than solid. Didn't know if there was anything in the BSS about it ?

I have a fuel leak, sprays out when I start the engine. It's coming out of the join you see in the photo. I've tightened it up but made it worse. Does this have to be a solid line ? Seems odd that it is in mid air and not supported ? I've had issues with my engine mounts so it's vibrated bits and pieces. What happens if I loosen these pipes - are there olives in there that are damaged ? Do I just have to get new pipes ? Can I get these new pipes ?

Obviously that was a bit tongue in cheek - and Europe isn't just France 😉

And I guess a big problem is that the French HATE the English too ?!

The chap I mentioned in my first post did get it taken by lorry to Europe. On the return leg he said his son convinced him to take it back via the sea. He said he left Belgium (can't remember the place) and 24 hrs later he was at the Isle Of Sheppey. 24 hrs !! Must have been very, VERY sure of the weather and sea state to do that !! 😲 He said he was glad he did it but 'I probably wouldn't do it again' !! Might have been more to do with the fact he was nearly 80 at the time but a bit of both I think. I've spent a few days at sea but not sure I would want 24 hrs in a narrowboat !! Something to tell the grandkids about I suppose.....

Blimey - not too sure what has been going on here ! Anyhow, looks complicated - you'd be in and out of Europe regularly, your boat would be there for 18 months max (unless you paid tax and imported it ?). Or you just buy a boat already in the EU but again you would be in and out personally for half the time. Looks like it's just a bit cocked up for us now.....

Made some calls, talked with folk, waited for responses to emails.......... When I turn the nut on top of the engine mount it just rotates and I can hear rubber movement. So it must be a version with a bolt head underneath that sits into a captive area ? I thought about trying to remove one engine mount to examine it but as I can't remove the threaded piece, and i can't raise the engine foot up to get it over the top of the end of the thread - what's left ? Have to go into a boat yard to get the engine lifted up ? Hacksaw through the threaded bar ? Which bearing in mind the space might prove traumatic ?

The plot thickens. Looking at one of the mounts it is noticeable higher - about 5cm high. Another two are between 3-4 CMS high. But the one that is 5 cm high looks like it's an M10 thread whereas the others look like M12 thread !! I think the only way is a while new set of engine mounts - at least you know where you stand ! Well spotted !!

Well yes, he said there was a gap between the top of the engine and underside of the engine foot/leg. He did suggest fitting a spacer under them or fitting a bigger mount. He showed me one he had in his van and it was simply taller. Don't know what the threaded bar was sorry. I'm going to phone Calcutt boats as it's a BMC engine and see what mount they suggest. I'll see if I can take a photo.....

Ah - I haven't got any of these ? What actually happened was that I had that tapping noise, like others i thought I had some problem and more than one mechanic suggested my drive plate was chattering away, until I took up some drive and then it disappeared completely, only for it to return when back in idle. I took it to a mechanic and when I demonstrated what was happening he agreed and ordered a new driveplate. When I went to get it changed he took the old driveplate out and said it was perfect but - 'You've got two broken engine mounts' As I was booked in for that day and couldn't get any new engine mounts quickly he had to improvise. He had a threaded bar which he cut down into smaller sections and then installed into the mounts. I didn't see him do this but he must have just used a bit on the underside to hold it in place ? Basically it was concluded that I need meatier engine mounts, or raise up the ones that I have as there is space between the top of the engine mount and the engine feet.