bizzard

What about the other starter motor, does it have one too, and does it click when starting its engine?

I remember that transporter bridge, we always looked at it from the train which usually called at Runcorn on the way to Liverpool from Euston.

If the crank was very stiff to turn maybe the reconditioners only used new piston rings on the old pistons and didn't scrape out and clean the ring grooves before fitting them, causing the stiffness. I've come across this a couple of times in the past.

In the filler neck.

I reckon it must have straight cut spur gears, Noisy I would have thought.

Almost certainly that reduction box has helically cut gears and will need a pressure gear ol ep80/90 probably.

They must be really well sealed then as stainless steel is not a good bearing metal for bearing tracks and balls.

These self aligning bearings are not really meant for marine use they're machine shop bearings for use in dry conditions. Only boat builders found them an easy way of avoiding using propper plain top bearings which entails accurate alignment of the bearing and skeg socket.

Paraffin is as good as Gunk was.