Wiff

Shame it continuously rained till christmas then froze, just wish I had been better advised by those that take the cash. I did at one point want to take the boat in a rough state and do it myself and was advised against this as it would be better if they put on the primer. Feel quite disgusted a bad job done for me all round shall not go there again! So if a coat of undercoat and not primer had been applied would I still have this problem?

so the £900 I spent on the job was totally wasted then, wonder why nobody informed me before i spent the cash!

I have a boat that was freshly painted with a rust inhibitor and a layer of grey primer last autumn by a boat yard. The paint is clearly rusting underneath and in places flaking off leaving raw rust patches, is this normal? I have been informed that I should have put a top coat on right away but I have painted other areas of the boat since in red oxide primer and no rust has re appeared. I did intend to paint the boat in the sunny weather but now find i have to treat and re prime the whole of the roof before painting I would like to know what your views are on this. Local boaters who have seen the job say it should not be flaking and bubbling rust. Thanks Heather

Okay, Working like an idiot (self employed) until after Christmas when I should be in my quiet time so I dont see much of my engine in daylight hours. Fingers crossed I can take it easy and get to know my Lister in a much more informed way than I currently do. I feel frustrated with myself for not knowing more and having to ask but I really want to know how to do things properly and as was pointed out it is so difficult to to understand directions without photos on these types of forums but it does seem looking at the photos of the lovely red painted engine I am basicly doing the right thing. I will check that starter motor as soon as time allows. As you can probably see from the photo my engine is a bit of an old work horse which though well maintained is probably feeling some of its age by now and the starter motor and batteries may well be feeling that age too as I was told on the survey the boat does need some TLC but I call it home now and cant wait to find out what a winkle pin looks like! Cheers again for all your help it is much apreciated x okay Winkle spring mot pin, Lordy lord .....

okay will have a look later today and see what it does, sorry for being a bit daft sounding but I have off forum been told some wildly conflicting information about this engine. Most of it from the previous owner and also from elderly "done it all my life mechanics" I can turn my engine off and seems like I have been given the right info from my mechanic but he called it something different. Any way will have a look later. Thank you all for your help x

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/dscf5036k.jpg/ link to see photos of my engine, really cannot see the control you are showing which seems to be optional on the SR2 engine, I just want the easiest and safest way to start this engine sadly full throttle on a cold day does not cut it quite. I am beginning to see that this engine is a bit specialist but bomb proof too. Being without a hands on advisor is a bit difficult and I just want to avoid flat batteries at this time of year. I also do not have the oil cup for cold starting either if that helps. Been away on business over the weekend and it is now much warmer so it will start with little fuss today I think. Maybe the real solution is lost in the mists of time!

Engine is aircooled, and I do not have that little starting control on my engine as far as I can see. Hmm now thinking it is back to the old blow torch method!will continue with decompressing and pulling out the devise seen on the photo near to the exhaust pipes and the little brassy disc at the bottom of the engine. My old and I think wise mechanic told me to use it in the winter so I think that is whaat I will do. I have a feeling that the engine in my boat is not the original so maybe it is not a marine engine. Dont know if that is possible and really so long as I can get it to go I am not rightly fussed. Been on my boat only since the end of September so I am still just moving in!

MY head hurts now!

I was shown the lever by a boat engineer who has many years of experience working with Narrowboats. He informed me that in the winter I pull this devise out from the main body of the engine and it would ensure easy starting in sub zero temperatures. It would appear that the previous owner of the boat did not know of this option as it was he who told me he always used a blow torch. I cannot see any information on he internet either. It is a mystery but what ever I do it has so far worked!

Allan you read my mind on that one. Will be making myself one with some baling wire I have aquired or I think the fire poker I made could have found yet another use!

Bit of faffing false starting flicking switches back and forth and holding the extra fuel switch open with the fuel tank dip stick and 4 Canals Lister roared back into life and has been happily not missing a beat since. Not quite sure what combination did it but no pyrotechnics or releasing of mood changing gases was required (sadly). Feel I have done well and are now saying thanks to Saint Lister with a glass of rum down my air intake! Cheers from Heather on the beautiful Caldon still living the dream x

Think the extra fuel switch is the way to go. I really dont want to think the engine is crackered just yet! As I said it has just been serviced in September and I think it is my lack of skill in using all the whistles and bells which is the problem. I usually do give it a good cranking as it does not respond instantly I just really dont need to flatten my batteries as then I would think I have another problem to fix which is not good. Will let you know how I get on x

Okay my plan will be decompress both chambers and press the fuel overide and use starter, throttle fully open and out of gear, when engine is rotating flick the decompressors over. Assuming it starts I will then drop back the throttle. plan b is fuel overide and hot air down the intake. plan c is the aerosol down the fuel intake and plan d is learn to do without the electric trickery or plan e go the pub and forget about it till spring! Unless of course anyone can dream up a plan f. Please bare in mind my boat is to be renamed 4 Canals so I am used to a bit of bother with her!

Chopping trees down will keep off the cold!

That is how I would usually start it but without the decompression levers being used, I dont think I have a battery or starter motor problem but as I have nothing to compare it to you never know as the instrumentation on here is pretty basic when it comes to power monitoring as there is not any its all down to me guessing and being in a routine with starting the engine which I do for 2 hours every evening at the moment to power pumps lights and a very small amount of TV or radio. It is possibly too much but as my engine usually starts brightly first time of asking and its fuel use is very economical to me it is what I am happy doing. The previous owner who had been boating for years told me to do the blowtorch method or a burning newspaper, which sounded a bit alarming. My lovely mechanic friend showed me the extra fuel valve so I will give it a go tomorrow. It is my first winter ever on a boat and I can cope tonight with a book and my wood stove. have downloaded the Lister manual off the internet too so I will give it a read and learn all the terms too! My laptop has a big battery that I charge at work by the way.

Sorry Know it is not called a choke but it adds extra fuel it is near the air pipes in the photo near the brassy circular gubbins. The levers on top of the cylinders also have a really fancy name too I know but all I know is they allow me to start the engine on one cylinder which is useful when the battery is flat which I want to avoid. Will not even try to start the engine till tomorrow so I know you will give me as ever really wise advise. Thank you so much Heather x Engine has been recently serviced. Batteries charged yesterday evening fine, oil changed so all should be hunky dory with the boat. Have got some experience with petrol engines but yes the Lister is a new one to me it has to be said so yep inexperienced but not stupid I think is a fair thing to say which is why I aint touching it now!

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/dscf5038c.jpg/ take it this blue cap is where I need to carefully put the hot air, I have also been told that to flick the compression levers off then on when cranking is a good idea too. Sadly my next door boater has retired 2 weeks ago to dry land so I have no close by help but I am sure I will sort it out with your help!

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/dscf5036k.jpg/ that seems to be the photo link to the pipes I was thinking about! glad i asked really now So its the mushroom thing I need to look at I take it! Will have a go in the morning and let you know how I got on !

I have recently purchased my first boat and I am loving it. I came home tonight to the old problem I was warned about the fact that my old Lister engine does not like the cold and needs some heat adding to the air to allow it to start. Up until tonight I did not need to know how to do the old blow torch down the air intake method but of course now I do. I am assuming that the air intake is the two huge cardboard tubes which go into the engine and are held on with massive metal circular clips that you sometimes see on hoses. If I can fathom how to upload photos so I can show you I will do so. I have also been informed that if I hold open the choke mechanism I may not need to use the blow torch method again when I can upload the photos I can show you. Not going to touch it tonight so its a good book and the wood burner for company tonight but tomorrow day time I must see if I can get the engine started,it started fine yesterday after a little bit of coaxing! Don't want to flatten the battery cranking it with no real method being used. Any help would be wonderful thanks Heather

Dunner fret lad x

Thanks Bizzard will do x

Cheers again Mike it seems to be the right one I ordered so I will let you know how I get on with the repair. I will then be sending a few phone calls to a well known wharf!

Thank you have one ordered now, I really miss having a shower!

Thanks Mike, the gas did stay alight when the gas ring was on but now it only stays lit when holding in the pilot light button. As soon as it is released the light goes out. Prior to this week end I could draw off hot water but the pilot clicked off about 10 seconds after I had turned the hot tap off.. I had to take off the fridge from the system at the weekend which was in a separate pipe as the water pump located so conveniently under the fridge decided to leak!! Since then the gas pilot will not stay in even though gas is going to the appliance. i seem to have found a lpg gas engineer but any other numbers would be brilliant. I know that gas is something not to be tampered with which is why I got the system serviced!

The gas bottle is full so no problem there. Think it is a pressure related problem or the diaphragm needs replacing. I really need an expert to look at it though