phil5

Unfortunately I can't upload photos at the moment. The pressure regulator is connected to the oil system. If it was faulty I'm guessing it could allow the oil pressure tobe too high, thereby forcing oil where it wouldn't normally go ?!!

Thanks for all the replies so far .......... some interesting thoughts & things to look at One other thing that I have wondered about ............ down on the block, according to the manual, there is a pressure regulator - could that possibly be faulty, causing to high a pressure to be built up in the crankcase ? I'd guess there's no way of checking it & a replacement would be the way to go. Thanks miq ............. obviously I didn't want to hear that !! Lol ! So if your catch can was filling up, did it stop any flow into the air filter housing ? My catch can remains empty, but oil's still finding it's way into the AFH. My main concern with this problem is diesel run-on .......... where the oil starts to fuel the engine and it 'runs-away' with itself leading to eventual destruction. And apparently there's no way of stopping it ! Otherwise, the engine runs fine with plenty of power & not smokey.

Hi all ............ looking for help/suggestions/past experiences regarding my Lombardini LDW 903 engine The problem I have is oil getting into the air filter box. I've cleaned the breathers which are part of the rocker box & diverted the flow into an oil catch can. Nothing appears to be going into the can, but oil is still appearing in the air filter box. The only other way I can see for oil to get in there, is by getting by the piston rings, into the combustion chamber, then through the inlet valves. I can't see that this is happening as it would surely result in rough running and a smokey exhaust, neither of which I have. Any help out there ?

Hello I'm struggling with the mobile phone signal on my boat ............ line breaking up, calls dropping out or not getting through etc etc ......... probably familiar problems to some ! I'm on an iPhone 5 with EE - not sure that should be a factor as I have little problem when I'm travelling round the country. Somebody told me today about mobile phone signal boosters. Does anybody here have any experience or knowledge or any recommendations of these ? And ........ do they actually work ?

I'm at Sawley and I've already alerted the office to this possibility. They do have regular walk-round checks of all the moorings. I and other moorers are aware of the stolen boat and are keeping an eye out as we walk round. Friends running the hire fleet and trip boats who are frequently on the front are also watching passing boats.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/pictures/Nottingham-Canal-Festival-pictures/pictures-27962433-detail/pictures.html#1

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4111115.htm I bought this a few weeks ago & I'm very happy with it. Only used a low setting so far & it heats the boat up really quickly. Also oil-free, so no chance of leaks !

Thanks Ken & Bunny

Hi ....................... I have a cruiser stern which came with a useable pram roof section & half a dodger ! Does anyone know of someone who could supply me with a frame, side covers & the other half of the dodger ? Or who does repairs/adaptations ? Most of the big names want to supply & fit the whole lot & aren't interested in this ! Thanks in advance

I have a drum kit on my boat ! It's an electronic Roland & it does take up a bit of room on my already 'tight' 40 footer, but I wasn't prepared to give it up when I moved aboard ! It's great for practice and I regularly go to the local rehearsal rooms for my time on an acoustic. I'd guess you'd find a studio somewhere that would hire you a rehearsal room with a piano should you miss it !

So sad. Condolences to Andy & the family. Rip Elaine.

I moved here at the beginning of October, so just done 6 months ! It is a very nice environment - very friendly & the facilities very clean & well-maintained. Surely at £3k that's only £250 a month so under your £280 !

Yes I remember that well ! I moved aboard at the beginning of October - it was a quick decision & one I'm so glad I made ! I absolutely love it & it's so sociable I was forever checking the bilges at first - especially as we were having such wet, windy, stormy weather - and I didn't have a bilge pump either (have now !) The biggest challenge I've faced (& still face) is the lack of space .............. I'm still getting rid of stuff, but it makes you realise just how much of the rubbish you have that you really don't need - or ever use !! Very liberating I find ! Another good tip is to accept that you actually live on a boat .............. it can be pretty refined & comfortable & house-like ............. just remember that it is a boat !

Hi tj ................ you won't be in any danger of your boat floating off down the river if you're in Sawley Marina. It's on a navigational cut of the Trent which is also flood protected. It did flood last winter but not this ! I'm trying to learn a few knots too but there's always someone around here who'll happily help you tie up or give advice. Look forward to meeting you when you arrive - I'm sure you'll like it here - it's nice

Thanks for proving I wasn't just imagining hearing what Prunella said there !!

Good job Tony ! Definitely worth mentioning what you saw

I did exactly the same thing Spuds - tipped the still-hot ash into the empty scuttle 'cos it wasn't a nice night out there ............thankyou CO alarm !!

I went for these smoke/CO alarms when I got my boat a few months ago. Good price, a name I know (Kidde) & easy to take back should you have any problems with them. http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml?cmpid=ahc-_-ghs-sna1-_-asdacom-dsk-_-hp#/search/kidde Sorry to hear such sad news. Rip man & dog Another possible way to test your CO alarm - I found this out due to my stupidity !! Wave it over the container you're using to empty the hot ashes - probably best done outdoors.

I won't rise to it !!

I think water is supposed to run naturally to the stern but I understand that sometimes the holes it runs through in the floor bearers can get blocked - by moved ballast or maybe rust flakes etc. Also, from what I've read & heard, the bilge round the engine, in the stern, is often separated from the cabin bilges by a bulkhead, so people generally recommend at least one inspection hatch on the cabin-side of this bulkhead. As for the engine bay bilge, my boat's had around an inch of water in there for the 3 months I've owned it. I know it had a slight drip from the stern gland from the survey - I'm guessing the rest is rainwater ! I'm having a bilge pump fitted shortly but I wouldn't worry Hilary, a lot of pumps won't suck water out below a certain point - ie : they won't make the bilge totally dry. If your pump is able to be operated manually as well as automatically, it's probably be worth just flicking the switch to test it's working ok ! Thanks for the tips Neil

Thanks for the feedback Dave ................ looks a good contender !!

Thanks Richard - I'll look out for that book ! My bilge depth appears to be only 90/100mm. There's a small rough hole near the engine/cabin bulkhead as you suggested there might be & 1 near the shower which is a square hole. It's hard to see the base-plate from this one as a paving slab obscures most of it, but I can see enough to know there's no water in either !! Thanks again

And, the amount of calories you may lose operating a lock, will also depend on the size of the pork pie you're eating whilst performing the task ! Will you be changing your CWDF name when you've lost the calories ?

I was reading a very interesting topic in this section of the forum about water in the cabin bilge. Not being very knowledgeable about this subject - or about boats in general - I learnt quite a lot. But some of the comments, suggestions & terms by folk with prior knowledge passed me by. I've been searching around for a website or book that explains the deepest workings of a narrowboat, with clear, uncomplicated drawings or pictures that maybe have the names of the various boat parts. Something like an 'Idiots Guide' assuming no prior knowledge. Eg: 'This is how the Bilge works' (or should work !!) Anybody have any suggestions ? I also have several questions that I'd like to get answers to. Namely : How deep is the cabin bilge generally ? Mine only appears to be a couple of inches. How many inspection hatches would it be sensible to have & how would you go about cutting/opening/closing them - which leads to the question ........... how do you locate where the floor bearers are so you can avoid them - without having to rip up your existing flooring ?

Hi Bettie - just wondered if there's any feedback on the books you got for your hubby ? I've been looking around for a good book that describes & shows pics of the hidden bits of a narrowboat, it's construction etc & wondered if your pressies proved to be good 'uns !!