BEngo

It appears that your AC system is therefore unfused. The existence of the 'junction box' would indicate that 240 V goes to more than one place in the boat. If this is the case being unfused is is not a safe condition. You should fit a proper consumer unit with fuses or MCB's as soon as possible. I would want one fitted before I used the AC mains again. N

AFAIK the J and K water pump drives are similar but the K ones have a bigger throw, so pump more. (Maybe not for a K1 though). The J2, 3 and 4 each have a different water pump crank throw. The bearing cap has about a 1/4 in diameter cup about 1/2 in deep with an 1/8 in (ish) hole through to the bearing surface. Thw cup is filled with oil, so there is no real function for a wick, except to decrease the oil capacity of the cup, and there is no porous oil retaining pad on the bearing side which might hold and distribute lubricant. On that basis (and the absence of anything in the parts book) I believe that it's meant to be an open cup. N

No. Not even a cork. N

I would think a bearing change might take 30-40 minutes, assuming you have the necessary tube spanner and bearing ( two halves) in hand. N PS Don't stop the engine just squirt the oil into the bearing cap as it goes round. If you miss a little, it will not matter since the cranl will throw it around anyway!

I assume you have a cast iron governor. Thle overflow pipe controls the fuel level in the governor. There is no seal on the governor piston rod so fuel leakage here is common especially when the piston is being pushed aft to reduce speed. Is there a fuel connection between the day tank and the governor? If so I expect has a valve which needs to be closed except when filling the governor. If not how is fuel getting into the governor except from the injector drains ?(these only give fuel when running and the drains are open.) N

That is just like mine. It has been like that for 26 years and is still fine. Give it an extra squirt after 8 hours if doing long d ays but otherwise "doan worry, be happy". The speed and loading are so low that the bearing doesn't need much lubrication . If excessive play develops I think Dick Goble may have some new white metal bearings. N

Try P&S Marine at Cassio Bridge. N

Surely not. This seems more like a job for the postilion.

Tankard was usually the local brewery's ordinary bitter, in keg form. Except for Brickwoods which was so bad not even Whitnread could sell it as keg beer. in proper form it was better than Tollemache & Cobbold but not by much N

I use Simoniz. Others use Craftmaster, though from its appearance that may be a wax polish rather than just a wax. Turtle Wax, Autoglym resin are polishes. The other product worth looking at is a glaze- a sort of liquid "wax". Farecla do one and Turtle Wax do one which both work well on my cars when/if ICBA- about once every five years! ISTRI did Jarrah once, some years back but it was a long job. I have not tried Slick 50 or similar products. N

Excessive gassing is bad for the plates. The formation of the bubbles and their release to float to the surface tend to disturb the paste in the plates so it falls out. Eventually the build up shorts out a cell. N ETA Arthur types faster than me.

It was all set out in the outcome of the Marsworth Moorings "consultation" debacle. As Loddon says, this is just back to the status prevailing some years ago. There used to be a no mooring but fishing permitted stretch from the bridge to about the junction signpost but the rest of the bank on both sides below Maffers bottom lock was a No Fishing zone, with casual and allocated mooring spaces. All this was established yonks ago by (IIRC) Caroline Clark as the local waterway manager after much argy bargy about bait all over moored boats. N

Degrease thoroughly, treat with Deoxidine 624 then prime with a good chromate primer then paint as normal Not sure where you will easily get small quants of Deoxidine though. N ETA Frost automotive sell aliclean which will do almost as well as deoxidine. N

They come in various capacities in much the same envelope. Get the biggest one you can, especially if you may need to occasionally tackle a duvet cover. N

Often they are not, or only separated by a dwarf bulkhead. Even when the engine is separated the stern down trim change caused by an engine space full of watter can be enough to drag other holes below water level, flooding the rest of the boat. There have been a number of sinkings caused by unreplaced or badly replaced weed hatch covers. N

Close the chuck up completely with no drill in it. Check that all 3 jaws project from the body by the same amount and that there are no gaps between the jaws (there may be a small gap in the centre but the sides of the jaws should touch each other. If the jaws aren't right it is a new chuck job, probsbly. Some can be dismantled- Google is your friend for details and vids. N

Check the battery voltage at the unit, whilst trying to start. If that is OK then look at the glow plug which is probably well carboned up. If that doesnt work you will need to decoke the whole thing. Once lit it always pays to ensure these things run for at least an hour at full output. This burns off the starting carbon and so reduces or prevents coking up. They are all temperamental, especially if the installation is not perfect- they are often called 'neverspacher' for good cause. N

See completed post below N

Once upon a time the BSS was prescriptive. There were then several failures at 501 mm (or very close to) spacing for good reason- often where a clip positioned to support a joint was just over 500 mm from another joint supporting clip. No real benefit from a third clip, but a failure nonetheless. Hence the new spacing words and the non-movement check. N

Ironically, dissimilar metals are less likely to sieze. N

I only put the battery into mine when I want to use it. I much prefer the 'mechanical' one, if only I could see well enough to read it! N

Yes, but only if you are then going to black it. Otherwise ignorance is bliss. N

Cannot beat a good Gunter Batten! N

You have clearly never been in a damage control trainer! The amount of water that comes through even a small hole is amazing. I can well believe that a Nb with a 30-50 mm hole at the back would sink by the stern in a perceived couple of minutes. N

At full current no. At low currents maybe. Welders tend to be very inductive so the start up surge is high and complicated. I would expect that while 13 A from the National Grid will start the welder you will need at least a 5 kVA genset with a conventional non-inverter drive. Even then the MIG electroniics may not like the waveform from the genny. N