Tony Brooks

Yes, but the OP has not identified his starter. I get the impression that later versions may have used a pre-engage starter, and those may use a smaller pinion to give a higher torque multiplication.

I get the impression that the vast majority of reservoirs feed the canals by gravity, so dredging below the designed depth would not make any difference, it would just take more water to fill the new lower level bed bit. If a reservoir has silted, then hopefully the spoil would be less likely to be contaminated (depending upon where the feeder comes from). That may make the spoil less expensive to deal with.

Not an answer to your question, I am afraid, but am interested in any answers. If this is an engine rebuild, remember to fit and tighten the manifold before torquing the head nuts. That allows the heads to twist slightly, if they need to, so the manifold flange and heads are perfectly aligned.

and not much about alternators that survived the BMS open circuiting them while charging, which I suspect nowadays might be the majority, but it is far better to be aware of what can happen and decide how to mitigate that if you think doing so is worth it, before doing anything or spending money.

Not "terribly different". The base engine will be the same, and the alternator drive system looks similar to what we expect here. FWIW, the rear engine feet over here are attached to the flywheel housing, so nothing different in that. The raw water pump looks very different as well.

No, I live and worked in the South, but a Google for alternator and starter repairs usually throws up a few options. I will repeat the question that seems not to have been answered. Exactly what is this "problem". Unless we know, as you may have fund, you will get all sorts of advice that may send you off on the wrong track. Please describe what this problem is, unless you just want another/overhauled starter. 4-108s are so old, I would not put too much trust in the Lucas number, because it is perfectly possible the body has been changed without erasing the part number. It might help to see a photo of the starter and the engine, although telling the difference between the 4-106, 4-107 and possibly the 4-99 could be difficult. Some Perkins of that age used an inertia starter rather than the normal pre-engage.

Thanks for that, so t is a Westerbeke marinistaion, they are a USA based company so have done things rather differently to the UK marinises, This means that it would be wise to ensure anyone you ask for help/parts knows this. Even Vetus just fit an intake silencer box on some of their marinisations, so I doubt the lack of an actual air filter will be noticeably detrimental to the engine life, especially as the belt dust should be soft and combustible. The typical BMC ones tend to be just wire mesh or open cell foam, so courser that a paper element type, but I believe some 1.8s were fitted with paper filters. I fear trying to convert yours is not really an option because it looks to me as if the intake system is incorporated in to that exhaust manifold rather than being a separate item. It also looks as if there is something very different about the flywheel housing and possibly the starter motor - I can't see any signs of the starter in its normal position, but can see what looks a bit like a modern geared starter attached to the back of flywheel housing, but there is much there I don't understand or can identify. Just take care, if anything in that area needs replacing, you may need to talk to a Westerbeke agent, because I doubt standard UK parts will fit. Thanks for the offer of the manual, and thanks for the extra photos. I am happy with what I have seen because they are far from common mairnisers of UK inland engines, and doubt one will crop up again for years.

My first panel was smaller than yours, and even if the 330Ah of batteries left partially discharged, the panel would gradually more or less fully recharge them over the winter. Even when I sparingly used them over a weekend when I was running a course it, and a 100W in parallel would recharge them over the next month. I don't think that you have anything to worry about unless you are living on it for a lot of time.

Have it your own way, but the OP does not have a Yanmar engine, does not have Yanmar engine mounts, does not have Cutless bearings, does not have a flexible stern glad. I think that you are comparing apples and avocados. If the bearings have no clearance, how come they do not expand and seize up as they warm in use (which is why you have to leave a degree of slack in car taper roller/angular contact wheel bearing when you adjust them cold). Car and truck wheel bearings are normally some kind of thrust bearing.