rgriffiths

I have a leaky drain plug issue, the same as this problem here: https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/44259-perkins-mc42-water-drain-tap/ Mine has sheared off when I tried to remove it. I have chipped away at the old one and the centre of it has come away easily, but it has left the outer threaded part still in the block, very difficult shift. I have tried various tools such as a scribe to pick at the metal but not really getting anywhere. Any tips, or is it just a case of more chipping away? I have considered getting a tap but I am not sure of the thread size. Any thoughts? Perkins replacement part number: 198736120 DRAIN TAP

Yes, inspected the rocker arms and all look fine. It certainly sounds like it is coming from this area. The head was taken off and fully checked over by specialists (pressure test, valves etc) but it's possible they may have missed something with the rocker arms. Will do some more investigation along with Alan's long screwdriver stethoscope idea. I have stood on it and no change.

Thanks all. Yes - that's the one. Tick, tick, tick, tick..... Definitely sounds like it is top end, and is not a mount. When I got the injectors checked, I was told there was signs of water in one of them. They said I might need to get the pump checked. Could water in a fuel pump make such a noise?

I have a Beta marine engine 1998, the Kabota 1505 type. Runs fine but I have this tapping/knocking noise that I can't diagnose. http://sndup.net/d2tb I have had the head off, injectors checked, tappets set to 0.010 inch. All fine. I can hear the tap as the engine turns over too, before it fires up. Before I go down the route of pulling the whole thing out and stripping, or possibly replacing it., I wondered if anyone here might have some bright ideas.

For anyone interested this is what happened : Got it out, welded up and good as new I hope. Found the drive plate was broken too so changed it at the same time. Thanks for all the help and advice.

That's kind of you. We are in London though. Just out of interest does anyone know what the material is most likely to be? It looks like aluminium but might it be cast iron?

Thanks all. Sadly the one on ebay is not the same and I am not sure will fit. I will have a trawl around to see if I can find one. Failing that I think a weld plus extra strengthening as you suggest Tony.

Again thanks. I was about to ask the same question ... where from? While I suspect it must be, does it have to be like for like or are there alternatives that might work? I can't seem to find anything on the net that looks like it.

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering if that was the only way. I suspect it has been broken for a while and can only speculate why it broke. I was thinking whether it would be better to try and get a replacement bellhousing?

I have a BMC engine with a broken mount. Any thoughts on a way forward?

Just a quick update, along with thanks for all the tips. It turned out that a combination of putting in a thermostat (I didn't realise it was missing), a glowplug not fully tightened, a couple bolts holding down the throtle cable in place loose causing the high revs on idle. etc etc. All these little things sorted and the engine runs much better with no misfiring. So a bit of a false alarm but all advice above very useful for the future - thank you.

Sorry - I was meaning the mesh filters in the lifter and fuel pump as suggested by the injector company I contacted.

Thanks for the thoughts. Will check the tappets and do a compression test tomorrow. Can you confirm that these mesh filters are worth taking a look at?

I have a BMC 1.5 that has always been very reliable. However a few months ago it started to occasionally misfire on idle and with each misfire a small puff of smoke (more white than any other colour) was seen at the exhaust. All fine under load. All filters are new and oil changed etc. Next I took out the injectors to be checked. They were in poor shape had them all reconditioned. The engine continues to run fine under load but still get an occasional misfire on idle (every 2 or 3 seconds, but not regular) and the smoke now is definitely bluer. The other change is that it is running much faster now in idle than it did before the injectors were reconditioned. A local diesel injector company have suggested that I do two things: 1 - remove the top from the lifter pump and clean a mesh filter underneath 2 - remove the backplate on the fuel pump (where the inlet pipe joins the pump), and clean another mesh filter in there. Any other tips before I start working my way through the fuel system? On a seperate note (but possibly contributing to the issue) the air filter is one of these (foam filter inside). Is this standard? I have never been convinced it is what was meant to be on this engine.

Absolutely right - white smoke. And that is exactly what one of the mechanics said at the marina when he had a look at me trying to start it, although he claimed he didn't really know that much about engines. Only 40 years experience fixing them!! A 'bark' ... I will have a good listen. Thanks again

Success! A little trial and error but ended up adjusting the timing by removing 4 of the 5 shims such that the timing went from a touch above TDC to around 18 below. And then ..... it started first time without any problems whatsoever. The sound of the engine was a little different from before. It isn't knocking as such so I think the timing is good but is throatier than before - hopefully back to as it should be. The main thing is that the timing was clearly the issue and I can review the timing again after I have cruised it for a while. It is out of the water at the moment and so can't test it under load but back in tomorrow and fingers crossed continues to work well. As ever, thanks for all the advice. Invaluable.

This is from the manual. I can't see the timing marks as they are hidden by the bell housing which can't be removed and there is no inspection hole. Having reread these instructions I will give it another go tomorrow as they make better sense to me now.

Yes - but my methods for coming to this conclusion are pretty hit and miss don't you think? I was really asking for tips to check the injection timing to confirm that it might be too far advanced.

I have a voltmeter and will check it with all four. The jump lead is a good tip and will try that too. Thanks.

Thanks Tony. I hadn't considered the size of cable and you are right it is a thin cable. The actual voltage I have not checked but removed a plug and clamped it to engine and glowed red hot on the turn of the key. I could upgrade the cable to see if that improves things. Certainly won't do any harm and did think it took a while (about 15 seconds) for them to get up to heat.

Clear - all good. Quite white and puffy when turing over getting it to start.

Some time ago I posted this question regarding a cracked injector pump. A few months on and I am still having trouble with this engine. Once started it runs well, but it is very reluctant to start. I have to turn it over for many times before I get any kind of bite, and this is with jumpers onto another boat. Clearly this is not a solution but I wondering what to do next to solve this one .... This is what I have done so far: New injector pump. The old one had two shims for timing and I used these when installing the new pump. Had the head checked. A couple of valves reseated and skimmed. Compression is around 400psi in each cylinder. According to Beta would be 435 to 460 when new, but should run on 325 or higher. Injectors rebuilt. New glow plugs. Tested in situ and glow red when key is turned so seem OK. New diesel, filters, oil etc. The diesel looks fine, no water in the seperator. I have not polished the fuel and one suggestion is to try running from a can of new diesel. I have not tried this yet. It is currently out of the water in a marina. A couple of the guys there have had a look, watched it try to start etc and said that I should consider the injection pump timing. I haven't done this before but have read the manual and done a bit of digging. The timing marks are on the flywheel which can't be reached due to the bell housing but I have a reasonably accurate measure using a screwdriver through injector 1 a cable tie and a mark on the pulley. Turning by hand it seems that diesel is delivered from injector 1 about 10 degrees after TDC. As an experiment I also took a video thinking I might be able to watch frame by frame. It is not very clear but this is what I can gather from it. The little red mark is 0 degrees against the white cable tie (crude I know). So I am asking for anyone's thoughts. Does this look like it could be the problem? If so would removing the two shims deliver the diesel earlier and possibly improve the starting? A bit hit and miss I know but is it worth a go? Any tips gratefully received.

Just in case anyone is interested ..... I took the injectors to be checked and one was totally seized up. No matter how much pressure the guy put into it nothing came through. His diagnosis was that in cranking the engine the pressure built up behind this injector which ultimately caused the pump to crack.

Yes. Was running for about 10 mins. Thinking all was fine I packed up to leave and then it started spluttering and cut out. It didn't start again and after hours of checking/testing injectors, the lifter pump etc finally decided to remove the injector pump .... to find the crack. Must be new but confused as to why it might suddenly happen.

My first thought was that water might have got in and this may have frozen/caused it but at all times only red diesel seemed to be coming through. Plus the tank was polished last July. Two of the screws are out (not sure if you can see on pic 2) and slightly concerned where they ended up.