moiuk

This is a good shout. When the issue started I checked the prop and there was a length of wire wrapped around it. Not enough to cause the issue so only dismissed it . But. Perhaps a piece has got caught in a gap that I missed... I will check that and let you know. Didn't go far tonight as wanted to enjoy a BBQ, so will have to wait for updates on the things I need to check 🙂

I try and change the engine oil every 2 months when moving. It's an old engine, and seems so happier after fresh oil..

I have a temperature sensor, so I will check temperatures around bearing/gearbox/stern gland next time it happens..

I will (carefully) check if I can move it by hand next time. Giving prm a call for their thoughts is a good idea 🙂 No significant smoke from the exhaust (some when initially starting). Revs up ok when in neutral.

My mistake. Yes I used 15/40 mineral. Yes have tried it with the fuel filler off (no difference) Have not yet tried it with the air cleaner off to see how it looks. Can this be when I first start the engine, or when the problem shows itself? Have not yet felt the stern gland when it happens, will do that tonight when I move. I'm not sure what the gearbox oil cooler would look like. With Google it to see if I can figure that out. I will check how hot the gearbox is next time it happens as well The engine definitely has a slow down, so it's not just slipping. The engine speed (revs and how it sounds) seems to match the shaft speed. The delay is between applying throttle and the engine speed responding. When in neutral it responds immediately. I think a video will work better than me using words. Will take a video tonight of it when I first get going and if I go far enough for the problem to occur what it is like when I loose thrust. One other thing I remember is that as I am on the Thames there has been an hour of running it hard, and then the problem shows itself fully when I stop for a lock. It does offer some slowdown before, but when I stop and then try and put it into forward gear again it struggles to even move forward in tick over. The issue is much worse. Gearbox cooler. Pipes from the gearbox are connected to the engine cooling pipes (attached to the skin tank).

It's not any more noisy than normal. It's hot to the touch when I replaced the oil (after resting for an hour). Correct. I get more thrust in reverse, but this action makes no difference to it struggling to go forward. I'll try and grab a video of it later this evening which might make it easier to understand what I am saying. One thing I have noticed about this engine/gearbox is that when I increase the throttle there is a delay as this is applied to the forward motion (in normal use). Maybe this is the hydraulic gearbox?? But it's like it builds up to my throttle request as it applies that to forward thrust. Difficult to describe..

Should I have refilled this gearbox with ATF then? I was told by the previous owner to use the same engine oil (10/40 mineral). I will check the blade again.. consistently happening after an hour or so travelling and then all is clear and working again after an hour or so rest (without me clearing the blade).

The stern gland has a remote greaser, and the bearing which is seperate as a nipple for greasing. It's oil that I haven't cleaned out yet. Been there since I bought the boat, presumably from changing the oil filter. The engine does burn through a bit of oil but not enough for me to consider it leaking as well. When the issue occurs it struggles to turn the shaft almost to the point of feeling like it's going to stall. And yet reverse can be working. Does this sound like what could happen with this gearbox? Oil has been replaced and yet it's still happening. What's ATF ? As I said it's just like there is something wrapped around the prop.. maybe loosing power is an unhelpful term, as it looses forward thrust.. in neutral there is plenty of revs, in forward gear it can feel like it's going to stall.. After an hour's rest, everything is back to normal.

I used grease (pumped in through the nipple)

Gearbox oil now changed. Not sure if it's hydraulic. Issue still occuring. Fuel value opened now as well. I have also reoiled the nipple for the prop bearing. (Photo attached)

When it does the slow down, it feels exactly as if something is wrapped around the prop (and yet the prop is clear). It feels like the engine is struggling to turn the prop shaft. In neutral, the engine goes to full revs just as normal. Also strange that reverse seems to lock in ok most of the time (but not always). I will check the fuel, air cleaner and the thermostart..

I will check this. Stern gland has been leaking more that usual recently. Pretty sure the fuel is ok, but not so sure about the air intake. The air inlet is hot to touch. But I don't know if this is normal?

It's not the speed controller. I can adjust that down and up normally. The temperature gauge shows normal and oil pressure shows normal. Prop is clear. I can get more power if I switch it into reverse temporarly. But essentially I have to switch off and wait for everything to cool and then it all works at full power again. Exhaust is normal. Not overly black or smoky. It seems to be some form of overheating. Oil change made no difference. The air inlet is one with an oil reservoir instead of regular filter, I had issues with that recently but can't see how that would affect anything. I will next check the oil level in the gearbox to see if that is low.

It's due an oil change, so I will do that today. 57 foot narrowboat.

Hi, My Perkins 4108 engine has been acting strangely after it has been running for a while. The power seems to drop off. On the Thames at the moment so getting some good long runs, but after running for a while the power will drop so my revs drop and speed decreases. any ideas or suggestions of what could be causing it? thanks.

It seems to work just fine, but isn't powerful enough to pull the lever. I will need to take it off to install the stop cable, and once it is off will take a closer look to see what the issue is.

Will do. Thanks for the tip.

Answered my own question by researching what a decompression level does. Will find a way to attach it to the fuel shut off level. Many thanks Haha. This is a picture of the same engine which is cleaner to be able to see things. My engine is in a much worse state, mostly because of the bilge flooding before I got it (and mixing the oil bilge with the engine bilge, as well as a significant diesel leak also filling the bilge). Lots of work to be done. This is my engine bay at the moment (in the condition when we bought it.)

Will it damage anything if I use this method for a while whilst I fix the solenoid?

It's a Nanni 2.60 Kc

To be clear, when you say the former you mean the fuel shut off? Both seem to work, so I'm not sure what the purpose of the cylinder head lever is for if not to offer an alternative way of shutting down the engine? The cylinder head lever is in a much better location for the stop cable.

I didn't have the answers or details before now as we just bought the boat. Now I know more 🙂. It's a 32 foot, 1992 midway boat with a Nanni 2.60 KC engine. The issue I was having previously was just to get an engineer to help service the boat and get the engine running. The engineer in Scarisbrick marina eventually did the service for us, but left us with a leaking diesel fuel line. A project boat, but will be lovely when all back to good condition.

Hello friends, My solenoid for the fuel shut off is faulty and so I am doing a short term fix with a stop cable. My engine also has a lever attached to the cylinder head which also stops the engine. Am I ok to attach the stop cable to the cylinder head lever or does it need to reach over to the fuel shut off lever? Help much appreciated Adrian

The engine on a boat I just bought needs a health check and service. Will currently start, but stops itself after 15 minutes running.

Does anyone have a list of marine engineers in the Wigan / West Manchester area they could share? Recommendations very welcome.