Tracy D'arth

Where? UK? Europe?

If you cut up a used filter, 99 times out of 100 you will find not much in it other than oil. I would have no qualms using the smaller filters providing they are changed every oil change. Even then I reckon you could use them twice as I always do with the larger cans. Besides it probably filters better with a bit of sediment closing the paper pores. I always have a neodymium magnet on the can to trap steel dust. Perhaps it does nothing but it costs nothing either.

Always use cogged belts on alternators because of the small pulleys.

I never buy anything from a marina or chandlers unless I cannot find the item elsewhere. I do not begrudge them a profit but most prices are just cheeky and extortionate. I buy filters for popular engines in 10s from trade auto outlets like The Green Sparkplug Co in Middlewich where you get great service and sensible prices.

Big Lock in Middlewich is a classic for anything can happen. The hire boats first day out have a high old time at this lock.

Whilton's other site is Venetian Marine in Cheshire, same applies, you can view as many as you like. A lot depends on where you are based. Unfair Alan. Many do and have had good experiences of buying from them. Its only the bad ones that get talked about. I have bought from Whilton and have no complaints but it is alway buyer beware wherever you buy. I do not like the unanswered question of ownership that sometimes comes up with Whilton though.

Your sealed system has zero pressure. It would look to have a red expansion vessel and a tap for filling with a hose connected to the water supply from your pump adjacent to that gauge. The photo is a bit close to be sure.

BMC 1.8D sump oil capacity including filter was quoted as 8.24 pints which is 4.68 litres. I use 5 litre cans and save a little for topping up later. But there are 3 designs of sump with differing capacities. Unless you have a very odd or very damaged sump, you are not getting all the old oil out. Have you tried draining from the sump drain plug rather than pumping (presumably by sucking from the dipstick tube) which may not be emptying the sump? Your dipstick could be wrong or the tube in which it sits could be the wrong length, I have seen many that have been changed. How long is your dipstick from the full mark to the top of the tube when it is installed? Your Mann, Fram and Crosland numbers for the filter are correct. There are many equivalent filters.

That area of baseplate will be the best pickled bit of steel in the boat!

A scientific point, the floor will always be at around 4 degrees C or higher as will the water under the boat unless you are in ice as thick as your draught.

I too have found it not as good as it was, but then I do go back a long way when paints had some body in them and you could not clean brushes in water!

Which ever rivet puller you use, stick a thick foam pad around the head. You will be glad you did when it jumps and narrowly misses your paintwork/glass.

The current is not going to make much difference in your speed out and back, the canal is busy at that time of year.

Its a Supertap. The washer is on a jumper that is also the splash preventer vane. You replace the whole jumper assembly. Where you could buy one needs research. It comes apart by undoing the back nut above the handle which then unscrews off the stand pipe, releasing the jumper. I will see if I can find you spares. Try here https://www.taprefurbishment.co.uk/supataps-supa-taps/ Or ebay of course. Or here https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/repairing_a_supatap.htm

C&RT have told me that all mooring agreements are cancelled when a property changes hands. New owners have to apply.

From experience rivets are too hard to pull, they squash whatever seal is used and are too permanent. Ally ones will corrode away, steel will rust, stainless take massive power to pull. Tapping the holes for stainless round cap allen heads is the way to go.

With that design of vent in the rail you get massive condensation in the steel tube! Many of them rust away badly.

Where is the tank vent?

Almost certainly you do not own the canal bank. There is generally an access strip of 6' or so that C&RT have rights to, they will consign you a yearly lease so that you can use this land, no building allowed, but they always have access rights. Last I heard it was £150 pa with £100 admin fee for setting up. If you moor a boat there they will demand that you register and pay a fee of 50% of the local mooring rate, there is an admin fee too.

Faced with unstable cuttings, I cannot understand why the chanel is not dug out and large concrete pipes dropped in to form a tunnel. Tow path not required, one way working but a simple solution. Then the pipe could be covered and the land above sold for development. A perfectly serviceable tunnel was made in Stoke-on-Trent whilst the bypass was reconstructed and it worked well.

From your broken English I think you mean that you cannot message them. Report a post to the mods and they will sort it for you.

I have seen a few try it in locks, not very successfully.

Ah, corner cutting already! I do agree though, much easier with the engine out and its a thankless job scraping off bitumen. I have always painted mine but next time, if ever, it will be epoxy.

That is my suggestion in a previous post, easier to cut the fuel line before the mechanical pump and fit an electric one. I would ensure that the new one is still over the engine drip tray area just in case of leaks. I would not fasten it to the engine though, too much unnecessary vibration.

You say "A" battery isolator. Is that just one in the combined negative feed? If so I would recommend doing away with that one and fitting two new decent ones (not the horrid red plastic key ones) in the engine and cabin feeds so that you can isolate either or both. If you are fitting an inverter you will need a third one for that too.