RobinJ

Not sure if these tanks would be available as a replacement part? They are plastic, so difficult to repair if split, but is the leak from a fitting, or the tank itself? Could you for example, replace a fitting that is leaking using a tank connector? Have you a scrap yard handy you could obtain a automotive type header tnak that would do the job?

With a cold engine this may not be a good sign? Have you checked the tightness of the injector clamps and heater plugs, sometimes in cold weather they can 'shrink' loose! Would not have thought it would be enough to lower compression though?

Gearbox can be removed and replaced fairly easily if its a straight swap (hour maybe with drive flange/cooler piping and no complications!) If the bellhousing has to be removed (more difficult with semi hard mounting), then could get involved, may be easier to take out whole unit and reinstall after changing gearbox? Same is true if drive plate needs changing, depends on whether bellhousing needs removing or gearbox is bolted onto plate on rear of bellhousing (with access to drive plate). Look at rear of bellhousing, does it have a lot of bolts around the outer edge or is the edge nearest the gearbox smooth and just bolts to engine?

Think the 260 may be a direct replacement for the old one, even possibly with the drive splines? Danger of changing for a different one would be height/position of output shaft and modification to mountings etc. Need to check the orginal specs for old gearbox if still available, or take measurements and compare them to the specs for 260. Nice if your drive plate has a number on it, as this will tell you the input shaft fitted! Some of the bellhousings are designed to take other boxes, others not, so you might find you need a new bellhousing too with a different gearbiox.

Good point Tony. The picture seems to indicate this is an older engine and injector pump so unlikely to have one, but I have come across 1.8's with these solenoids having problems bleeding and starting. I don't know of a way of bypassing them to prove they are faulty!

The piece you have identified is a non-return valve, this indicates that the injector pump you have relies on back pressure to control bleed off to the return, the fitting fixed to the pump allows this return to the filter, but not to suck fuel back the wrong way. If you put your finger over the fitting (from the pump) yes you should get some pressure build up. If you put your finger over the opening in the filter housing, there should not be any significant build up, but you could get pressure from the lift pump! I notice that the supply (from the lift pump) comes in at bottom left in the picture and the flow and return to the injector pump is on the right, injector return pipe at the top, is the copper pipe next to this connected too? I ask this as I would expect a return pipe from the filter to the tank, if it hasn't got one, then that would explain pressure build up in the filter.

It does seem to vary? 1.8's are generally more awkward than 1.5's, but if the fuel is a bit off, or its cold, or theres one of those dodgy air leaks, its easy to flatten the battery. Have to admit, never had a prblem changing the filters though! Usually its when the engine conks, going into a lock, in the middle of a river or tunnel ...

Tony's idea is a short cut to flush out air that the pump won't pump through, however, putting the pipe into the bucket risks draining fuel from the feed pipe while you reconnected everything. Appreciate the pipes are not that long, but keeping the bucket above the fuel filter might help?

Turning the engine over has probably sucked some air into the injector pump, the 1.8 is more sensitive than the 1.5 (I think it uses slightly more volume and possibly because its higher up?). The bleed valves on the 1.8 are similar, but difficult to get at, the one in the middle at the side should get rid of most of it, but you will still have to crack the injector feed pipes too! Also check that you have a good seal on the filter, if its wet after pumping the priming lever, it may suck some air when turning the engine over!

Firstly, you don't say which BMC, but I'll assume 1.5. There was no real need to crack the 'plug' on the fuel filter, but right idea. You don't say whether the injector pipe was the return pipe (on top) or the delivery pipe (on the side). Cracking the return pipes, does exactly the same as the plug on the filter, and you only need to do the one farthest away (No.4 counting from back). On the 1.5, the injector pump is just below the filter and there are 3 bleed valves on the inlet, body and outlet, which if necessary need to be bled in turn. Finally the air need to be bled from each of the injector delivery pipes. All this has to be done while turning the engine over, so you'll need plenty of starter battery!

Pretty obvious whoever sited the flue picked the spot where there is a rib! This will make the roof slightly weak, but as its already been cut, you may as well clean up the ends so the sleeve fits! Will a small grinder fit through the hole?

Thanks the point, as we don't know how discharged they are? If we have only a 40A alternator and 2 100Ah flat batteries, it could take a few hours for that voltage to come up, even if only partly discharged you could be looking at a fair while? (Admittedly mine only seems to take about 15 mins, but sometimes after a heavy night, mine fires up with the meter reading below 12V)

Common especially on GRP cruisers! Yes, you could fit either a dplit charge relay, or dual alternator set up to charge both banks. Advantage of present system, engine can be started form either battery bank, can charge banks together or independantly. Disadvantage, have to remember to alter switch!

You have to be clear what is permitted for existing boats (service/replacement) and new boats and whetehr we are talking proivately owned or hire boats. The BSS web site has details on the code. New boats need to comply with RCD too, and these conditions may differ from BSS. Not all boats need to comply with BSS, especiually sea going vessels, so I am not surprised a chandlery will be supplying equipment that may not be suitable for inland waters. Oh where is my crystal ball!

Do you know how old it is, does it have a number? There were at least three versions made, the early ones tended not to last, were held on with small brackets, later versions had a fibregalss plinth held on with bolts, eventually these were replaced with an incorporated plinth and clamp bolts. They were made in four pieces which folded inwards, you should be able to source the aluminium extrusion, but ideally need someone who has an original pattern of the same style to measure!

A long time ago, we used to calculate the size of radiator required in a room, based on volume and conductivity of the walls (or windows). The radiators then were measured in BTU, but they tend to use KW now, so the principle will be the same for a boat. Its not so much the number of radiators but there heat capacity and what heat can be supplied to them, so you need to calculate how much heat is required to heat the boat, what heat the radiators can provide and then match that to the capacity of heating unit!

Yes, I think the 'strong mix' is the key. I topped up my towel radiator with neat antifreeze, thinking it would mix, but the antifreeze sank to the bottom and stopped the radiator getting hot at all! It also seems to depend on the type of antifreeze too, and I think thats because some mix more easily! Many circulating pumps are also impellor types that don't necessarily develop a great deal of pressure to stir up the system, so if you do have a mechanism (system bypass) to control the flow, than thats the answer, control each section in turn until its fully circulating.

My mother had a system of collecting water on windowcills with that dehydrating stuff! Always a good idea, until you realise that removing water to stop condensation (as with most systems) leaves a void, and the water is replaced by more to condense, thereby ending up with a lot of water. I find that provided you have no leaks and a decent solid fuel heat source, the boat does get quite dry, so the only condensation you end up with is from the air rattling through the vents!

I have fitted radiators with plasterboard toggles, the brackets themselves act as a sort of batten, but I think on a boat I would want to be a little more sure! Can you find where the battens are? How easy is it to remove the panel (do you need to do so for plumbing)? I think I would consider at least a horizontal reinforcement!

Yes (third time!). It would make no sense if my clock stopped every time I left the boat (electric)! A simple fused supply direct from the battery (actually 2 in my case, 1st for the clock, 2nd for bilge pump) fused as close as possible to the source (handy if the iosolators are mounted on a board close to the battery).

Appears to be a combi? Natural gas only! Balanced flue model doesn't need mains?

Something you cannot eliminate! Even with plastic piping and a fire 24/7, it only needs a catalyst to cause an amazing freezing event, in my case the bathroom tap sat underneath the vent! Strangely, my pump area under the step is well insulated and rarely freezes, but the area where the piping comes through into the cabin is obviously a weak spot! I find -5 is ok, but as soon as it gets down to -10, its time to give up.

Didn't play trains when you were young then!

The mushrooms should be screwed or bolted on. if you have to drill them off, make sure you have suitable replacements (check this beforehand by finding a screw/bolt you can remove). There are plenty of brush, disc and paint cleaning attachments for drills, I would use some sort of disc and a wire brush for the nooks and crannies! Apply some sort of rust remover/cleaner/converter and clean up afterwards. Then a good metal primer, followed by undercoat (thats 4 warm days!) For the top coat there are a number of possibilities; Repaint the whole roof (only sensible if it needs it); Simply paint round the vents (this can be doen as a square or circle of a different colour); If you have the original paint, use that and blend into the original (more time consuming!)

There should be a filter on the feed side of the pump, if not, it is possible that something has got into the pumps valves/seals interfering with its operation. The main filter is usually on the delivery side of the pump, with a rusty tank this could clog up quickly, soits worth checking. A failed accumulator (punctured diaphrapm) could cause pump delay, but you would have to check the pressure with the system empty to make sure it was ok. Failing all that, it leaves some short of blockage in the pipework, the only other thing that is worth checking (if this is on the hot side) would be the non return valve?