slyworme

http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Canal-boat-stuck-lock-Kennet-Avon-Canal-Widcombe/story-23949092-detail/story.html#comments For the 2nd time this year, the last one in March, was the next lock up the flight. Went past it not long after it happened to see 2 CRT bods deploying anti-spill mats and booms, and 2 from the hire company standing around looking bored. I know hind-sight is a wonderful thing and no doubt Health and Safety would have something to say about it, but it seemed an ideal time to remove the 200 liters of diesel that had just been put into it while the lock was empty. Now that it is totally submerged due to the lock filling over night, they have 200 liters of diesel and 72000 gallons of contaminated lock water to deal with. They could have also tried to re-float it at the same time...I'm sure there would have been enough buoyancy provided by all the empty beer cans floating around the boat! Yesterday afternoon... This morning...

Finally found the problem - the engine timing was out. I advanced the injector pump about 3 - 4 degrees and the smoke magically disappeared and it is running quite sweetly. Now for the latest question...A number of people, include a diesel engineer and someone who service injection systems for a living, say that I should leave it as it is but I can't help thinking that if the pump timing was out (I'm assuming due to chain tension being wrong) then won't the valve timing be out as well?

Whereabouts are you moored. If it is anywhere near Trowbridge on the K&A I can recommend a number of good people if you require assistance.

Latest update... 1. Compression check carried out - a touch over 200 PSI on each cylinder. 2. Dummy fuel tank used to break the fuel system in two. Fuel from a separate container was fed directly to the pump, therefore cutting out the stop cock, water trap, lift pump, filter and associated piping. Smoke and uneven running is still apparent so the fault must be in the HP/engine side of things. 3. Took the timing cover off today and, at first inspection, everything appears to be OK. I didn't have a short enough metal straight-edge to definitively check the timing marks on the crankshaft and camshaft lined up but using the straight edge of a piece of cardboard I couldn't see any misalignment. I will check with a ruler tomorrow. 4. While using the dummy tank, I broke the HP feed to each injector again. 1, 3 & 4 made the engine run even more roughly, 2 seemed to make the smoke reduce and there was no change in the running of the engine. Ah-ha! Swapped over injectors between 1 and 2 and ... no change. This time 1, 2 3 & 4 made the engine run rougher with the same amount of smoke. I'm not sure what could have caused those symptoms I can't reproduce them.

The engine has, as far as I am aware, only done just under 1500 hours so I would be surprised if it is worn. It could be a broken piston ring maybe, however the mechanic who looked at it (and was carrying a compression tester with him) said that it started to well to be that and he was convinced it was a fuel system related problem. I suppose I shall find out tomorrow when I finally get all the air out of it.

Got the pump back - nothing major wrong with it but the engineer made a few adjustments to up the pressure - not sure if that could be the cause of the problem but I will find out soon enough when I fit it.... Which leads me to the next question. Is there an 'easy' way of getting the torsion bar and pump drive splines to line up when refitting the pump? I assume that one of the special tools mentioned in the service manual helps but as it simply gives a part number it is not too descriptive.

I have that safely in my possession - I guessed it had to be there for a reason and appeared to be the kind of thing that would be easily lost. Thanks - After 15 minutes of head-scratching and trying to tie the service manual picture to the actual pump I assumed that it was a mod/variation that wasn't fitted on mine.

Just a quick update. The injectors appear to be fine so out came the injector pump this morning to be tested first thing Monday morning. Not as bad a job removing it as I anticipated and I found the alignment marks on the pump body/mounting flange. The engineer looked at the pump and thought that there was a problem as he couldn't feel any resistance caused by the cams when turning the spline drive by hand. Will find out next week!

Roger, That's exactly what the diesel mechanic did this afternoon. Talk about deja vu (without the little thing above the 'u')! He has now taken the injectors away for testing as well. He also noticed that 2 of the injectors were by a different manufacturer which he didn't think would be a problem. I shall be ever so slightly 'miffed' if they are the problem as they were supplied by the boatyard (though also happy that it isn't anything worse). Many thanks for the advice. Mike

I checked the tip-seal washers and 3 of the old ones were still in the holes - the 4th may have fallen out without me noticing when I de-coked the head. Fitted new washers and.... no change unfortunately. I ran the engine for 10 minutes after doing the job last night and did notice that it runs a lot smoother at higher revs. I pushed it up to 3000 rpm and it was running quite smoothly (apart from the odd small cough) and the amount of smoke was reduced though still present. Acceleration up to that rev count was 'lumpy' at the lower rev count but it came down very smoothly as I pulled back gently on the throttle but with increasing amounts of smoke. It did idle but with copious smoke and certainly did not sound to have a nice tick-over. I have someone coming round to look at it this afternoon - hopefully he can tell me what I've missed or broken

We had diesel bug over the Winter before last so there was some water in the tank but I cleared as much out as I could, put in some additives and kept the tank filled over the last winter. I also checked the water trap as part of the low pressure side of the fuel system and there was nothing apparent in there. Cheers, Mike

Ahhh... In that case there is a good chance the old ones are still in the holes, if they were fitted originally - I can't remember seeing them when I changed the injectors and couldn't see where the new ones went as a result. I will check them this evening. Regards, Mike

Roger, Thanks for the notes. In response... 1. I haven't got a compression tester but I have set the valve clearances. I did lap them though they were hardly any pits on them and I ensured they went back into the same hole they came from. 2 & 3. I gave the head a good inspection and clear out - nothing apparent in the way of cracks. 4. Are the tip seals the copper washers that were supplied with the new injectors? They were changed though I can't remember seeing any 'handidness' about them (and I did give them a good looking at). 1. The engine starts well enough though its running doesn't improve even when warm. It is running well enough to be able to tick over when warm though certainly not smoothly. The smoke is there from start up - quantity and colour doesn't seem to change. 2. The injectors were provided as exchange via the ABC marina shop at Hilperton. Not sure of the source though the chap did mention that the price depended on the exchange rate when I asked. They came individually bagged and blanked with replacement sealing washers. Regards, Mike

Thanks Tony, I've read that post before but I can't see any markings on any of the visible lugs or on the securing plate it bolts to. Regards, Mike

Hi all, My 16 year old BMC 1.8 has been doubling as a smoke generator for a few months now, starting last year with an intermittent (though constant) puff when idling to now producing continuous clouds of white, diesel-smelling smoke when doing anything and the engine is not running smoothly. Over the last year I have: 1. Checked the lift pump and changed seals and diaphragm. 2. Checked all the fuel lines, washers and seals - nothing obvious 3. Changed the injectors - this seemed to make the engine run better though it is still not smooth. 4. Took the head off and de-coked it - exhaust valve stems were quite badly 'carbonated' but very little pitting on any of the valve seats . New gaskets and seals fitted when re-assembled. I have just about exhausted (forgive the pun) all my options. I service the engine regularly and it has been a good reliable runner. I have read quite a few threads about the injector pump timing possibly being out and the symptoms appear to be similar but I can't find an index mark anywhere on pump body or pump mounting flange to see if it has moved. Is adjustment easy (or possible) without these marks? The service manual talks about checking things such as the butterfly valve which I don't appear to have on the pump. Last summer we did have a situation where the engine stalled due to a log caught in the prop - Could this have been enough of a shock to cause the timing to slip? Any other thoughts on DIY solutions would be gratefully received before I call in the (no doubt expensive) experts. Regards, Mike nb Bess