springy

I'm just wondering if it is something to do with the stop solenoid - not familiar with Isuzu particularly but usual operation is that switching ignition on energises solenoid & therefore allows engine to run, turning ignition off releases solenoid thus stopping engine. If your solenoid is a "bit reluctant" then this could possibly explain the behaviour - particularly as you suggest that the initial long cranking period doesn't produce much smoke. Try switching the ignition on and off a few times before cranking - it might work (even if only to confirm the fault). springy

There are two hand levers on quadrants - the lower one operates the air flap in the transfer port - used to reduce the charge of air into the cylinder - this helps to keep the engine hot enough when running light or just on tickover for long periods. The upper one (which I think you are refering to) seems to be variously known as the pump rack or bracket rack. I have A Bolinders Manual which refers to it as the "No Miss Handle" - it adjusts the Pump Stroke and hence the amount of fuel fed into the engine on each firing stroke, - this is not adjustable (usually) from the steering position & generally, as I understand it, it is usually set 5 - 8 notches down & left there. It is of more use on seagoing vessels as you can "fine tune" the running of the engine so that it hits every beat and so runs smoother & on the least amount of fuel - useful if you are going to be on "full chat" for several hours. The engine speed is set using the circular brass control with a handle, which is on top of the pump assembly - this increases the pressure on the hit & miss governor spring & hence forces the pumps to strike more often. All the above are standard on all bolinders except the Pup (9HP) and smaller (I think) which do not have the air flap in the transfer port. springy

I'd be interested too - I've just been looking at some pages in one of the manuals (downloaded from internal fire) and it seems that the twins had "coordinated fuel pumps" a mechanism which ensured that each pump operated the same number of times - if the front cylinder pump was a "miss" then the rear cylinder pump would also be a "miss", and that if the front cylinder pump was a "hit" then the next firing stroke would be the rear cylinder (though not necessarily the next stroke). These engines had a separate "Back Pump" (or at least some of them did - it's not that clear). The photos in the manual however seem to show a standard setup with back pump, table and pecker as per the singles ? springy

Bolinders were sold as a "Crude Oil Engine" and certainly the larger seagoing engines would have had "Fuel Preheating" coils in the exhaust allowing them to run on "Heavy Fuel Oil" - often known as Bunker Fuel - much longer chain fractions of crude oil and much thicker than Diesel. AFAIK on the canals they were always run on "Gas Oil" (Diesel) which is usually just refered to as Oil. Lubrication for engine is "Green Oil". They probably would run on creosote and old engine oil but I'd be very wary particularly of the effect on the injector pumps, but also on the spindle (adjustable injector). springy

I'm pretty convinced that there is no pump based reversing:- There is no lever to control the friction wedges, There is no push rod from where the friction wedges would be to the table attachment "bell crank", There is no "pecker" on the "back pump" end of the injector bell crank (at least on the outer pump anyway). Although all the components that are there look to be standard i.e. as if it did have pump reversing. It is difficult to tell but I dont think there is a "Table" for the back pump or even a "Back Pump" itself - the pump main body casting is looks standard but probably just has a bung in the threaded hole where the "back pump" body and plunger would be. Don't think the photo was at BCLM - can't think of any buildings of that type close to the water. Not convinced by Dereck's comment about Bolinder Steerers slopping their beer - it's just your legs that bounce - even standing on the counter on tickover you can still drink your tea. Problems with spilling beer can only be down to faulty glasses. springy

Airlocks at a guess. When you say "water pump is constantly trying to pump" I presume you mean the domestic supply (cold water) pump rather than the central heating circulation pump. Assuming you dont have any leaks it will take much longer to reach cut out pressure if there are any air pockets in the system or calorifier. Assuming Squirrel/radiator system has a header tank with an arrangement to refill from domestic supply - need to bleed air from all the radiators. Which corner of the radiator(s) is getting warm ? springy

I fitted one - to reduce the possibility of scalding - but I think I found another benefit, instead of half filling the washing up bowl with v. hot water & then adding lots of cold to get it to a point where I could actually put my hands in it to do the washing up, I now use less of my stored hot water and less water in total as I end up with the bowl only half full - just enough to do the washing up! springy

Problem with spade connectors - OP originally said that incoming wiring was thick - probably deliberate to reduce voltage drop - thick cables may well be too thick for normal spade connectors & hence chocolate blocks have been used. It's also easier to do three connections (incoming feed, wires to light fitting and link to next light fitting) in a choc block. springy

IIRC there's a twin in the engine hall at Ellesmere Port which was used as a pumping engine at Knowle. springy

Taken today at The Grove Basin A snowy grove springy

Several threads on this already, Brenmarl (manufacturers) details here thread - brenmarl springy

Dont forget the submarine Bolinder submarine steam ! springy

Hi On the roof is probably the most common place (usually padlocked to the handrails), but I have seen numerous boats with a rack, similar to those attached to the back of cars, on the stern of the boat. springy

Thats how I was taught & always do it, though I did once see some video of Ike Argent starting Stour using Tim's Method. springy

Call the AA !

Irish bolinder being started on bbc2 now springy http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pk5nj *edited to ass link dhutch

Some useful info (as well as products) on this site http://www.baddiethepirate.co.uk/ springy

Certainly here in the west mids most of the gas works were adjacent to canals - both for delivery of coal from the coalfields and collection of by products - coal tar, gas water and coke. Thos. Clayton (Oldbury) Limited specialised in the bulk transport of the liquid byproducts - mainly coal tar to the tar distilleries where it was refined into a wide range of products including creosote and chemicals used as the starting point for many dyes, drugs, paints, flavourings and explosives! TC(O) Ltd.'s last load on the canal was tar from Walsall Gas works to Midland Tar Distilleries plant in Oldbury in 1966. MTD were located at Titford Junction - with the unloading arm being on the left just up the Titford Branch. If you have the misfortune to stir the bottom of the canal in this area you will recognise the smell! Claytons yard was on the other side of the titford branch, all traces disappeared when the M5 was built. In addition, probably because of this "niche market" TC(O) Ltd. was one of the few canal carriers to survive the big freezes ('47 and '63) and avoid nationalisation. Alan Faulkner's book Claytons of Oldbury has quite a lot of info on the gasworks served by Claytons. springy

And for me - Opera I reckon he used "compressed air start" rather than kicking it. springy