monkeyhanger

Yes, I know just how heavy they are, believe me. I bought the engine as a pile of bits and rebuilt in in my front garden under a tarpaulin about 25 years ago. The neighbours were very interested when it first fired up with no silencer, I can tell you! I then borrowed a trailer and took it up to Birmingham to have the boat shell built around it. If I could get it back to my front garden, I'd do it again, but I have no facilities for removing it from the boat, and it's not a job I fancy doing in the confines of an engine 'ole, I'm afraid.

Yes, I thought that about the height as well. Maybe the manufacturers have managed to squeeze in an extra plate? I suppose it doesn't matter what's written on the outside. Only the maker knows what's been put inside.

Thanks to everyone who replied to my original post. You certainly gave me something to think about, and I feel it's only right that I give you an update. Yesterday I eventually got round to removing the big end bearings to have a check. Although the shells were worn, there is still some life left in them. However I did notice a small groove cut out of the leading edge of each shell which showed exposed copper. I think this is almost certainly where the particles of white metal in the sump have come from, and it has been caused by the bearing shell contacting the crankshaft. Using a length of 3x2 wood behind the flywheel I checked for " fore-and-aft" movement. Martin ,who contributes on here, reckoned on 6 thou max. My dial gauge showed 21 thou! Using a mooring pin under the flywheel pulley showed 15 thou of up and down movement. So, it's bite the bullet time and rebuild the bottom end (at least). However, I'm not able to do it myself anymore due to lack of facilities and excess of years. I seem to have two choices----try to persuade an engineer I know not too far from London (where the boat is) that he'd love to do the job for me, and arrange a tow to his yard, or to reassemble the big ends and sail the boat to an engineer in the Midlands who has been recommended to me. Either way, not an ideal scenario. I'll post an update when I have more info. Jack

I need to buy two new batteries for my boat. The present ones, 110ah,have now given up the ghost but have lasted me 6 years, so I can't complain. I've found some 110ah ones for £60 and some 120ah ones for £70.Both types are physically the same size as my old ones so space is not a problem. The boat is not used to live on, and when not cruising is connected to a landline and trickle charger. I have a gas fridge, so the batteries are used for engine starting, the usual pumps and lighting. Oh, and when my wife's on board she uses a hairdrier via the inverter, but I run the engine while she's doing that. My question is should I stick with 110ah,which has worked well in the past or is it worth an extra £20 for an extra 20ah? Any advice gratefully received.

On Sunday, December 7th, CHUG will be holding its Annual Christmas Fair in Kingsland Basin on the Regents Canal There will be Food, Drinks, Entertainment, Santa boat trips, Stalls selling a large variety of products, and more. 12 noon until 5pm

Thanks for the response. I'm going to try to find time to drop the big ends at the weekend, then I'll have some idea of what I have to do, and how deep my hand will have to go in my pocket! Jack

Maybe so the salvation army wouldn't be disappointed when not offered a drink?

An ex-working boater friend told me that the red chimney bands signified that:- 1 Salvation Army welcome on board, and 2-that the crew was teetotal. However, as he was friendly with the Skinners, I can say that from what he tells me, they certainly weren't the latter!

I'm feeling pretty despondent already, Tim, but thanks for providing a (possible) light at the end of the tunnel. Jack

Not as worried as me, I can assure you!

I found a small amount of similar "debris" in the sump a couple of years ago. I made a mental note to check for more at the next oil change, and there was none. I renewed the mains and big ends bearings when I built the engine 20-odd years ago, and I took the big ends apart about 5 years ago. They looked perfectly acceptable then, and the engine does not exactly get "overused", so hopefully they are still OK. I was surprised to find this amount of debris , I have to say. What a sensible idea! I'll try next time I'm at the boat. My son adjusted the gearbox in summer, after he ran out of reverse approaching a lift bridge on the Oxford Canal . Perhaps that may be the solution. Thanks.

That's interesting-- I never thought of the liners! My routine is this--I take the boat out for 3 months cruising every summer, then it goes back to base and stays there (I'm sorry to admit) I then remove the old oil, and wash out the crankcase with white spirit, dry it all down and fill with fresh oil. And the usual filter changes etc.

If I do that and get the oil analysed, what will it tell me? That I've got bearing particles in the oil? I have saved some of the flakes, but I'm no wiser. Perhaps I should pull the big ends and have a look.

You don't know my son! Seriously though, it's unlikely, although he did go up to Lechlade from Oxford first. Perhaps it was caused by me in the tug of war at Ricky!

Too late, it's disposed of. In the valley at the bottom of the crankcase. I did wonder whether it might have been from the clutchplates-- i did have a bit of slippage- but I'd put money on it being white metal.

I have a wet sump JP2. Today I decided to do an end of season oil change. The useful thing about a wet sump engine is that you can take off the large crankcase door and scoop out the old oil, and, after wiping out the crankcase, check for debris.( you may be able to do this on a dry sump engine too, but I'm not familiar) To my surprise, I found quite a bit of what looked like aluminium powder in the bottom of the crankcase when I wiped it out. Also in there were flakes of silvery material, about the thickness of thin silver foil, and some of these flakes being 3 or 4 mm across. This, I'm almost certain is white metal from the bearings, but would this be normal? Has anyone else experienced this? I used a mooring spike as a lever to see if I could rattle the big end bearings.There was sideways movement but no discernible up and down play Same with the mooring spike under the flywheel The engine runs fine, with 20lbs oil pressure . I'm hoping that this is just normal wear and tear, but I suspect not. My initial thoughts were that there had been a partial bearing seizure, which had caused the metal particles. I would have thought that a partial seizure might happen if the engine overheated- unlikely on a JP---although my son did bring the boat back to home mooring down the Thames! He said he stuck to speed limits------ I'd be interested to see what other people think. Jack

Glad you got it sorted. I've always found the people at Kuranda to be excellent.

I'd advise you to speak to Brett at Kuranda Marine before you buy anything. He is the main (perhaps only) dealer for Kabola stoves Tel 01663 734800

If I may respond, and perhaps clarify what I have said. The gentleman who abused my daughter was from the lock house, not the pub. This person called out of the upstairs window "Are you f***ing taking the p*ss" and "show some concern for people who have to work for a living" Having just spoken to my daughter to clarify, she stresses that they WERE being as quiet as they could be, AND were showing concern for the people who live there. In fact she did apologise to a man who came out of one of the houses on the same side as the pub, and he was quite happy. She also feels that had she and her friends been 3 men instead of 3 women, then the angry man's attitude might have been slightly different. Regarding the incident last year when my wife and I were exiting the lock travelling north, and the gentleman rushed out of the pub to slam the bridge shut-- I have no idea whether he was the landlord or not. He did, however, rant on and on using lots of swear words. When my wife calmly said "Please don't swear at me" he called her a c**t At this point I would normally have stepped off the boat to close the bridge and lock gate, but, as the bridge was by now closed, she persuaded me that getting off right next to this gentleman to close the gate was not the best idea.I have to admit I followed her request, and departed sadly leaving a gate open.

My daughter and a couple of friends passed through this lock a couple of weeks ago, at 6.30 in the morning, They were moving the boat to Hemel Hempstead so early starts were needed to use the available daylight, They were roundly verbally abused by one of the house dwellers by this lock, along the lines that they shouldn't be moving boats at that time of day. Apparently extremely industrial language too. They were quite shocked by the language and it spoiled the enjoyment of the rest of their day. Last summer (2013), I had an "incident" with a guy who flew out of the pub, shouting and swearing at me about not closing the bridge. This was as I was still exiting the lock gates! He gave me another load of verbal and then swung the bridge shut with all his might! At least it saved me the effort. There are kind and helpful people around those parts!

I have fitted a filter in the line before my extraction pump. You'd be amazed at the amount of hair it traps. Don't know whether hair will pass through a gulper, but if it clogs I'm sure you can work out when it will happen Sod's law and all that.

You could try CJ Diesels in Isleworth who have a good reputation, or the place I use is shown below--and they are brilliant! And canalside and very close to Hackney Wick overground station MV Motors 8a Queens Yard, White Post Lane, London E9 5EN020 8985 6077

Yes. There should be a thin copper washer in there. Best get them tested and reset while you've got them out, especially if the nozzles are different, hence the need for extra washers. I can recommend a place in East London. Where are you?

Many thanks for your help on this one! My filler plug is a low profile steel one, with no (obvious)breather hole. I'll have to have a closer look next time I'm at the boat. Interesting that you mentioned changing the oil-- you know, I can't ever remember changing the oil in my reduction box! That will have to be high on the "to do" list. How often do you change the oil in yours?

Fitting a drilled plug is not a bad idea. It's certainly worth a try first anyway. I can't hear if the noise is any different when in reverse. It's a Blackstone box, so it's difficult to hear anything in reverse! Good idea about checking the breather, too, but if I remember correctly, there's actually very little in them so I wouldn't have thought they'd clog easily. And yes, I know what you mean about strange noises. I have a clicking from my water pump which only manifests itself when it sees fit. "Starman" had a similar problem with his JP3, and I suggested it could be his water pump. Judging by the fact that he hasn't been back on here asking about it, it must have fixed itself. Jack