Reptile Smile

Hello all, After a sudden and catastrophic stop of my engine last summer, I haven't touched it since. I was on my way back from Bristol, and it just stopped - it didn't go bang, there was no smoke - nothing like that. It just stopped and wouldn't start again. I was convinced it was a seized engine (a BMC 2.2, BTW) but my neighbour became convinced it was the starter that had jammed/not cleared properly. I was always sceptical about this, but on taking the starter motor off, it was indeed (the starter) jammed, and on taking it off, the boat would now go into gear, which it wouldn't before. It then remained to see whether the engine would 'manually' turn over, or whether it was still seized, and the starter was knackered in addition. And herein is the problem. Due to where the engine is mounted, I can't get to the nut on the end of the flywheel to try and turn it over. Well, I can get a socket on to it, but I can't see it or anything. The nut is massive - I tried both a 1.25" and a 32mm today, and they were too small, so I guess it must be at least 1.5"? Does anyone know the exact size, so that I can go buy the damned socket, turn the damned thing over, and answer this once and for all? For what it's worth, I shoved a heavy-duty screw driver into where the starter motor came off, and could turn the engine, albeit by dint of a lot of effort. Is this a good sign? Should it take a lot of effort? I didn't pursue this too far, as I didn't think it would be doing the starter gear that much good - but it definitely turned... Cheers all Ian

Will do. A small question - will it not knacker the starter motor leaving it trying to start an engine that won't turn over while I measure the voltage..? How will I recognise the negative earth stud or can I just put the probe anywhere on the back of the starter..?

Yeah, once started it's fine (though hasn't been started since the water incidient,though in fairness, that was only about 12-18" in the engine bay) The starter is currently fitted, but I can get it out again, if it helps (though this will involve more swearing) Thanks to all for all help so far!

I really am at the end of my tether... My boat has never started well. On the test cruise, the marina had to connect a booster pack. I bought it. My brother took it to the crane out and it was a pig to start. It was craned out, lorried down and I put it back in at Bristol. Ity was a pig to start, and in fact wouldn't. In a rush, I bought the first battery I could from a local car shop. It started, under protest. Having moved it to Bath, I failed to tighten the stern gland sufficiently, and the engine bay flooded, submersing the starter motor. After this, it wouldn't even turn over. I removed the starter (engine is a 2.2 BMC), at the expense of some expletives. Not knowing anything about anything, a mate looked at it for me, and said one of the earths was corroded away, so it was running at half power. I bought a new starter motor and installed it. Still absolutely nothing. When I jump it direct from the battery, the dog gets thrown forwards and jams in the teeth of the gear. I wiggle the starter, and it returns. If I flash the live terminal of the starter, it turns, though not as fast as I'd think, but, again, I know nothing about anything. What doesn't happen at all is the engine turning over - I mean, not one bit. I just get a clunk as the dog gets thrown forward into the starter gear, and that's it. So I wondered if the engine was seized, so removed the starter again (more expletives), and found if I used a screwdriver like a tiuny crowbar,I can turn the engine over. It's not seized. It's not easy but it's smooth and possible. So I decided to just scuttle my boat in frustraetion, when my neighbour said it sounded to him like either a bad earth, or a lack of starter battery power. When I looked at the starter battery, it's 70ah, which I gather is very underpowered - it's also, far as I know, just a regular car battery. When I looked at the original battery, it still just looks like a regular battery and not a marine battery, but I can't read the AH as the label has fallen off. Can anyone offer any thoughts on this? I'm at my wits end. The battery thing is one more thing to try, and I don't have many left, but I'm reluctant to spend the money on a new battery if it isn't that... But I can't think of what else it could be, such that the engine doesn't turn over at all..? In retrospect, I'm not sure the problem was EVER the starter motor, though one of the earths had definately gone. I loveliving on the boat, but is it too much to ask to be able to start the damned thing? Cheers all PS - am getting 13V when measured across terminals of starter battery, but don't know if that's here or there...

Chrome is awesome and is my favourite browser, but doesn't work with Ineedbroadband. Never had it hang on me...

Hi Mary. So delighted to hear you're thrilled with the boat. Are you happy that ownership has now legally tranferred? In other words, that the boat is yours regardless of what happens with the inverter 'dispute' (I use the word loosely in that there is clearly no dispute!) Keep reminding yourself that you have no issue at all with any of the marina staff or anyone else - this i now purely a matter between you and the managing director and trading standards. The idea of taking along a knowledgeable friend, from the forum, or elsewhere, seems positive to me?

Perhaps - like me - you find it tremendously funny when small children fall off their bicycles. It appears laughing at this is bad from a Karmic point of view..?

The Leeds Liverpool has some fabulous trans-penine scenery

AVG for the win and it's free

I'm in the wheelhouse now of the boat I moved into 3 months ago, with my cats lazing aroubd in their baskets, doing little more than me. Lots of people told me Challenger was a bad idea because I might financially find it hard and that I wasn't experienced enough with boats, and, like, you, I guess I was stubborn enough to say, "These are my rules, not yours - this is my life, not yours, and you know what? It's not a dress rehearsal..." So the can of Stella I've just opened has been toasted to you, Umpire - have a great Bank Holiday Weekend!

Umpire - it's not that I disagree with your sentiments, it's that I don't think anyone's doing that here. Sueb - I don't think it's fair to use old cars as an analogy, unless you're talking about classic cars. Boats don't depreciate very much (if at all) until unless their condition depreciates. Used cars do, even if you don't drive them anywhere. I'd fall short of using the word 'investment' but in this day and age, I can think of plenty worse places to put your money. A pension, for example...

I kinda question the received wisdom of 40' or 50'. I live on a 30' lifeboat, and have never felt more happy and content in my life. It's in a marina, so the lack of hot water doesn't bother me - I have showers, etc, within spitting distance, which means that for the majority of the time, I don't need to pass solids into the porta potti, which relegates it to Late Night Beer Regret, which means emptying every 10 days or so. If you're on the cut, of course, this option may not be available. You will find the boating community split down the middle on the pump out/sh1tty suitcase debate. Each will argue their case with more passion than the Middle East crisis. For you, I wouldn't even worry. If you have a boat you love, you'll put up with anything (with the possible exception of holes in the hull), and everything - everything - is repairable and sortable, with enough time, money and determination. Get yourself on a boat and see if you like it.

^^ Rick FTW

For the OP - the complexities of what you can overpaint on to what are arse-clenchingly confusing. The only possible solution is to ring the company of the paint you wish apply and ask their advice. Even binding undercoats aren't always suitable when overpainting anti-fouling from one manufacturer over anothers. What you absolutely can't do is paint anti foul over blacking or blacking over anti foul. In either case, you would need a shed-load of mates, the European beer lake, and a lot of sandpaper and dust masks... ** Posted at same time. I have Waterways Plus, and it's great where I am - Bristol Avon. You MUST ring International for further advice and very helpful they are too...

A boat with a starter motor in a convenient place on the engine... ..or am I truly in the realms of fantasy? (Do I sound bitter? )

Sawley Marina have both a large number of vacancies, and a number of boats for sale that you could go and nosey round - and it's relatively close to Derby...

A boat with a starter motor that works