Jump to content

Towing Companies

Guest

By Guest
in General Boating

 Share

Featured Posts

Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

Posted
Posted (edited)
14 hours ago, StationMaster said:

No primarily because I want to find out how I'm going to get the boat there first, once I have an understanding of that I can start phoning around. If bow hauling this severally limits my options.

This does seem to me to be the 'wrong way around'

Your options may be limited by who can do the work, when they can do it and if you are willing to pay their price.

 

I would have thought that the priority would be to find somewhere that can do the work you want doing - if the nearest place is 100 miles away then you can organise a lift out and road transport, if the nearest place is a couple of miles away you can bow haul it.

 

Find out who can fix it, then sort out methods of getting it there.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, p6rob said:

You mention an alternator problem as well as the overheating. Can you see if the fan belt is loose?

Alternator belt is no longer there...

 

Today I'll sort that although it will be a temp solution and check skin tanks as suggested, also try to source new filler cap. After that get back in touch with Bizzard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

Alternator belt is no longer there...

 

Today I'll sort that although it will be a temp solution and check skin tanks as suggested, also try to source new filler cap. After that get back in touch with Bizzard.

If the 'alternator belt' is no longer there' does this engine have a separate belt driving the water pump ?

If not your overheating problem is (probably) easily fixed by replacing the belt.

 

If you have been running, no water circulating and overheating then you could have seriously damaged the engine.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

This does seem to me to be the 'wrong way around'

Your options may be limited by who can do the work, when they can do it and if you are willing to pay their price.

 

I would have thought that the priority would be to find somewhere that can do the work you want doing - if the nearest place is 100 miles away then you can organise a lift out and road transport, if the nearest place is a couple of miles away you can bow haul it.

 

Find out who can fix it, then sort out methods of getting it there.

You and others are probably correct.

 

For now ruling out some simple things then getting Bizzard to come up with a sort of diagnosis is my plan.

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If you have been running, no water circulating and overheating then you could have seriously damaged the engine.

I'm very aware of that and it is my fear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LadyG Veteran II

LadyGDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

 

I'm very aware of that and it is my fear.

What is done is done, take it easy: I am not an expert, I have always been lucky in having great people to work on my boat. I have also stopped a number of incompetents working on my boat. I have an engine manual and a pocket type file with all receipts, all numbers,  spare gaskets, etc etc.

Open an engine log if you don't already have one. Catalogue all your numbers. Download an engine manual. Familiarise yourself with your installation.

I need to use experts to advise me, most people do ................. you need to know the absolute basics, those things which can kill your engine, your alternator, your batteries, yourself, your family and your friends. I have boated for years without knowing much about anything, and every problem has proved to be fixable, most are preventable. 

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

I've been in touch with Bizzard by PM.

 

Swapping the filler caps around works to stop the leak but engine still overheats. Wondering if my first option is to get a new filler cap and then see what happens.

If you stop the leak on the engine filler and fill it up then it should not overheat until the it has cooled down and been restarted for a while. Given what has gone before the next step would be, if you are confident enough, to bleed the skin tank as described above. This is a routine job (say twice a year unless needed more often) unless you are lucky enough to have a self bleeding skin tank but that is unlikely so getting to know how to do it will be worthwhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

Alternator belt is no longer there...

 

On a typical narrowboat that means overheating within minutes of starting and moving off. If it is a non-typical direct raw water cooled boat then the raw water pump may be driven via another belt or mechanically form the engine. In either case it might just need the intake clearing and/or a new rubber impeller in the pump. However being a Shire with an expansion tank I very much doubt it has any raw canal water involved so no alternator belt = no cooling flow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

If you stop the leak on the engine filler and fill it up then it should not overheat until the it has cooled down and been restarted for a while. Given what has gone before the next step would be, if you are confident enough, to bleed the skin tank as described above. This is a routine job (say twice a year unless needed more often) unless you are lucky enough to have a self bleeding skin tank but that is unlikely so getting to know how to do it will be worthwhile.

Would the fact that the water isn't getting up to pressure by one of the caps not sealing be a problem?

 

Just now, RLWP said:

Would that be the belt that drives the alternator and the cooling water pump?

 

Richard

Belt goes straight from flywheel to alternator no other things involved as far as I'm aware.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, RLWP said:

= blown head gasket = ££££

Warped head = ££££££££££££££££

27 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

I'm very aware of that and it is my fear.

Is this boat new to you ?

 

Has it been running OK (previously to this problem) ?

Without an alternator how do you keep the batteries charged ?

Is it a 'stationary' floating flat, or has it been used for cruising ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
Just now, StationMaster said:

Would the fact that the water isn't getting up to pressure by one of the caps not sealing be a problem?

 

Belt goes straight from flywheel to alternator no other things involved as far as I'm aware.

1. No, not in canal use. The only time when pressurisation is required is when the engine is running hard and fast so the boiling point of the coolant is increased so it does not boil on hotspots inside the water jacket.

 

2. Then I very much doubt its a Barrus Shire engine or you have the flywheel and front pulley mixed up (the flywheel is probably at least 14" in diameter and located at the back of the engine (propeller end).  If we assume you mean the front pulley then there may be two belts on it. One for an engine alternator and water pump and the other, outside one, for the domestic alternator. If its the latter belt that is missing then it can not affect engine cooling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Does the belt run around two or three pulleys?

Flywheel and alternator so 2.

 

Edit front main pulley and alternator pulley.

Edited by Guest
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted (edited)

Do you know which model Barrus Shire this is? With a model number I can start looking for pictures, I'm having to guess at the moment

 

Or could you post pictures of the front of the engine?

 

Richard

1 minute ago, StationMaster said:

Flywheel and alternator so 2.

 

Phew!

 

Richard

 

MORE pictures of the pressure caps and header tank too then

Edited by RLWP
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted
Just now, Tony Brooks said:

 

See my last post. It is very unlikely to be  the flywheel.

It's the front drive pulley. Stationmaster is going to need a bit of help with terminology

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, RLWP said:

It's the front drive pulley. Stationmaster is going to need a bit of help with terminology

I know, that is why I told him the flywheel was at the back of the engine and how large it is. That is unless he has misidentified the engine but as I think Barrus cast SHIRE into the top of the heat exchanger that is very unlikely.

Edited by Tony Brooks
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
philjw Proficient

philjw

Posted
Posted

 

8 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Do you know which model Barrus Shire this is? With a model number I can start looking for pictures, I'm having to guess at the moment

 

Does it have two alternators or only one? If it has two then it could be the domestic (bigger) alternator which has lost its belt and the belt for the smaller (engine) alternator drives the waterpump.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted
Just now, philjw said:

 

Does it have two alternators or only one? If it has two then it could be the domestic (bigger) alternator which has lost its belt and the belt for the smaller (engine) alternator drives the waterpump.

Could be

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, philjw said:

 

Does it have two alternators or only one? If it has two then it could be the domestic (bigger) alternator which has lost its belt and the belt for the smaller (engine) alternator drives the waterpump.

Time for photos if only so we can try to help the OP not appearing ripe for plunder when he talks to the "professionals".

Edited by Tony Brooks
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, philjw said:

 

Does it have two alternators or only one? If it has two then it could be the domestic (bigger) alternator which has lost its belt and the belt for the smaller (engine) alternator drives the waterpump.

Domestic (that's the one that has gone), Starter and travelpower. So 3 in total.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.