Steam from coolant tank.

[WotEver]

58 minutes ago, Sam T said:

If it was air in the skin tank I assume this could be sorted by loosening the connection on one of the skin tank pipes and running the engine for a bit before tightening back up? Hopefully not loosing too much coolant into the engine bay in the process....

They very often have a bleed screw on the top. 

[Sam T]

48 minutes ago, WotEver said:

They very often have a bleed screw on the top. 

Good point. Realise I've actually done this before and completely forgotten  about that bit. I definitely have a bleed screw.

[WotEver]

12 minutes ago, Sam T said:

Good point. Realise I've actually done this before and completely forgotten  about that bit. I definitely have a bleed screw.

5 minute job then to see if you have any air

[alan_fincher]

7 hours ago, Sam T said:

Looking around online I'm struggling to find anything below 7psi. Would this be close enough to be good enough as far as not splitting the rubber goes. Don't want to cause more problems for myself.

 

Or any ideas where I could source a 5 psi?

 

Calcutt Boats supply a 4 psi one, which is fine, and will reduce stresses on the rubber end caps compared to a 7 psi one.

You need to know if you need a short neck example or a long neck example.

[Sam T]

12 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Calcutt Boats supply a 4 psi one, which is fine, and will reduce stresses on the rubber end caps compared to a 7 psi one.

You need to know if you need a short neck example or a long neck example.

Thank you Alan will get one ordered. Hadn't realised there was a short/long neck distinction either. Thanks for pointing that out as I likely would have got it wrong!

[BWM]

7 hours ago, Sam T said:

Good point. Realise I've actually done this before and completely forgotten  about that bit. I definitely have a bleed screw.

Some set ups have a habit of holding a little air here, worth checking routinely for peace of mind: a bonus being it won't be seized when you really need to use it.

[Slim]

Are you sure it's the cap? What make is the manifold?. How is the manifold neck fixed into manifold? I ask because I have a BMC 1.8 and had exactly the same problem which took ages to resolve. My manifold is a Polar and the neck was secured with a large nut from the inside. Removing the old neck was impossible because of access. (manifold off engine) . I managed to cut the old neck off/out only to find that the hole was larger than the Bowman replacement neck. In the end I had a local engineering firm . weld up the hole to a smaller size and drill/tap to accept a surface mounted aliminium neck I sourced elsewhere (can provide info if needed) £50 for welding, sub £20 for ali neck.

 

Frank

 

Didn t make it clear that it was the gasket between the neck and the manifold that had failed and letting water past. Minute quantities.

Any questions please ask.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Slim

[Sam T]

9 hours ago, Slim said:

Are you sure it's the cap? What make is the manifold?. How is the manifold neck fixed into manifold? I ask because I have a BMC 1.8 and had exactly the same problem which took ages to resolve. My manifold is a Polar and the neck was secured with a large nut from the inside. Removing the old neck was impossible because of access. (manifold off engine) . I managed to cut the old neck off/out only to find that the hole was larger than the Bowman replacement neck. In the end I had a local engineering firm . weld up the hole to a smaller size and drill/tap to accept a surface mounted aliminium neck I sourced elsewhere (can provide info if needed) £50 for welding, sub £20 for ali neck.

 

Frank

 

Didn t make it clear that it was the gasket between the neck and the manifold that had failed and letting water past. Minute quantities.

Any questions please ask.

Thank you - Not at all confident that it's the cap no - but all up for trying some cheap/easy fixes in the first instance. Realise I may have to go down a more expensive route afterwards.  How did you know that it was that gasket that had failed before deciding to cut it off?

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Sam T said:

Thank you - Not at all confident that it's the cap no - but all up for trying some cheap/easy fixes in the first instance. Realise I may have to go down a more expensive route afterwards.  How did you know that it was that gasket that had failed before deciding to cut it off?

After heaven knows how many months of thinking it was rad cap related I just happened to see a tiny, tiny drop of water before it evaporated. With hindsight I could see a slight discolouration on the top of the ali manifold. I did ask, what make is your manifold? Should add that had replaced the pressure cap with a blanking cap with a pressure cap on the expansion bottle

[Sam T]

14 minutes ago, Slim said:

After heaven knows how many months of thinking it was rad cap related I just happened to see a tiny, tiny drop of water before it evaporated. With hindsight I could see a slight discolouration on the top of the ali manifold. I did ask, what make is your manifold? Should add that had replaced the pressure cap with a blanking cap with a pressure cap on the expansion bottle

Sorry, the manifold is bowman.

[Slim]

3 hours ago, Sam T said:

Sorry, the manifold is bowman.

Ah, in which case some (if not all) of my comments don't apply. IF I recall correctly the Bowman neck is a BSP taper. I'm pretty sure I've got the one I bought in my workshop. I'll have a look tomorrow.

 

Frank                                                                                                                                                                                        

[Sam T]

Hi,

Just wanted to update and thank you all for the advice. I think I'm sorted now.

 

I drained off a bit of coolant, bled the skin tank and put a new pressure cap on the coolant tank this morning.

 

I haven't moved yet, but ran it in gear (making sure there were no neighbours around to annoy first) for over half an hour while still tied to the bank this morning, and all running perfectly without a hint of any of the previous issues. This is more than the amount of cruising time that was causing me issues before, and constantly in gear rather than idling through locks etc so I think I'm all good.

 

Thank you very much for the tips and advice!

[Alan de Enfield]

30 minutes ago, Sam T said:

I haven't moved yet, but ran it in gear (making sure there were no neighbours around to annoy first) for over half an hour while still tied to the bank this morning, and all running perfectly without a hint of any of the previous issues. This is more than the amount of cruising time that was causing me issues before, and constantly in gear rather than idling through locks etc so I think I'm all good.

Glad you got it sorted but don't ever again run it in gear whilst moored.

It is not only bad for the bank, but is illegal (1965 Waterways Bye-Laws)

 

Turning of propellers of moored vessels
38. No person shall unless so authorised by the Board turn or cause
to be turned the propeller or propellers of any vessel while such
vessel is moored alongside any wharf, wall, bank or other work of
the Board except as may be necessary for the proper navigation
of the vessel.

 

 

 

[Sam T]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Glad you got it sorted but don't ever again run it in gear whilst moored.

It is not only bad for the bank, but is illegal (1965 Waterways Bye-Laws)

 

Turning of propellers of moored vessels
38. No person shall unless so authorised by the Board turn or cause
to be turned the propeller or propellers of any vessel while such
vessel is moored alongside any wharf, wall, bank or other work of
the Board except as may be necessary for the proper navigation
of the vessel.

 

 

 

Apologies, and thank you for pointing this out to me. I should have known already. Will never do this again.

[bizzard]

But there are folk who blast the banks with bow thrusters when casting off.

[WotEver]

12 minutes ago, bizzard said:

But there are folk who blast the banks with bow thrusters when casting off.

But that’s perfectly acceptable because they have the collective noun of ‘idiots’. 

[Alan de Enfield]

21 minutes ago, bizzard said:

But there are folk who blast the banks with bow thrusters when casting off.

 

Would a 'whisk' be seen as an aid to proper navigation ?

 

No person shall unless so authorised by the Board turn or cause
to be turned the propeller or propellers of any vessel while such
vessel is moored alongside any wharf, wall, bank or other work of
the Board except as may be necessary for the proper navigation
of the vessel.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[TheBiscuits]

51 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Turning of propellers of moored vessels
38. No person shall unless so authorised by the Board turn or cause
to be turned the propeller or propellers of any vessel while such
vessel is moored alongside any wharf, wall, bank or other work of
the Board except as may be necessary for the proper navigation
of the vessel.

 

I have been known to do it nose in to the bank with the stern out in the middle when testing coolant.  I believe the intention is to prevent damage to the "wharf, wall, bank or other work of the Board", and you could also argue that making sure the cooling works "may be necessary for the proper navigation of the vessel."

 

I do agree that those who run the engine in gear (to load the engine a bit) for hours on end tied up are collective nouns!