Diesel mechanic

[Whitemonkey]

Is there a diesel mechanic in the Huddersfield area that can do a repair on my engine? It's in Huddersfield. 

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, Whitemonkey said:

Is there a diesel mechanic in the Huddersfield area that can do a repair on my engine? It's in Huddersfield. 

 

 

In the absence of any other replies, maybe a bit more detail.

Engine make and model (not all mechanics work on all makes of engines)

Problem ? (it could be simple and advice could be availb;e for a DIY fix)

[PD1964]

Try Dave at Bronte Boats, he works that area. Just Google “Narrowboat services West Yorkshire” a few will come up. Bronte Boats below:

 

https://www.bronteboathire.co.uk/service-repairs/

Edited July 15, 2021 by PD1964

[Whitemonkey]

Thanks for the two replies above. 

It's a Perkins 4107 and the manifold came adrift. One stud has sheared off. I have the new bits.  New studs, new manifold gaskets and a new tappet cover gasket. 

Mostly,  I'm a bit nervous about tackling the stud extraction, and tightening those nuts with metric spanners is quite tricky with all those pipes and stuff in the way.

I'm a lot older than the above profile picture suggests and I wish my eyesight was a bit better.

Dave is excellent, but for reasons I can't go into, communication has broken down way back in time. 

[Tony Brooks]

14 minutes ago, Whitemonkey said:

Thanks for the two replies above. 

It's a Perkins 4107 and the manifold came adrift. One stud has sheared off. I have the new bits.  New studs, new manifold gaskets and a new tappet cover gasket. 

Mostly,  I'm a bit nervous about tackling the stud extraction, and tightening those nuts with metric spanners is quite tricky with all those pipes and stuff in the way.

I'm a lot older than the above profile picture suggests and I wish my eyesight was a bit better.

Dave is excellent, but for reasons I can't go into, communication has broken down way back in time. 

 

Except they should not be metric spanners - AF almost certainly.

[Machpoint005]

Some metric spanners may seem that they almost fit AF hex heads. The point is that "almost fit" really means "doesn't fit".

 

If you have an engine with non-metric fittings, get the right non-metric spanners. Don't be tempted to use a nut rounder, either (one of these....)

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Machpoint005

[Alan de Enfield]

32 minutes ago, Whitemonkey said:

tightening those nuts with metric spanners

 

 

One of the first things to buy is tools and spares that are designed to be used on YOUR boat, its fittings & power train.

Imperial engine and you need imperial spanners.

 

Would you buy BMW diesel injectors to put into your Nissan car engine ?

[Chewbacka]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

One of the first things to buy is tools and spares that are designed to be used on YOUR boat, its fittings & power train.

Imperial engine and you need imperial spanners.

 

Would you buy BMW diesel injectors to put into your Nissan car engine ?

Of course not, BMW parts are too expensive.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

One of the first things to buy is tools and spares that are designed to be used on YOUR boat, its fittings & power train.

Imperial engine and you need imperial spanners.

 

Would you buy BMW diesel injectors to put into your Nissan car engine ?

 

Depends who makes 'em.

 

Often such things can be generic fitment and made by Bosch......

 

😉

[Whitemonkey]

I take your point.

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

Some metric spanners may seem that they almost fit AF hex heads. The point is that "almost fit" really means "doesn't fit".

Generally true, but I have always found that in practice 19mm and 3/4 inch AF (19.1mm) spanners are interchangeable.

[Machpoint005]

4 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Generally true, but I have always found that in practice 19mm and 3/4 inch AF (19.1mm) spanners are interchangeable.

 

That's the only size that really is near enough.

[bizzard]

Cycle ten sizes in one dumbell spanners are very useful for small get you out of trouble jobs at a couple of quid. Mainly metric now of course but an ebay search should find AF or BSF ones.

[dmr]

15 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

That's the only size that really is near enough.

 

1/2 inch and 13mm are pretty close. Most boat engines are painted so quite often the correct spanner won't go on and using a slightly larger equivalent might just be the way to go. If nuts are a bit rounded then using a tight "equivalent" ring  spanner/socket and beating it on with a big hammer is a good last resort. 😀

Keep two sets of tools, one for careful use and one for abusing.

 

.................Dave

[bizzard]

And for better grip on worn nuts and bolts, not ring but hexagon spanners like the cycle dumbell spanners have

[David Mack]

3 minutes ago, dmr said:

Most boat engines are painted so quite often the correct spanner won't go on and using a slightly larger equivalent might just be the way to go.

 

And hexagon sockets will often work OK(ish) when the same size of the normal 12-pointed socket won't.

 

The 1930s bolts I was undoing this morning were neither mm nor inch AF sizes - probably Whitworth, but I didn't have any Whitworth spanners with me. But the spark plug socket from my socket set was a perfect fit!

[dmr]

Hexagon (impact) sockets are just great, every toolbox should have a set.

Allen (socket head)) bolts are another case where careful mixing of imperial and metric can get you out of trouble. Filing/grinding a slight taper onto an imperial hexagon and beating it into a worn metric bolt can save a lot of time and trauma. CV joints on older VW campers spring to mind 😀

 

A Dremel is a good tool for slight;y reducing the size of a hexagon head so the next size down socket will fit. We don't live in a perfect world.

 

.............Dave