I am desperate to get a marine engineer to service my engine

[Garethh]

Hey I'm very new to the boating life, my boat is located in newbury atm it is a dawncraft 30ft cruiser, I've been let down by 2 people who said they would look at my boat and never turned up, I just want the engine serviced, a new fuel tank put in. please does anyone no of some one near the area they can recommend as I'm out of opinions, many thanks.

[MtB]

Might be an idea to mention what the engine is! 

 

Its the comment about the fuel tank that's is probably putting people off. Fitting a new fuel tank is a totally different kettle of fish from servicing the engine. It might be an idea to separate out the two jobs. Get someone to service the engine and look for someone to replace the fuel tnk separately.

 

Or is it an outboard you have?

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

Don't know why I am bothering to reply after yesterday's outburst, but it might help if you tell us what engine you what serviced. I have been known to travel up to about 20 miles from Reading to help other boaters FOC, but it would be on the basis that you did the service and I supervise. Can't help with the tank, but unless it has rusted through wonder why it needs a new one.

[MtB]

36 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Don't know why I am bothering to reply after yesterday's outburst,

 

Ah, I hadn't connected the OP with that display of bad grace and petulance yesterday over in the gas hob thread.

 

 

[LadyG]

4 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Ah, I hadn't connected the OP with that display of bad grace and petulance yesterday over in the gas hob thread.

 

 

Keep up.

I would say @Tony Brooks is being overly generous, most people would just ignore pleas for help, given the history.

When I want something done I Google "boatyards near me" and then phone a few till I find the right one.

[David Mack]

What sort of outboard fuel tank needs to be 'put in' by a 'marine engineer'?

[MtB]

Just now, David Mack said:

What sort of outboard fuel tank needs to be 'put in' by a 'marine engineer'?

 

We don't know it's an outboard.

 

I just asked the question "is it an outboard?" but no answer forthcoming yet. 

 

All we know is the boat is a Dawncraft 30.

 

 

 

 

And looking at some photos of them, it could be either!

 

 

[LadyG]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

We don't know it's an outboard.

 

I just asked the question "is it an outboard?" but no answer forthcoming yet. 

 

All we know is the boat is a Dawncraft 30.

 

 

 

 

I thought it was rather an odd demand given that  OP was previously about to instal a gas hob, but can't cope with an engine service. Maybe it's just "New Boat Syndrome" ,  time will tell

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I thought it was rather an odd demand given that  OP was previously about to instal a gas hob, but can't cope with an engine service. Maybe it's just "New Boat Syndrome" ,  time will tell

 

 

It may well turn out the engine is busted and needs fixing. People often ask for "a service" when they actually want a repair.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I thought it was rather an odd demand given that  OP was previously about to instal a gas hob, but can't cope with an engine service. Maybe it's just "New Boat Syndrome" ,  time will tell

 

 

Maybe now he realises that he was not competent to install a hob (or even attach a gas pipe) he has accepted that he is not competent to work on an engine either.

It could be progress ?

[LadyG]

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

It may well turn out the engine is busted and needs fixing. People often ask for "a service" when they actually want a repair.

 

 

I knew that, but held back on my comments, newbies may need to be educated, I remember my first use of a forum, this forum, and it took a few posts to get the hang of things.

[Stilllearning]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I knew that, but held back on my comments, newbies may need to be educated, I remember my first use of a forum, this forum, and it took a few posts to get the hang of things.

I remember the suggestions that you change your original user name.

 

[BilgePump]

I'm guessing that it's a BMC 1.5 with Enfield Z drive as Dawncraft 30s seemed to have that or an outboard as options.

[Garethh]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Might be an idea to mention what the engine is! 

 

Its the comment about the fuel tank that's is probably putting people off. Fitting a new fuel tank is a totally different kettle of fish from servicing the engine. It might be an idea to separate out the two jobs. Get someone to service the engine and look for someone to replace the fuel tnk separately.

 

Or is it an outboard you have?

 

 

It's a 1.8 diesel inward engine, the previous owner disconnected the old one but didn't replace it, I think the old o e is fine, I just don't have the knowledge, many thanks for reply.

1 hour ago, MtB said:

Might be an idea to mention what the engine is! 

 

Its the comment about the fuel tank that's is probably putting people off. Fitting a new fuel tank is a totally different kettle of fish from servicing the engine. It might be an idea to separate out the two jobs. Get someone to service the engine and look for someone to replace the fuel tnk separately.

 

Or is it an outboard you have?

 

 

1.8 diesel inward engine, soz not that knowledgeable.

[David Mack]

3 minutes ago, Garethh said:

It's a 1.8 diesel inward engine, the previous owner disconnected the old one but didn't replace it,

Disconnected what exactly? Sounds like it may need more than just a service.

[Garethh]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Don't know why I am bothering to reply after yesterday's outburst, but it might help if you tell us what engine you what serviced. I have been known to travel up to about 20 miles from Reading to help other boaters FOC, but it would be on the basis that you did the service and I supervise. Can't help with the tank, but unless it has rusted through wonder why it needs a new one.

My apologies about the other day, I was just getting overwhelmed at the amount of replys and didn't react well, I'm sorry if I offended you, I appreciate u replying to this post, thank you.

5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Disconnected what exactly? Sounds like it may need more than just a service.

The previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no, I'm still in contact with him, he was worried the old fuel tank would rust and drag bits thru the engine.

[Stilllearning]

9 minutes ago, Garethh said:

My apologies about the other day, I was just getting overwhelmed at the amount of replys and didn't react well, I'm sorry if I offended you, I appreciate u replying to this post, thank you.

The previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no, I'm still in contact with him, he was worried the old fuel tank would rust and drag bits thru the engine.

So it's the tank disconnected from the engine.

[Garethh]

Just now, Stilllearning said:

So it's the tank disconnected from the engine.

Yes I would really appreciate the help, if u tell me what to do i can do it with supervision. 2 issues 1) the service is for peace of mind more than anything the previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no, I'm still in contact with him, he was worried the old fuel tank would rust and drag bits thru the engine.

2) the old tank is still in the boat but has been disconnected and the fuel line is currently in a plastic barrel with diesel in it.

[howardang]

27 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

So it's the tank disconnected from the engine.

I suggest that you need to contact as many boat yards in your area and try to explain the issue, and any others,  as clearly as possible. I certainly sounds like much more than a service and it would ne necessary for an engineer to view the boat properly to give you an assessment of what is actually required. If the engine is disconnected as you say it suggests that the previous owner was more than a little concerned. Did anyone have a look at the boat for you prior to your purchasing it? 

It might also be worth at the same time getting someone who knows what they are about to give your boat a good inspection to see if there are any other such issues.

I certainly would respectfully suggest that you don't attempt to carry out any repairs yourself, even under "supervision" whatever that would entail. I appreciate that this may mean spending money but unfortunately that can go together with boat ownership.

 

Howard

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by howardang

[MtB]

43 minutes ago, Garethh said:

The previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no, I'm still in contact with him, he was worried the old fuel tank would rust and drag bits thru the engine.

 

Hmmm what he's told you doesn't really make sense. Diesel tanks don't generally rust, the diesel is an excellent rust preventer! They do however, accumulate general muck and crud which is why there should be a filter - to catch it. Also, the fuel pick-up pipe should be some way off the bottom so it avoids the crud most fuel tanks contain. Something pretty dramatic must have happened though to make him rig up the plastic barrel arrangement. 

 

I's suggest the proper fuel tank needs re-connecting and finding out why it was really disconnected. I mean identify actually, really why the engine won't go on the right fuel tank. Not just why the previous owner appears to have just guessed. Then fix it. 

 

 

 

 

[Garethh]

20 minutes ago, howardang said:

I suggest that you need to contact as many boat yards in your area and try to explain the issue as clearly as possible. I certainly sounds like much more than a service and it would ne necessary for an engineer to view the boat properly to give you an assessment of what is actually required. If the engine is disconnected as you say it suggests that the previous owner was more than a little concerned. Did anyone have a look at the boat for you prior to your purchasing it? 

It might also be worth at the same time getting someone who knows what they are about to give your boat a good inspection to see if there are any other such issues.

 

Howard

 

I've looked up contacts on Google but 2 people didn't want to no and 1 person just didnt turn up. I can't find anyone else in the area.

Sorry its the fuel tank that's been disconnected. The engine is connected and runs well as far as it sounds. The fuel line is currently in a plastic barrel with fuel in and the boat can be moved.

 

[Tracy D'arth]

A 1.8litre  BMC diesel engine?  That is capacity and make and model.

#There are lots of 1.8ltr engines in this world#

 

 I don't like the sound of the fuel pipe in a plastic barrel, where does the return go?

You need an engine fitter, a tank maker and a boat fitter to do this work, not an Engine Service.

[Ewan123]

37 minutes ago, Garethh said:

the previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no

The thing is, you really don't know. Unless you're able to competently assess the engine condition yourself, you've only got the seller's word for it. As nice as they might be, even if they honestly think they took care of it, they might not have had much of a clue either.

 

So you what you want is more than an engineer to carry out a service - with the fuel tank question it's going to be multiple visits/ more than a quick visit to a boatyard.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Ewan123

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

With the system currently in non-functioning condition (presumably you couldn't even have the engine started before buying it), for all you know it's just a lump of dead metal.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Garethh said:

The engine is connected and runs well as far as it sounds. The fuel line is currently in a plastic barrel with fuel in and the boat can be moved.

 

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

A 1.8litre  BMC diesel engine?  That is capacity and make and model.

#There are lots of 1.8ltr engines in this world#

 

 I don't like the sound of the fuel pipe in a plastic barrel, where does the return go?

You need an engine fitter, a tank maker and a boat fitter to do this work, not an Engine Service.

 

Chances are very high its a BMC 1.8 I'd have thought. Some photos by the OP would clear this one up easily. 

 

And yes the tank needs sorting out. No engineer is likely to get involved with an engine with a bodged up and most likely dangerous fuel supply from a plastic barrel. This needs sorting out and fixing then once this is done, consider getting the engine serviced.