Need a marine engineer

[RickS]

Hello

I have had to pull over near the village of Yelvertoft. My engine is overheating and I am losing coolant from somewhere. i have had a look but can't see anything obvious.

Could someone recommend a good engineer who may be willing to come out to take a look please?

I am only a few miles from my destination - Welford marina - and my original plan was to run it for about an hour and the temperature started to climb, and then shut down and let it cool off before doing it all again. Now I'm not so sure that is such a good idea - hence the need for an engineer to come and take a look.

Thanks for any suggestions

Edited April 13, 2025 by RickS

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, RickS said:

Hello

I have had to pull over near the village of Yelvertoft. My engine is overheating and I am losing coolant from somewhere. i have had a look but can't see anything obvious.

Could someone recommend a good engineer who may be willing to come out to take a look please?

I am only a few miles from my destination - Welford marina - and my original plan was to run it for about an hour and the temperature started to climb, and then shut down and let it cool off before doing it all again. Now I'm not so sure that is such a good idea - hence the need for an engineer to come and take a look.

Thanks for any suggestions

 

I think your best chance is River Canal Rescue. RCR. I think they'll send someone on a paid-for basis provided you join up too. Which seems a good idea if you are not handy with engines yourself! 

 

 

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

I think your best chance is River Canal Rescue. RCR. I think they'll send someone on a paid-for basis provided you join up too. Which seems a good idea if you are not handy with engines yourself! 

 

 

Some insurance companies like GJW include RCR. Does yours

[Chris John]

Welford marina will probably come out if you’re a moorer there 

[David Mack]

Have you thought about hitching a tow, or even bowhauling, to get back to your mooring?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I would top up with water and carry on,

and fix the problem at my leisure

 

 

understand I’m not advising OP to do this,

I won’t be responsible if anything goes wrong,

 

just saying what I’d do and have done countless times 👍

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, 5239 said:

just saying what I’d do and have done countless times 👍

 

Countless times? You often have overheating engines on your boats then? What is it you're doing wrong? 

 

In 25 years I think I've had an overheating boat engine once when a fanbelt snapped.

 

OP, have you checked your fanbelts by the way?

Edited April 13, 2025 by blackrose

[Slim]

2 hours ago, 5239 said:

I would top up with water and carry on,

and fix the problem at my leisure

 

 

understand I’m not advising OP to do this,

I won’t be responsible if anything goes wrong,

 

just saying what I’d do and have done countless times 👍

It's what I would do as well given that you have the time to allow for cooling off periods.

Remember the concept of lift and coast. (I'm watching the F1 race as I type) 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

 

 

In 25 years I think I've had an overheating boat engine once when a fanbelt snapped.

 

 

Well ain’t you the lucky one?

Never bought an old car?

Never bought a boat with old engine?

 

 

[matty40s]

Rick, tell us what engine, is it skin tank or raw water cooled, or something strange.

Chances are, the skin tank needs bleeding (most likely and easiest fix to do)

Look for a nut, square bolt, tap, other fitting on top of skin tank and open slowly until it flows.....if you get air first, that was the problem and you have now probably solved it.

[Tony Brooks]

2 hours ago, matty40s said:

Rick, tell us what engine, is it skin tank or raw water cooled, or something strange.

Chances are, the skin tank needs bleeding (most likely and easiest fix to do)

Look for a nut, square bolt, tap, other fitting on top of skin tank and open slowly until it flows.....if you get air first, that was the problem and you have now probably solved it.

 

But if it actually boiled, then it is also possible that the thermostat has vented wax, so is now opening at a higher temperature than it should.

 

@RickS Venting the skin tank is a good call, but keep the stat in mind. If the boat is not skin tank cooled, and you want more suggestions, best tell us what cooling system it actually has.

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

But if it actually boiled, then it is also possible that the thermostat has vented wax, so is now opening at a higher temperature than it should.

 

@RickS Venting the skin tank is a good call, but keep the stat in mind. If the boat is not skin tank cooled, and you want more suggestions, best tell us what cooling system it actually has.

 

Or post lots of photos of views of the whole engine installation (i.e. not close-ups of just bits of it) then we should be able to tell the OP! 

[Chris John]

Not sure I’d want to be going through Crick tunnel with a known unreliable engine. Irresponsible to say the least 

[Tony Brooks]

6 minutes ago, Chris John said:

Not sure I’d want to be going through Crick tunnel with a known unreliable engine. Irresponsible to say the least 

 

He is at Yelvertoft and going to Welford, so nowhere near the Crick Tunnel - did you get mixed up with Weltonfield?

[Chris John]

18 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

He is at Yelvertoft and going to Welford, so nowhere near the Crick Tunnel - did you get mixed up with Weltonfield?

Yep your right I was thinking of Welton field 🙄

[Richard T]

I don't know if Ben Simms is still working in the area or not mobile no is 07734348615 >he helped us a couple of years ago. Sam Matts at Foxton Boat Services is another possibility

[Mike Tee]

Might be polite if the originator of this thread responded to the fifteen or so responses to his original plea for help, made 24 hours ago.

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

Might be polite if the originator of this thread responded to the fifteen or so responses to his original plea for help, made 24 hours ago.

 

He has not been on the forrum fo 23 hours - maybe he didn't expect such a quick response, maybe his boat has sunk, maybe he is ill, or, maybe he has a life.

[David Mack]

Well it does seem a bit odd to ask for help then not come back and see what responses there might be.

[RickS]

On 14/04/2025 at 12:18, Mike Tee said:

Might be polite if the originator of this thread responded to the fifteen or so responses to his original plea for help, made 24 hours ago.

Certainly would have responded had I had any usable signal with which to respond - perhaps not that polite to point that out.

 

Thank you everyone for your replies. I don't have the confidence or capability probably to attempt half the technical suggestions made here, but I am grateful for them regardless.

 

I ended up calling upon RCR as part of my insurance - thanks Tonka for the reminder, I had completely forgotten about that.

The solution was quite straightforward apparently. The jubilee clip on the hose from the thermostat had come loose so there was leakage from there. The temperature sender was loose and the ptfe tape was sparse, so that was reseated and the tape renewed. The oil pressure sender was weak so that will be replaced by the marina or RCR. Relieved that it was not a serious problem with the engine.

Stopped twice (oil alarm came on again the next day - then was diagnosed as being faulty - or at least not operating at its best). Absolutely no signal where stopped so have not posted until today, when I arrived at Welford.

Thanks again everyone, really good to know there is a wealth of knowledge and advice out there.

On 13/04/2025 at 12:28, MtB said:

 

I think your best chance is River Canal Rescue. RCR. I think they'll send someone on a paid-for basis provided you join up too. Which seems a good idea if you are not handy with engines yourself! 

 

 

Planning on joining after this experience - got me out of trouble quickly and very friendly.

On 14/04/2025 at 07:41, Tony Brooks said:

 

But if it actually boiled, then it is also possible that the thermostat has vented wax, so is now opening at a higher temperature than it should.

 

@RickS Venting the skin tank is a good call, but keep the stat in mind. If the boat is not skin tank cooled, and you want more suggestions, best tell us what cooling system it actually has.

Thanks Tony. It has an external skin tank, but as I have posted, the problem was a leaky hose and temperature sender. Not sure if I would have managed to bleed the skin tank but I see the point and I am grateful for it.

[RickS]

On 14/04/2025 at 08:11, Chris John said:

Not sure I’d want to be going through Crick tunnel with a known unreliable engine. Irresponsible to say the least 

Would not have attempted any tunnel with my engine in that condition. I agree it would seem to be irresponsible to do so.

I had already come through Crick tunnel before the problem made itself known however - yes, I was coming from Weltonfield

On 14/04/2025 at 12:11, Richard T said:

I don't know if Ben Simms is still working in the area or not mobile no is 07734348615 >he helped us a couple of years ago. Sam Matts at Foxton Boat Services is another possibility

Thank you Richard. I got in touch with RCR in the end, but I will certainly make a note of suggestions and keep them for future reference.

On 14/04/2025 at 12:43, David Mack said:

Well it does seem a bit odd to ask for help then not come back and see what responses there might be.

Thanks David. I appreciate it does seem odd, but the first two responses mentioned RCR and I grabbed that and got in touch with them. After that, as I say, I seemed to pass through a black hole of no signal until I got here at Welford.

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, RickS said:

 After that, as I say, I seemed to pass through a black hole of no signal until I got here at Welford.

That is a well documented and very good reason for delay in response...🙂