Engine service

[alan_fincher]

Here's the RCR servicing spec: http://rivercanalrescue.co.uk/additional-guaranteed-servicing.php

I see it includes a fuel filter change.

 

This may well be of interest to those who feel less able to carry out the trickier bits on their own.

 

Whilst I know some modern engines will "self bleed" after such a swap, there are certainly older engines where there is a real knack to it, and you can end up with the inconvenience of a flat battery as well.

 

I'd personally say that £120 for the work (and materials) in that list is no great bargain, but equally it is probably competitive with what a lot of other places would charge, (and a lot less than some!).

[sociable_hermit]

If you want monkeys, pay peanuts. If you want a chance of it done properly (and early signs of faults identified) get a professional - and pay a professional charge for the job.

£110 sounds reasonable to me, assuming all the right fluids and filters are going to be used.

 

But what do I know? I do it meself becasue it's fairly straightforward. Get an owner's manual for the engine and enjoy your bedtime reading. Better still, invest £90 or so with Malcolm at Top Lock Training - to do his basic diesel engine course. It's a wonderful confidence builder!

I think you're misinterpreting what I was trying to say. Assuming it's a standard quote then yes, it's a good deal compared to others doing similar work. If, however, it is supposedly heavily discounted as a result of RCR membership, then the original price must have been very steep! And yes I agree that a basic service is usually quite easy to do, and engineers sometimes cultivate a false sense of complexity in order to keep the work coming in.

[JGMarine]

If you look at the spec for what RCR do they only supply upto 5 litres of oil. Most engines take more than this. As an established marine engineer on the canal network i can complete a full engine service with all filters and all oils changed including full engine checks for just a little more than the prices quoted by RCR. And no i am not touting for work.

Edited September 7, 2010 by JUST ME

[Naughty Cal]

HI,

 

Going back to the original post, it's a lady asking for service details, might be worth carefully enquiring about her mechanical ability and availabilty of special tools etc. before suggesting she carries out the work herself.

 

It may well be that the figure quoted is reasonable, as hopefully the service would be carried out be an organisation with reasonable work ethics and there would be a fair chance of a recall and redress if there were any problems.

 

No connection with RCR and not casting aspertions on the abilities of others.

 

Leo

 

Are ladies not allowed to get up close and personal with mechanical items?

[mayalld]

HI,

 

Going back to the original post, it's a lady asking for service details, might be worth carefully enquiring about her mechanical ability and availabilty of special tools etc. before suggesting she carries out the work herself.

 

 

Oh, absolutely!

 

Given the well known fact that ladies are incapable of worrying their pretty little heads about things mechanical.

 

Which century are you living in?

[Billypownall]

If you look at the spec for what RCR do they only supply upto 5 litres of oil. Most engines take more than this. As an established marine engineer on the canal network i can complete a full engine service with all filters and all oils changed including full engine checks for just a little more than the prices quoted by RCR. And no i am not touting for work.

Does your charge of a "little over RCR's price" include the cost of the oil and in my case three filters ? If so you sound very reasonable.

[alan_fincher]

Are ladies not allowed to get up close and personal with mechanical items?

They can do what they like, provided it's within the privacy of their own house or boat !

[Guest]

Not to many diesel powered Morris Minors (ever!) methinks!

 

Now there's a challeng - Martin goes off to Google 'Diesel powered Morris Minors...'

[Naughty Cal]

They can do what they like, provided it's within the privacy of their own house or boat !

 

It is usually within the confines of the engine bay so im guessing that is ok

[WJM]

I get RCR to do a service for me every year. I am sure I could work out how to do the service myself but the real value for me is in having a man who really knows boats look over mine. The RCR guys see boats and boat breakdowns all year long so I really value their feedback when they look at mine. At every service, they have spotted potential problems and saved me from a future breakdown. It works well in both directions, I avoid the hassle of a breakdown and they avoid the cost of rescuing me.

[Naughty Cal]

I get RCR to do a service for me every year. I am sure I could work out how to do the service myself but the real value for me is in having a man who really knows boats look over mine. The RCR guys see boats and boat breakdowns all year long so I really value their feedback when they look at mine. At every service, they have spotted potential problems and saved me from a future breakdown. It works well in both directions, I avoid the hassle of a breakdown and they avoid the cost of rescuing me.

 

And they make a mint out of spotting "potential problems"

 

Call me cynical if you will but i prefer knowing my own engine, that way i can spot any potential problems as they occur and instantly know when the engine isnt performing to its usual standards.

[WotEver]

And they make a mint out of spotting "potential problems"

Do they?

 

When I was new to boating I had the free RCR engine check done and the engineer pointed out that the engine mounts were shot, and if I didn't get the botched-by-previous-owner stern greaser replaced asap I was likely to sink some time soon. Both of those work items were booked and subsequently carrried out by a local marine mechanic - a slip being part of the work involved (for the greaser replacement).

 

On another occasion an RCR engineer advised me to drain the coolant and replace with a nice new anti-freeze mix because "the water shouldn't be rusty".

 

I can't work out how RCR 'made a mint' out of pointing out those potential problems to me. Of course, they avoided a call-out from me sitting on the bottom of the canal, but that served us both.

 

Tony

[JGMarine]

Does your charge of a "little over RCR's price" include the cost of the oil and in my case three filters ? If so you sound very reasonable.

 

My charge includes engine and gearbox oil and oil, fuel and air filters. This cost is based on the filters being standard type and the boat being fairly local to braunston.

This is for a modern type engine (BMC,beta,Isuzu etc)not your traditional type.

Edited September 8, 2010 by JGMarine

[Naughty Cal]

Do they?

 

When I was new to boating I had the free RCR engine check done and the engineer pointed out that the engine mounts were shot, and if I didn't get the botched-by-previous-owner stern greaser replaced asap I was likely to sink some time soon. Both of those work items were booked and subsequently carrried out by a local marine mechanic - a slip being part of the work involved (for the greaser replacement).

 

On another occasion an RCR engineer advised me to drain the coolant and replace with a nice new anti-freeze mix because "the water shouldn't be rusty".

 

I can't work out how RCR 'made a mint' out of pointing out those potential problems to me. Of course, they avoided a call-out from me sitting on the bottom of the canal, but that served us both.

 

Tony

 

Engine mounts and a dodgy stern tube greaser should have been spotted had you had a survey. Rusty water in the coolant system you should have checked before buying the boat and as part of a maintenance schedule. It takes seconds to unscrew the cap and look at the condition of the water/antifreeze mix. Did you pay any attention to the engine and engine bay when you bought the boat?

[Nightwatch]

Engine mounts and a dodgy stern tube greaser should have been spotted had you had a survey. Rusty water in the coolant system you should have checked before buying the boat and as part of a maintenance schedule. It takes seconds to unscrew the cap and look at the condition of the water/antifreeze mix. Did you pay any attention to the engine and engine bay when you bought the boat?

You are such a school marm aren't you?

 

I had a full survey on Nightwatch and believe it or not.. he missed things that should have been obvious.

[Paul Evans]

You are such a school marm aren't you?

 

I had a full survey on Nightwatch and believe it or not.. he missed things that should have been obvious.

 

Careful what you say or Phylis will be telling you to sue the surveyor.

[Nightwatch]

Careful what you say or Phylis will be telling you to sue the surveyor.

She has probably gone home now, so I can wait until the morn.

 

Brace!, brace!, brace!, incoming!.

[WotEver]

Did you pay any attention to the engine and engine bay when you bought the boat?

What's that got to do with RCR supposedly "making a mint" out of offering advice and spotting potential problems?

 

You stated

And they make a mint out of spotting "potential problems"

 

I gave examples of where they offered advice on two separate occasions regarding potential problems where they were not in a position to make any money whatsoever out of it. You have failed to give examples of the opposite.

 

Of course, you can't justify your accusation, so you attempt to change the subject so as to divert attention from your innaccurate assertion.

 

Tony

Edited September 9, 2010 by WotEver

[mayalld]

Careful what you say or Phylis will be telling you to sue the surveyor.

 

Nah, she'll just tell you that such things would never happen on a yoghurt pot.

[Guest]

Nah, she'll just tell you that such things would never happen on a yoghurt pot.

 

 

Dead ard you is when she's not here - you'll be for it my lad....

Edited September 8, 2010 by MJG

[mayalld]

Dead ard you is when she's not here - you'll be for it my lad....

 

Does I look scared?

[Guest]

Does I look scared?

 

[Smelly]

I've not found proprietary filters for our Isuzu yet so fuel and oil filter about 27 quid; 5l of oil will do for a sump full(ish) for about 18... call it 45quid and an hour's work. I've got most of a spare can (cheers Baldock) for the gear box but that takes all of 5 minutes.

 

Spare belts always in stock and have changed them twice in about 4 years at around a tenner each.

 

I plan to change the coolant this year the anti freeze cost I don't know; I will moor next to the antifreeze shop and then start pumping.

 

Tappets probably need checking as well; there's summat that rattles... I've got a feeler gauge and a big spanner although it'll take a while as first time on this engine.

 

Cost for standard service; 45 quid and an hour; for my professional services that'd be 95 quid plus VAT. For oil change/fuel/filters/business overhead/travel then £110 quid ain't bad.

 

I've just worked that out because I thought "ouch" at first but it's not really.

[WotEver]

I've just worked that out because I thought "ouch" at first but it's not really.

I totally agree.

 

Tony

[Naughty Cal]

What's that got to do with RCR supposedly "making a mint" out of offering advice and spotting potential problems?

 

 

It is in the interest of marine engineers in general, not just RCR, to point out "potential problems" to their clients to ensure they have a healthy supply of work. What i am saying is that some of these "potential problems" actually would make little or no difference to the boats performance for years on end. Obviously the stern greaser in your example needed attention, but there are many cases of work being carried out that just isnt really necessary.

 

Nah, she'll just tell you that such things would never happen on a yoghurt pot.

 

Oh no it happens much more on GRP sports boats they have much more to go wrong than your avearage sewer tube.

 

I gave examples of where they offered advice on two separate occasions regarding potential problems where they were not in a position to make any money whatsoever out of it. You have failed to give examples of the opposite.

 

Of course, you can't justify your accusation, so you attempt to change the subject so as to divert attention from your innaccurate assertion.

 

Tony

 

I can give you many examples, where should we start?

 

The marine engineer who upon seeing our hydraulic oil slick insisted we had a knackered fuel injector and that we should replaced the lot at a cost of £350 plus VAT plus labour

 

or maybe

 

The marine engineer to whom we then pointed out it wasnt fuel but hydraulic oil insisted we had a blown turbo and wanted to replace that at a cost of £1250 plus VAT plus fitting.

 

or maybe

 

The marine engineer to whom we told to p*ss off when we quickly realised he was clueless who then went on to service a friends boat, despite our poor reports of him, and charged him £1250 for the pleasure. A week later, on the boats first outing since the service, it dumped all its coolant into the bilge tray, gave low oil pressure warnings and then overheated for good measure. The boat was quickly towed back to base where it was inspected and found to have a multitude of other errors including belts fitted incorrectly.

 

So forgive me if i dont trust marine engineers, but given the track record of some we have found so far, i think that we will stick to servicing our own engine, getting to know it and getting to know when it has a problem or the start of a problem. Being able to fix, service and maintain your own engine is important if you want to have hassle free cruising.