Cold start a Lister SR2

[Wiff]

I have recently purchased my first boat and I am loving it. I came home tonight to the old problem I was warned about the fact that my old Lister engine does not like the cold and needs some heat adding to the air to allow it to start. Up until tonight I did not need to know how to do the old blow torch down the air intake method but of course now I do. I am assuming that the air intake is the two huge cardboard tubes which go into the engine and are held on with massive metal circular clips that you sometimes see on hoses. If I can fathom how to upload photos so I can show you I will do so. I have also been informed that if I hold open the choke mechanism I may not need to use the blow torch method again when I can upload the photos I can show you. Not going to touch it tonight so its a good book and the wood burner for company tonight but tomorrow day time I must see if I can get the engine started,it started fine yesterday after a little bit of coaxing! Don't want to flatten the battery cranking it with no real method being used. Any help would be wonderful thanks Heather

[jake_crew]

NOOoooo.

 

Those pipes are the cooling air for the engine.

 

I don't know the SR2 but you need to find the air cleaner.

 

Its probably onto the top of the engine, poss a round "bowl" with a wing nut on top. Some hot air wafted around that will help.

 

But don't be afraid to use the cold star device ie "choke on a petrol engine".

[Keeping Up]

Yes if you use the "choke" you will probably find that it will start (IIRC from 20 years ago it's just that you move the STOP control in the opposite direction, isn't it?)

[PhilR]

I have recently purchased my first boat and I am loving it. I came home tonight to the old problem I was warned about the fact that my old Lister engine does not like the cold and needs some heat adding to the air to allow it to start. Up until tonight I did not need to know how to do the old blow torch down the air intake method but of course now I do. I am assuming that the air intake is the two huge cardboard tubes which go into the engine and are held on with massive metal circular clips that you sometimes see on hoses. If I can fathom how to upload photos so I can show you I will do so. I have also been informed that if I hold open the choke mechanism I may not need to use the blow torch method again when I can upload the photos I can show you. Not going to touch it tonight so its a good book and the wood burner for company tonight but tomorrow day time I must see if I can get the engine started,it started fine yesterday after a little bit of coaxing! Don't want to flatten the battery cranking it with no real method being used. Any help would be wonderful thanks Heather

 

DON't repeat DON't put a blow torch anywhere near the engine ........................... (it isn't a Bolinder)

 

I'll reply again later - food just arrived. In the meantime I don't want you to do serious injury/damage to yourself or your engine/boat.

 

Edited to add:

 

The antibiotics kicked in after typing the above and I felt awful .............

Edited November 30, 2012 by PhilR

[Wiff]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/dscf5036k.jpg/ that seems to be the photo link to the pipes I was thinking about! glad i asked really now So its the mushroom thing I need to look at I take it! Will have a go in the morning and let you know how I got on !

[Keeping Up]

?????????? choke?

I used the term, in quotes, because the OP referred to it and therefore there was a probability they would understand what I meant - as did the reply from Jake Crew.

 

I do know that it is NOT really a choke

 

 

 

http://imageshack.us.../dscf5036k.jpg/ that seems to be the photo link to the pipes I was thinking about! glad i asked really now So its the mushroom thing I need to look at I take it! Will have a go in the morning and let you know how I got on !

 

Yes it is, but as the others have said, don't use a blowlamp.

[RLWP]

 

Richard

[Wiff]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/dscf5038c.jpg/ take it this blue cap is where I need to carefully put the hot air, I have also been told that to flick the compression levers off then on when cranking is a good idea too. Sadly my next door boater has retired 2 weeks ago to dry land so I have no close by help but I am sure I will sort it out with your help! Edited November 29, 2012 by Wiff

[RLWP]

 

Yes it is, but as the others have said, don't use a blowlamp.

 

 

Why?

 

Starting old engines by blowing hot air up the air intake is pretty common

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

Why?

 

Starting old engines by blowing hot air up the air intake is pretty common

 

Richard

 

Just that the OP is clearly inexperienced with the engine so the thought of them wafting a blowlamp around at random is slightly scary. Surely a better solution to try initially is to operate the "cold start" lever - which as I said I think is just the stop lever moved in the opposite direction - which should make it start in just a few seconds. I know my old SR would never start without it in the winter, but always started first time with it.

[bizzard]

The SR is a direct injection engine and should start easily on full throttle in any temperature with no other assistance if in good nick. Is the starter motor and battery ok?. You can decompress with the levers to wind up the engine cranking speed and then whack em over this eases the strain on the battery and starter motor also. Is the engine oil too thick or old? if too thick it can seriously reduce the cranking speed in cold weather.

[RLWP]

Just that the OP is clearly inexperienced with the engine so the thought of them wafting a blowlamp around at random is slightly scary. Surely a better solution to try initially is to operate the "cold start" lever - which as I said I think is just the stop lever moved in the opposite direction - which should make it start in just a few seconds. I know my old SR would never start without it in the winter, but always started first time with it.

 

I agree, the cold start is the way to go. It was the dramatic stuff about blowlamps, particularly from Phil, that I couldn't understand

 

Richard

[Wiff]

Sorry Know it is not called a choke but it adds extra fuel it is near the air pipes in the photo near the brassy circular gubbins. The levers on top of the cylinders also have a really fancy name too I know but all I know is they allow me to start the engine on one cylinder which is useful when the battery is flat which I want to avoid. Will not even try to start the engine till tomorrow so I know you will give me as ever really wise advise. Thank you so much Heather x

 

Engine has been recently serviced. Batteries charged yesterday evening fine, oil changed so all should be hunky dory with the boat. Have got some experience with petrol engines but yes the Lister is a new one to me it has to be said so yep inexperienced but not stupid I think is a fair thing to say which is why I aint touching it now!

[bizzard]

Sorry Know it is not called a choke but it adds extra fuel it is near the air pipes in the photo near the brassy circular gubbins. The levers on top of the cylinders also have a really fancy name too I know but all I know is they allow me to start the engine on one cylinder which is useful when the battery is flat which I want to avoid. Will not even try to start the engine till tomorrow so I know you will give me as ever really wise advise. Thank you so much Heather x

 

Engine has been recently serviced. Batteries charged yesterday evening fine, oil changed so all should be hunky dory with the boat. Have got some experience with petrol engines but yes the Lister is a new one to me it has to be said so yep inexperienced but not stupid I think is a fair thing to say which is why I aint touching it now!

If your battery is in good nick and fully charged and the starter motor is ok then just out of gear and ''FULL throttle, this injects fuel and raises the compression'', should be all that is needed although by using the decompressor levers as you say you did will help to ease the starter motor and battery load. And hang on to the starter, don't do it in short blips.

Edited November 29, 2012 by bizzard

[coventrylad]

As others have said, full throttle and cold start lever, I never like starting an engine on full revs but the manual recomends this, of cource soon as she starts knock the revs off! do not let her rev like made from cold for ages, If all else fails can of easy start to hand with just a small squirt in the air intake will sort it out, but best not to use it too often, but handy if the battery is fading fast and you need to start it.

[Wiff]

That is how I would usually start it but without the decompression levers being used, I dont think I have a battery or starter motor problem but as I have nothing to compare it to you never know as the instrumentation on here is pretty basic when it comes to power monitoring as there is not any its all down to me guessing and being in a routine with starting the engine which I do for 2 hours every evening at the moment to power pumps lights and a very small amount of TV or radio. It is possibly too much but as my engine usually starts brightly first time of asking and its fuel use is very economical to me it is what I am happy doing. The previous owner who had been boating for years told me to do the blowtorch method or a burning newspaper, which sounded a bit alarming. My lovely mechanic friend showed me the extra fuel valve so I will give it a go tomorrow. It is my first winter ever on a boat and I can cope tonight with a book and my wood stove. have downloaded the Lister manual off the internet too so I will give it a read and learn all the terms too! My laptop has a big battery that I charge at work by the way.

[coventrylad]

Well done. you stick with it. Oh sorry to say it is going to be very cold tonight make sure you have plenty of wood

[Wiff]

Chopping trees down will keep off the cold!

[David Mack]

If all else fails can of easy start to hand with just a small squirt in the air intake will sort it out, but best not to use it too often, but handy if the battery is fading fast and you need to start it.

 

I have always understood that if you use Easy Start on a diesel engine more than a few times you will be using it for ever more. I have never put this to the test though.

 

But I did once see someone start a recalcitrant engine by spraying Easy Start onto a burning rag in the air intake with one hand, while pushing the starter button with the other. No ether inside the engine, but a lot of hot air!

[the grinch]

from my experience of both SR and HA listers in the winter use the fuel override button and decompress for first cold start in the morning, then just start normally the rest of the day.

in summer just decompress for first start.

[coventrylad]

I allways carry a can of easy start on board, just incase, I do not like using it and only as a last resort. I think they say too much can wash away upper cylinder lubrication and thus reduce compression, which would I guess make starting more difficult, but can not see this happening over night.

[Wiff]

Okay my plan will be decompress both chambers and press the fuel overide and use starter, throttle fully open and out of gear, when engine is rotating flick the decompressors over. Assuming it starts I will then drop back the throttle. plan b is fuel overide and hot air down the intake. plan c is the aerosol down the fuel intake and plan d is learn to do without the electric trickery or plan e go the pub and forget about it till spring! Unless of course anyone can dream up a plan f. Please bare in mind my boat is to be renamed 4 Canals so I am used to a bit of bother with her!

[RLWP]

Save the messing about and go straight for plan E

 

Richard

[onionbargee]

If you can't start it in a (puny) British winter without faffing about then it needs overhaul, i don't think any British winter is going to be too much for this engine, they are not fussy, they're designed to be run in any conditions you can throw at them.

 

usually there's no compression, or the battery is Knackered. If it's in good condition you have decompressor's and fuel pump overload to help you out. You should not need anything else. Maybe it's giving you a hint ?

[bizzard]

Shouldn't really need to use decompress levers either they are really only needed for hand starting, they have a huge lorry sized starter motor.

Hold on to the starter button until it starts, don't keep letting go frequently and trying again.