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how long do you have heater plugs on

spud150

By spud150
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spud150 Engager

spud150

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Posted

how long do you leave your heater plugs on before starting the engine ,i have a vitus 35 and in this weather i have to leave the heater on for about 30 seconds before starting is that a lot ?

thanks

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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10 seconds then start the boat with a cold engine. If its particularly cold I'll add a couple, if its warmish I'll take a few off. And if its been run recently (ie not a cold engine) I'll make a guess of how warm the motor is. If it doesn't start first time, another 10 secs then try again.

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pete.i Rising Star

pete.i

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I don't have a new engine. Mine is a BMC 1.5 and in this cold weather I leave mine on for 30 seconds and then turn the engine over and it usually fires after about ten seconds on the starter. In the summer I can get away with about ten or fifteen seconds on the heaters and then it will fire almost straight away.

 

Pete

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LEO Influencer

LEODonate to Canal World

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I don't have a new engine. Mine is a BMC 1.5 and in this cold weather I leave mine on for 30 seconds and then turn the engine over and it usually fires after about ten seconds on the starter. In the summer I can get away with about ten or fifteen seconds on the heaters and then it will fire almost straight away.

 

Pete

 

hi Pete,

 

Sounds about right, I used to turn it over on the starter with the throttle open before using the heater plugs.

 

They can take a few seconds to heat up - it's interesting to wire one up (having removed from the engine) to a battery and see how long it takes to glow red .

 

I may have a new one for that engine if you want one, let me know (having one and finding it-that may take sometime).

 

ATB

 

Mike.

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jelunga Influencer

jelunga

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The dashboard of my MC42 is etched to say "12 Secs Max" at the glowplug position, so I usually count to 10.

Me too! A good starter young Perkins.

The emergency generators at some locks are Perkins. Ine us a 3 cylinder jobbie

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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I don't think the answer for one engine is particularly relevant to operating another, unless they are the same type.

 

Even with something like the BMC "B" series diesel, the original style heater plugs (the norm on a 1.5) are much lower power than the later style ones, (that the majority of, but not all, 1.8s have).

 

So typically a 1.5 may need heating a lot longer when it's really cold - a full 30 seconds possibly, whereas a newer 1.8 may be fine after only 15 seconds.

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pete.i Rising Star

pete.i

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Posted (edited)

hi Pete,

 

Sounds about right, I used to turn it over on the starter with the throttle open before using the heater plugs.

 

They can take a few seconds to heat up - it's interesting to wire one up (having removed from the engine) to a battery and see how long it takes to glow red .

 

I may have a new one for that engine if you want one, let me know (having one and finding it-that may take sometime).

 

ATB

 

Mike.

 

Hi Mike.

 

I have a full set of heaters I think. So dont go looking unneccessarily. If you do happen to just come across it let me know what the postage is and you can send it on but as I say dont go looking.

 

To be honest at the moment the engine is running well. The gearbox though is playing up a little bit. In forward it tends to drop out of gear in low revs. When I speed up it's ok. The cable doesn't seem to be pulling the actuating arm all the way to the rear but I have manually pushed the arm as far as it will go and the gear box still drops out. After about 20 minutes cruising its okay so I assume thats when its hot. I havent checked the transmission fluid levels yet because I cant find the spanner that fits that nut at this moment in time. My socket set was at home so that will be the next thing I do on Thursday. I'm not too worried about it at the moment and if it does pack up totally there are a couple of recon ones on EBay for about £400 which is what it would probably cost me to get mine repaired.

 

How are you both, by the way. I havent emailed you in along time. Keb went through the BSC a couple of weeks ago with no problems. I am taking her out of the water in, hopefully, May to have the bottom blacked and I am, hopefully again, going to replace that worn, rattley tiller cup which was picked up when I bought her. I have fitted a bigger inverter in readiness for our longer cruising sessions that I hope to start this summer if we actually get a summer this year. I'm not sure the bigger inverter was a good idea but we shall see. I'm not sure my 3 leisure batteries will cope with it but, as I say, we shall see.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

ps it does it in reverse as well but I dont use reverse that often and when I do use reverse the box is hot. so I forgot to mention that. I did try it in reverse today whilst I was moored up and it did drop out. So I don't think it's the clutches although I am not expert enough to know that for sure.

Edited by pete.i
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BEngo Veteran II

BEngoDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Hi Mike.

 

I have a full set of heaters I think. So dont go looking unneccessarily. If you do happen to just come across it let me know what the postage is and you can send it on but as I say dont go looking.

 

To be honest at the moment the engine is running well. The gearbox though is playing up a little bit. In forward it tends to drop out of gear in low revs. When I speed up it's ok. The cable doesn't seem to be pulling the actuating arm all the way to the rear but I have manually pushed the arm as far as it will go and the gear box still drops out. After about 20 minutes cruising its okay so I assume thats when its hot. I havent checked the transmission fluid levels yet because I cant find the spanner that fits that nut at this moment in time. My socket set was at home so that will be the next thing I do on Thursday. I'm not too worried about it at the moment and if it does pack up totally there are a couple of recon ones on EBay for about £400 which is what it would probably cost me to get mine repaired.

 

How are you both, by the way. I havent emailed you in along time. Keb went through the BSC a couple of weeks ago with no problems. I am taking her out of the water in, hopefully, May to have the bottom blacked and I am, hopefully again, going to replace that worn, rattley tiller cup which was picked up when I bought her. I have fitted a bigger inverter in readiness for our longer cruising sessions that I hope to start this summer if we actually get a summer this year. I'm not sure the bigger inverter was a good idea but we shall see. I'm not sure my 3 leisure batteries will cope with it but, as I say, we shall see.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

ps it does it in reverse as well but I dont use reverse that often and when I do use reverse the box is hot. so I forgot to mention that. I did try it in reverse today whilst I was moored up and it did drop out. So I don't think it's the clutches although I am not expert enough to know that for sure.

 

 

Check the oil level- it's probably a bit short of oil.

 

N

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FidoDido Proficient

FidoDido

Posted
Posted

Me too! A good starter young Perkins.

The emergency generators at some locks are Perkins. Ine us a 3 cylinder jobbie

 

The NGK glowplugs I put in my MC42 state 7 seconds maximum. I usually count to 5 and go - fires straight away, even at -3 degs. So, I'd say look at the instructions on your glow plugs, and follow them. No point in burning them out. I'd assume, each type will get hot at whatever rate, so go on the glowplug instructions, not the engine instructions.

 

Original Perkins glowplugs (4 times the price) do state 12 seconds, BTW..

 

Can accidentally leaving the ignition on for long periods (eg more than 24 hours) damage anything? :unsure:

 

depends on the type of engine.. On an old coil type ignition petrol engine, yes. On a diesel engine - depends.. Usually glow plugs are heated (on marine engines) on turning the key past simple "ignition" - glow plugs will burn out after a few minutes (or less depending on type) of being permanently on. Otherwise, no - shouldnt make much difference if you have mechanical fuel pump. Most marine diesel engines are pretty simple devices. Wouldnt recommend it, mind you....

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

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The NGK glowplugs I put in my MC42 state 7 seconds maximum. I usually count to 5 and go - fires straight away, even at -3 degs. So, I'd say look at the instructions on your glow plugs, and follow them. No point in burning them out. I'd assume, each type will get hot at whatever rate, so go on the glowplug instructions, not the engine instructions.

 

Original Perkins glowplugs (4 times the price) do state 12 seconds, BTW..

 

How much do you pay for your NGK plugs? The Perkins price for mine was £18 each including VAT and next-day delivery, which I thought was quite reasonable.

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Bobbybass Experienced

Bobbybass

Posted
Posted

Beta 43 with around 8000 hours...

 

Have never used them and engine starts first time...

 

Was told by several engineers..that this type of engine shouldn´t really require them except in the most extreme of cold.

That seems to be true.

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