I have to admit I didn't do much work on Blue Venture over the winter lay up. But come spring I rubbed down the hull and smeared some anti foul on. I then decided to start the engine and thats where things went horribly wrong.
I put a hose on the cooling pipe and turned it on. Unfortunately the water was going in faster than it was coming out the exhaust, this had the efect of filling the top of the engine so when I tried to start the engine the cylinders were full of water. It took me some time to work out what was going on but by then the damage was done and I had lost compression on one cylinder . I had two choices: leave her in the cradle for the summer or get her towed out to the buoy and work on the engine out in the middle of the river.
I put a hose on the cooling pipe and turned it on. Unfortunately the water was going in faster than it was coming out the exhaust, this had the efect of filling the top of the engine so when I tried to start the engine the cylinders were full of water. It took me some time to work out what was going on but by then the damage was done and I had lost compression on one cylinder . I had two choices: leave her in the cradle for the summer or get her towed out to the buoy and work on the engine out in the middle of the river.
So it was time to take the cylinder head off and take a look. I have to say the whole operation went very smoothly. A Perkins 100 is a basically simple engine and as it has push rods so all the timing is at the bottom of the engine.
The valves and cylinder tops were incredibly carbonised. With luck the problem will be a bent valve and relatively easy to remedy.
During the night there was an amazing fall of rain and accompanying thunder storm. Lots of roads were flooded but this did not effect me on the boat.
The valves and cylinder tops were incredibly carbonised. With luck the problem will be a bent valve and relatively easy to remedy.
During the night there was an amazing fall of rain and accompanying thunder storm. Lots of roads were flooded but this did not effect me on the boat.