The Ribble Link by Narrowboat - Preparing Myself & Aslan . . .
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- It's almost time for Aslan and myself to tackle the terrifying Millennium Ribble Link - up onto the Lancaster Canal.
Until then, I spend some time preparing Aslan by checking and adjusting her valve clearances - and I prepare myself by ensuring I have all the equipment required by Canal & River Trust, to cross the Link.
The 'Millennium Ribble Link Skippers Guide' can be viewed and downloaded here canalrivertrus...
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If you'd like to contribute to my channel and future videos, then I have a PayPal Me page. Cheers, www.paypal.com...
All 6 seasons of Travels By Narrowboat are available to stream on Amazon Prime, with Season 7 here on TH-cam.
www.amazon.com...
What a beautiful sound 👍
I'm coming to the U.K for a 3 week tour in the fall. Your videos are a major influence. I'm giving it a try and if I like it, I'm moving from Canada to tour permanently. Cheers Bud!
fair play hope you enjoy your time here
My friend sold the house and bought a narrowboat and now tours the Country with his wife (the canal system here is pretty extensive, if you don't mind the slow pace of life?) - I believe he had plans to eventually cross over to France & tour their canal sysytem also (yep this is possible via the English Channel if you do the all right preperations - they generally organise a pilot and flotilla of Barges tied together on the big day to accomodate this).
The canal system weaves through villages and towns up and down the country and is strewn with Pubs/Inns along the way.
Totally cool 60 year old engine. The designers and builders would be proud. ASLAN too!
True. They'd could never have imagined what she'd be doing now ☺
CountryHouseGent Just viewed your antique instructional “ how to” video/vlog. Very creative. Charlie Chaplin would love it!
Ok Kev, very nice brother, we need at least 10 episodes per season. We will buy them all on Amazon. More money for you. We live here in America in big cities vicariously through you my friend. We love to watch you cook or work on your engine or just cruising through the countryside. We still love our English heritage. I watch your videos every night. Please keep them coming. You're on my bucket list. I like the longer hair look too. I'd love to do what you're doing. You have enriched my life. Great sense of humor too. Thanks Kevin😉🙂. God bless us every one.🤗
A very relaxing watch, but also very educational. Looking forward to your next episode.
Love that engine...
Good luck but with all that preparation I'm sure all will be well. Great to see the hint of a smile having followed since you bought the boat. I'll never forget you sitting in the camper with all your world around you! A delight to watch this one.
Hey! have watched all your videos on Amazon prime. Really enjoyed them, great insight into narrow boating. Keep them coming. Stay sake and be lucky.
Another great vlog....keep them coming Kev, the person that designed your engine room knew what they were doing, nice and tidy and well thought of
Cheers Gaz.
One has all faith in ye & Aslan, good luck 🍀. May tha torque be with ye.
😁
Best advice is don’t go on a spring tide, that’s when it flows at its fastest speed... wait for nearer a neap tide. Come n try the River Ouse!!! That’ll suck ya balls right up t ya Adam’s apple 🍎.
'Click•adjust' all in one tool makes tappet adjusting very easy, no feeler gauge or screwdriver needed.
Thanks for that Geoff. Hadn't heard of one of those. What a brilliant bit of kit. ☺
CountryHouseGent
Bought mine in the '70s when racing my 105E Anglia, and now use it on my A35 and MM1000.
Best of all, it automatically takes into account any recess in the tappet head, caused by the valve stem, and something feeler gauges cannot do.
Love that old engine! Purring like a kitten!
Metric rulers were available in Britain back in the 1920s. Have a look at Harrods catalogues in the 1920s and you will find them. Best wishes and may I ask, when are you cooking for us again? Your burgers are a staple in our home. Thanks for sharing this video on a Friday evening. It was very kind and considerate of you. Best wishes.
Just been watching you on Amazon Prime CHG :-)
Well, a little white knuckled at the end, but you are well prepared and it must be so satisfying to know your Aslan inside and out and can maintain her yourself. Good sailing ahead!
You should get a buffer wheel for your drill and some buffing paste and buff that valve cover to a chrome like shine. Then clear coat it with clear coat spray and each time you look at the engine it will be inspiring. I did the same to the engine side cases on a Triumph Bonneville I once owned. It was my first connection to British machinery. Loved that bike. I had a buddy who had a Harley Davidson Sportster and it really incensed him when I blew him away in stop light to stop light balls to the wall drag races.
Great video as always ,really looking forward to the next one , exciting stuff ,good luck to you Kevin and all the best.
Great video Kevin, looking forward to the next one 👍
Best of luck with the link.
Thank you Ian
Excellent video. You looked like you wee enjoying yourself. Good luck on the Ribble
That engine is a joy
Very Nice Vlog Kevin!! Enjoyed
Thank you for your vlog, I am looking forward to your travels on the link and good luck.
Thank you Adrian.
Can't wait for the update, I am sure all will go well. Thanks for the interesting vlog and love your rev counter, smart!
Cheers. Yes, I'm hoping it'll be a lovely. ☺
Great stuff Kevin, this trip will be very interesting.Take care mate and all the best, Stevie
another awesome vid ive been a fan since your mechanical vids , keep em comin cheers
Very interesting vlog, really enjoyable looking forward to the next one.
Fascinating. I feel as if I could do the job myself now! The engine is quite a bit quieter than I expected.
Thanks for getting into the guts of the valve timing and clearances : ) ...no tools required to just take a look inside !! Neat way to pre warm the fuel if that's what the two metal tubes are.
Cheers. The copper pipes are part of the cooling system, if that's the ones you mean?
@@CountryHouseGent I was looking at the small ones just above your valve lock nut.
Thanks Kevin - interesting stuff - you are awesome..cheers from downunder
👍
Another great video sir. Can’t wait for season 6!
Safe travels Kevin.👍
Thank you Russell
I'd have a narrow boat just to have my own engine room.. Glad things are tickety boo!
You'll do fine Kevin.👍
Cheers Matt. 😲
we enjoyed this presentation : )
Very good, i do look forward to seeing you make that journey with Aslan on the Millennium Ribble Link, and i know that you have got what it takes to do it!!
Goog luck sir have a safe trip
Thank you Darran
NICE TO SEE YOU BACK ON UTUB DO LIKE WATCHING YOUR VLOGS NICE TO SEE YOU ARE WELL BE LUCKY
Very interesting 👍😁👏👏👏
Just so’s you know Kev. On an old engine when doing the tappets, you often find the underside of the rocker is slightly concave from wear. Now you can’t see this in situ, nor can you measure it. So. If after setting them the tappets still....tick, tick, tick, tighten up on the adjuster by tiny amounts with the engine ticking over until you hear the ticking tappet ‘just’ stop ticking. Try saying that six times quickly, lol. Then lock it up on the nut. Bon voyage mate.
Good luck on the crossing :o)
Cheers,
good luck with the link and will look out for you on the Lancaster canal around Garstang we are on a cruiser called Athena if there ill say hi
I’ve always only ever been a casual weekend narrowboat hirer... but the Idea appeals to me quite a lot because I’m not a family guy single in my late 40s and happily so. When I first started watching your videos I thought so anybody can do this, and then I realise that I would probably need to have a fairly good knowledge of engines. Flicking through your are TH-cam videos I see you have a passion for motor engines so probably know quite a lot. Canal life appeals to me quite a lot because I’m not a family guy, I’m single in my late 40s and happily so. When I first started watching your videos I thought oh anybody can do this, and then I realise that I would probably need to have a fairly good knowledge of engines. Flicking through your early TH-cam videos I see you have a passion for motor engines so probably know quite a lot. Do you think it’s important and would I be able to pick it up quite quickly?
I love that engine. I wonder if there is anyone does polishing and refurbing the silvery and brassy bits. As for the engine noise. Wonderful.
My 3 year old son loves when you show the engine; in fact I had to keep “rewinding” to show him that part. He would like to request more boat engine repair and maintenance videos. Cheers 😄
Ah, bless. I'll see what I can do. ☺
Me too!
Why Yes; my 70 yr old self would like more engine stuff please
When you’re doing the valve adjustment sometimes the rocker arm gets dimpled where it contacts the valve and then the feeler gauge goes right over the dimple and doesn’t give you the correct gap, you may have a bigger gap than you want. Also the wrench may have been Whitworth.
Good luck on the Ribble crossing, I can understand your trepidation but you'll be fine once the adrenaline kicks in
Thanknyou Martin. Yes as you say, once I get going, hopefully. ☺
You will find the spanner you should be using is 19/32", which 0.08125mm. over 15mm. hence the tight fit for a 15mm. spanner.
I've also cooked a couple of your recipes too. Very tasty mate! Cheers!
Did you go on an engine course, Kevin?
I love the old engines. I know they need more TLC, but they're bomb-proof, if you know what you're doing - so my father used to say.
Happy and safe travels. x
Thank you Gracey. No, just picked up over the years.
@@CountryHouseGent great to see your keeping your boat seriously in good health as well as,
Yourself in the kitchen and your tasty looking beef casserole in real ale with dumplings,
Given me a right appetite.
Shurely it should be a 5/8th A/F spanner? That could be why it's tight.
Good luck on the Millennium Ribble Link, look forward to seeing the videos.
5/8AF would be to slack at .625", and damage the nut over time, 15mm is .591", he really needs a 5/16BSW or 3/8BSF spanner (Identical Spanners) which are .600"
@@CraigusUK Good call Tiger8, now all Kevin has to do is find one, bet I have one in my Grandfathers old tools.
@@CraigusUK I have found a ring spanner, 3/8 BS 5/16 W, is that the correct size?
Hi Michael, Yes that is the correct size 👍
@@CraigusUK Great! Is a ring spanner suitable for Kevin to adjust his tappets? (It is a 12 point ring by the way.) And how do I get it delivered to him???????
Old diesel engines are so nice to work on and it's nice to see you have the knowledge to work on it yourself, I reckon that's alot of people short fall, what oil does that oil girl run on 20w40 ??
Thank you Alex, that means a lot. I use SAE30 mineral oil (Morris Golden Film). Older engines require a non-detergent mono-grade oil, as they rely on the build up of deposits to help seal piston rings and valve stems and so on. Modern detergent multi-grades would wash these away.
@@CountryHouseGent ohh cool IV never myself worked on anything that old so it's nice to learn about them I enjoyed your Injector pump video aswell looks like fun having a tinker with that engine, last time I saw a cork gasket was on a V12 xj jag on the gear box sump pan, keep the videos coming bud very enjoyable 🔥👌👍
Oh hell yes he's back i'm going to have to brake down and get that prime so i can see the videos it's driving me crazy not seeing them. But the old truck needs a 1000 dollar brake job and i need 1000 dollar dentures and the fridge just crapped out and i had to toss all my food in the bin so maybe next month.
You as well? :D
Gosh... I remember feeler gauges.. a very old piece of machinery.....you did say it was old... just surprised me..
Yes that's true and often the old ways are the best and easiest. ☺
You must save a fortune being able to do that yourself. Saving money is always a good thing.
Have you considered opening a traveling business offering 3 services. Fix the customers engine, cook a burger for them and then play a guitar tune to bid farewell. It would be a unique service .
Interesting idea but would assume that not only does the client have a faulty engine, but that they also eat meat 'and' they like having their ears assaulted ?
@@CountryHouseGent haha, that's the thing though . If people are prepared to travel the length of the country to have their boat engine repaired by you. They'll also enjoy freshly made beef burgers and guitar music as that's part of 3 stage deal they pay for. Engine fix, burger and tune.
Last week I saw an advert for hula hoop lessons at £78 per hour. It also read "fully booked until September 23rd" . If that business can work. Then anything can.
I was hoping you'd talk about the extra power to get the minimum speed for the trip
😁 What and spoil the suprise?
Kevin, I had to go Googling and watch a few videos to understand the Ribble Link. Even went to the CRT official site about the river and the locks. Now I see that this will indeed be an adventure. I noticed others go with another boat, or even a whole group together. Will you be tripping alone?
I think I'll be in a convoy of 4, plus one other (?)
I have always wondered why you never see Comms Radios on narrow Boats. Like CB Radio or VHF Radio so Boaters could talk to each other or lock keepers and Marinas. I did see a small hand held VHF Radio in one of your Vids. I would think a CB Radio would be very handy just to talk or if you need help. One hell of a Ground plate for an antenna should get out for miles.
I enjoy watching Travels By Narrowboat on Prime. It has introduced me to the whole concept of the English canals. But it is hard to do the comments and answers over there. I have a question about the boat, Aslan. If this is covered somewhere else, point me to the right place. I saw somewhere in the episodes that the boat is about 30 years old. But you are saying that the engine is like 65 years old. So how is it that the engine is older? Also you have said that the boat is a 'tug'. Is that a reference to the engine being in the middle, more or less, instead of farther back?
Have you tried Seafoam? made for this kinda stuff, stops the valves malfunctioning. Add to oil before oil change but can stay in oil 24/7 if desired, its not a flushers.
I saw you had trouble fitting the spanner, if your engine is pre-1955, could it be that it's Whithworth Standard (BSW) like the early MG's ?
Hi Douglas, yes it's Whitworth.
Great video. Good luck with the crossing. You were breast stroke champion in 1957?
😂
OOPS, 67 not 60
That is a nice and tidy engine room and looks well loved. I was glad to see you use the box end of the wrench, open ends are just for rounding off the corners of the nut...lol... nice and simple engine unlike today's monstrosities it is a wonder they knew how to make them run without computer timed electronic fuel injectors and all the other crap... Do you have Murphy switch gauges on the engine that will protect it from low oil or over heating? looking forward to your next series of Travels by narrow boat.
It has buzzers for oil and temp but no cutoff. Just relies on me going 'WTF is that' and turning the engine off, quickly.
It looks like your rear bumper bumped it's last bump.
Yes, well and truly had it. New fenders are on the cards, as well as blacking and painting the roof and gunnels.
An interesting set of rules for navigation of the river, surprised they don’t require an outboard to be fitted in case of engine failure, and the mobile phone requirement seems odd
Evening, is your engine off set to one side?
I have a Gardner 4lk which is, so the prop shaft needs regular greasing.
Hi Colin. Yes it is. 2 UJ's, one at each end. Once a week I'll be found head first under the floor pumping grease. Wouldn't have it any other way. 😁 Love the Gardner engines.
Make sure the inflation gas cylinder is fully charged (weight is stamped on it). Life Jacket is only a Life Jacket when adjusted and worn with ALL straps connected. You should do a Vidio on this alone.
Thanks Roger. The lifejacket is about 6 months old.
@@CountryHouseGent Thats cool
Do you have to have a vhf radio licence
What about the minimum speed requirement? Have you turbocharged the engine?
Ah ha, all will be revealed soon sir 😁
Apparently he has employed the services of Jeremy Clarkson to help him across. "More power....."
Strangely not far from the truth. Even the name is similar, ish. ☺
That old lump ant going to push her up there lol u need more speed lol stick rolls eagle in there
Are you going to screw the governor in to gain the extra speed?
That's an idea 🤔 😁
@@CountryHouseGent it should hit 1500 rpm anyway... youd be able to squeeze another couple of hundred Rpm without any bother I'm sure
"67 years, ...15mm spanner", meaning that very old engine is metric?
More than likely a 5/16 Whitworth
I think it is Nic, but unfortunately the only ring spanner I had near enough was a 15mm. Plenty of 5/16 open enders though, but isn't that always the way? ☺
@@CountryHouseGentAlways is, though all my tools disappeared during an acrimonious divorce
That's awful. She took the spanners?? 😒
@@CountryHouseGent Virtually all Snap-On, collected during apprenticeship & whilst working. its no different than if you buy a house, a car, furnish it and then give it to a total stranger
Do you know that you have enough subscribers to apply the join button to your channel?
Hi Dean. Hope all is well? Yes I could, but not sure what I could offer for membership, except the content already.
@@CountryHouseGent I didn't know you had to offer something, I thought it was something whereby you could charge say £3 or something like that and it's a nominal amount as such
I do like your videos
Odd its in mm thought it would have be thousands of an inch. Many moons ago I worked in the motor trade on the tools and later in IT
Here's a link for the Lister Petter manuals should you need engine.od.ua/lister
You look like you've lost a few pounds Kevin?
Well I had to buy the new camera recently.
And you need a hair cut, it's not the 70s anymore. I'm 60 cut my hair when I turned 30. Remember never trust anyone over 30!
It'll always be the 70's in my heart. Excellent advice. Cheers.
CountryHouseGent love you bro, stay real
Nice job on the valves. Now maybe you can learn how to cut your own hair.
Douglas Squire why would he wish to do that?
😁 Tried that once. Looked like a proper slap head.
Lol !
Get yourself a 5/16BSW or 3/8BSF spanner (same spanner) for your valve clearances 👍
Yep, I agree.
Kevin . We enjoy watching every episode that you film on TH-cam and Amazon here on the coast of south Texas. Still waiting on Amazon to put up the next episodes but wanted to encourage you to keep up the great entertainment for us . Stay well. Wes
CHG Great videos, love the engine tappet adjustment, for me, that was.... those were the days, for you ..... those ARE the days. In the process of buying a boat soon, with old engine, lister, gardner maybe, RB, ETC. Best Regards Colin
Thanks indeed Colin. Pleased you enjoyed watching. If it was me, doing it all again and knowing what I know now, I'd go for a boat with a nicely sorted Gardner twin or three cylinder. Whichever though, enjoy every minute. 🙂
Excellent, could be first. Looking forward to this episode.
Since the Engine is so old and from a different era do you count the rpm’s in Imperial, or metric? Inquiring minds would like to know. Oh and is a metric minute shorter?
Yes you're right Mike. Whilst modern engines use the metric time system (H:M:S), vintage engines use the Imperial system - a percentage of how long a pebble on a beach takes to turn to sand. Yes, a metric minute is shorter. Hope this helps.
@@CountryHouseGent I thoroughly enjoyed having an answer so quickly, As I thoroughly enjoy watching your series on Amazon, where cheeky comments are not possible. I do like seeing the tidy engine room, and Maintenance portions on the McLaren, I’ve liked their F1 cars too.
Must be nice to have modern adjustment values. My 88 year old engine does not. Oh and you could place 3 smale holes in a thermostat... My Model A ran cold and never had one.. 3 holes add a little fraction of safety...
Cheers Kevin. Some great tips there. Thank you for sharing.
I used to set the points to .25 on my mk2 escorts 35 yrs ago , memory’s cheers Shane uk 🇬🇧
You’re videos remind me of the Erie Canal in upstate NY just beautiful
What no flares?? 😂
Hi Rita. Actually they are listed as option. Wouldn't trust myself to not let one of though, cos they make a nice whoosh sound and look pretty. :D
im curious, do you check the clearance on a cold or warm engine? Having rebuilt quite a few valve heads on gasoline engines, we 1st did a preliminary clearance on a cold engine. Then got the engine running, warmed it up, then rechecked the clearance on a warm engine.
Kevin... good luck with the trip. watching another narrow boater this morning, (the Californian) just announced on his vlog icebergs spotted in the Ribble Estuary. Hey, let’s be careful out there.
Thanks for the warning. I've now ensured there's enough lifeboats for all of the crew, as well as instructing the band to continue playing, until the bitter end. ☺
@@CountryHouseGent I suppose that was the band in the stern locker you were talking to while fetching the life ring..
Ribble link only high tide?
Not sure about the level of the tide but you can only go when CRT say.
@@CountryHouseGent Google Earth shows a lot of sand bars on low tide none on high.
A deep offset ring spanner for those lock nuts would really be a good idea!
The correct spannners are a must. The nuts and bolts on that old engine will be be either BSF/BSW or Whitworth. Both are still available to buy. Using metric on imperial is not always a wise move as the spanners are hardened but the nuts and bolts are not. Spend a couple of quid on the right spanners and set a good example mate.
😁
Hi Kevin When you get onto the Ribble don't forget to turn to Starboard or Right at ASLAN d Light.
Yes that's a nice coincidence that. 😁
Waiting with baited breath to see why the Millennium Link is "terrifying" !
So am I
I love the simplicity of those old engines. Aslan's engine will easily do another 70 years!
🤞
Very interesting vlog Kev
I think only us motorcycle guys really develop a keener ear towards top-end noise.
I would have thought that quite unlikely riding around in a helmet all day .does make you sound good though if that's what you're after
Jason Brant You can hear much more with a helmet on than not. It picks up quite a bit of sound.
I would add someone who has been in the diesel engine (marine and industrial) repair and overhaul trade for over forty years would know what they are doing too.
Ancient Modeller True! But wearing a helmet at 85mph and wind screaming past you really makes things different with sound. It really alters things all the way into your teeth. Sounds are so strange at speed. 👍🏼
I've always worn earplugs, which also changes the sound. More bass, less treble. Apparently tests have shown up to 110db inside a lid at speed. The same as a 747 on take off !!!
Good to see you, Kevin. 😊
I think only us motorcycle guys really develop a keener ear towards top-end noise.
Oh yes and even goes as far as hearing noises that aren't even there? Noise paranoia.
CountryHouseGent The paranoia is definitely there! Cheers!