As always Jasmine this is an interesting, informative and generally enjoyable presentation but here are a couple of additional tips I didn't notice as specifically included which I hope seem relevant to your followers; The alternator belt usually also drives the water pump therefore if that belt breaks but operators are vigilant with instrument scans they should, notice a red light activate when the alternator stops charging and shortly after that the engine coolant temperature will start to rise. That is quick, easy confirmation that should not be ignored and is the proper time to moor a boat and investigate a problem rather than adopting an attitude of "lets just wait a bit longer and see if things improve on their own". Lubricating oil for all internal combustion engines contains detergents to help break down contaminants that are not only potentially harmful to an engine when created as a by-product of their operation but to people as well because some cannot be removed by the sort of filtration normally found on a majority of engines. Diesels in particular require oil with a significantly higher level of detergents due to the higher pressures created in their cylinders and it is very important to ensure that diesel engines contain oils specifically formulated for them. Petrol engines will run on diesel oil without any problem but diesels will not run for long on oil formulated for petrol engines before they are likely to begin encountering problems. This is partly because diesels produce a lot of carbon ash or 'soot' due to higher pressures generated as a by product of compression ignition in their cylinders and the type of 'high flash point' fuel that process requires. Due to those pressures, a larger proportion of soot produced by combustion in the cylinders bypasses the compression and oil control rings on the pistons of a diesel and winds up contaminating the contents of the oil reservoir or 'sump'. The higher concentrations of detergent in the correct oil for diesels helps that oil cope with this characteristic problem. The extremely fine carbon particles mentioned are also why the oil in diesel engines is characteristically far blacker than oil in petrol engines and tends to stain everything it comes in contact with from workshop rags to skin. Prior to greater awareness for life threatening contaminants such as carcinogens like dioxin that can occur in engine oil and the advent of stringent safety rules in the workplace requiring the use of protective gloves. You could often tell someone was a diesel fitter by the black stains around their finger nails as well as in the corrugated skin at the joints of their fingers and any cuts or scars. Another particularly harmful contaminant which builds up in the lubricating oil of all internal combustion engines is acidity and detergents in oil help to counteract this. But even detergents can only provide protection for a limited time before becoming overwhelmed after which they are no longer effective. As I have already said ordinary filters cannot remove acid or other chemical contamination from oil and I can illustrate this by the following anecdote. Almost fifty years ago I stripped a petrol vehicle engine on behalf of an employer which was so neglected by it's owner that the oil looked like it came from a diesel but had an unnaturally thick consistency almost like golden syrup. Most of the non-ferrous alloy parts in that engine from the piston skirts to white metal bearings on the crank-shaft and connecting rod journals in contact with the toxic sludge that substituted for lubrication had numerous holes eaten through them by such an extreme acid content that they looked a bit like wood full of borer holes. So there are very good and compelling reasons for changing the oil in any engine regularly because not all harmful contaminants can be filtered out or otherwise counteracted by chemical means indefinitely. In addition to this oil that is changed at correct intervals is far less likely to produce or 'breathe' harmful emissions from vaporized toxic volatiles because levels for them in the oil will be low and therefore safer for people who stand in close proximity to an engine while it is in operation such as on most canal boats. So as you can see a neglected engine can be toxic to people as well as to itself. Despite what many manufacturers recommend it has been the experience of mechanics I have known over decades that owners of engines who are willing to change the oil more frequently than stipulated find their engine lasts significantly longer and awareness of these factors should create an appropriate level of precaution. In addition there are also automated means owners can adopt as exceptional additional protection for an engine and they are referred to, as 'watch dogs'. I use watch dogs on a large Caterpillar diesel I own which powers mining equipment vital for air circulation among other things while operating more or less unsupervised in the harsh environment of the Australian outback while the operator is some distance away and underground. Watch dogs are also available for engines right across the spectrum down to passenger vehicles however and a by no means complete list includes the following; An accessory attachment on the header tank or expansion chamber of a cooling system which if maintained and functioning correctly will shut the engine down if the coolant temperature rises above a predetermined value or if the level drops below one. I have used the same device on the very large radiator for my Caterpillar diesel for almost twenty years. It features a simple needle type gauge indicating the level for coolant in the system in addition to the temperature and the gauge also includes a transparent sight glass behind the needle to visually confirm the level. Another attachment on the circulation system for the lubricating oil shuts the engine down if the oil pressure falls below a predetermined value or the oil temperature rises above one. This requires pressing on an over-ride button until the engine starts and oil pressure comes up to normal operational value but is a small inconvenience compared to the peace of mind it provides. An additional unit I don't have can be incorporated to a specially adapted mechanically driven tachometer and can also shut an engine down if revolutions exceed preset parameters. As you might imagine these accessories can be relatively cheap insurance for all owners of engines who prefer a bit of extra reassurance and are worth knowing about. Some people probably think all this sounds like overkill but knowing the cost of rebuilding a big diesel can significantly exceed $10,000 and replacement cost can be five times that or more puts it in perspective. But there is no reason, preventing the owner of an engine of any size from adopting a policy of prevention rather than cure.
12:33 Pressing the dipstick onto the napkin in order to read the level is a very clever trick I hadn't seen before. Thanks! As I age I'm having more trouble seeing the oil level directly on the dipstick.
Thank you Jasmine and John, I can't express how helpful this vlog is. It's packed with useful information for newbies like me. I'm sure it's one that I am going to watch a few times. ♥️
Very useful session! I work through a pre start checklist , some thing I learned in my flying days. I have produced the checklist for my particular boat, the checklist will vary from boat to boat depending on th engine type and the various systems. Thanks for the video, Good to know that engineers like John Hill are out there to provide expert service.
I love your videos they are fantastic I am learning so much from your videos and I am hoping to buy a narrow boat soon. So thank you for your hard work it's much appreciated. Cheers Jo
Hi yes absolutely, perhaps that is one of the first things I have gained from the you tube boating community is to try to avoid boats that need either plating or the hull is rusted!! I know it will mean I will have to spend a few hundred extra pounds on a survey but I know it's vital. I have budgeted this in to the boat I am looking for. The engine and the hull are so important but then there are so many other things to look at also. What has amazed me is the variation in what you can get for your money. Some boats are clapped out and still cost a fortune. I will carefully keep looking. Thanks for your advice and taking the time to get back to me. Cheers Jo
Excellent vlog Jasmine. I'm just at the start of thinking of selling up and downsizing to a narrow boat and posts like these are fantastic. Very down to earth and informative.
This is super helpful Jasmin. Until today I was doing the WOB checks but now I’ll be dong the full WOBBLE thanks to you....thanks so much for a great vlog
Sorry that was a little bit flippant given this is a serious subject. I always check the Water, Oil and Belts (mine squeal a little but my engineer says they are tight enough so I apply belt dressing which seems to work). I have new batteries and they are in good shape but I’m going to pay more attention especially as winter approaches and my new solar panels pull in less power. A really good blog Jasmin thank you
Great video as a new boat owner I will pay more attention, one thing I have heard of is water in diesel they say always have you diesel tank filled up it would be nice to learn more about this problem
some times condensation forms inside the tank and you end up with water in your diesel and there is a thing you can put on the fule line and that will take any water out, im not sure what its called as we dont have one...
Easiest way to remove water is a water separator type fuel filter. They will have a bowl below the filter element with a drain, sometimes with a pet cock. Open that drain and let the fuel run out for a few seconds into a container or bucket. The first part of the fuel that runs out will be the fuel which contains the water. Keeping the fuel tank full helps prevent condensation. Don't know if it is a problem on narrowboats, but if the tank is difficult to fill, if you are filling it with fresh fuel and it all wants to come back out the filler pipe, that is from the tank vent having a "trap". Vent hose should come from the highest point possible on the tank top, and immediately go as straight up as possible for as high as possible. Above that the hose should not run horizontal but always be going "uphill". If the vent hose must run anything like horizontally, fore and aft is far superior to running the hose athwartships. On boats that list or heel, vent lines should be as close to the centerline as you can get them, not out by the gunwhales. Of course it's ok to have a loop at the top to keep water from flowing into the tank, but try not to have the vent tube end much higher, if at all, than the filler.
Oil in the engine coolant and coolant in the oil is usually a sign of a head gasket problem. Engine oil problems, admittedly it was in a car but i had a oil pressure gauge and a oil pressure light on an engine that was known to use oil. What would happen was the pressure would drop to 0 before the light came on. The oil light never came on when the engine was running. So yes check the oil level!
When you're "making oil", your oil level goes up, could be some water getting in... the color of the lube oil will change from black to an opaque tan mocha.
Bmc engins they can have green anti freeze because that is what I used when I did my training on Bmc engines and the oil is best to use us Morris oill that is for these old engines I hope this all helps and speak to you all soon from Chris
Very good and thorough Vlog! Well done! I was surprised to see that neither of the engines had a coolant overflow tank attached to the small connection below the radiator cap, which lets the coolant just dribble down the side of the engine. You can get a small one on amazon for a few pounds: www.amazon.co.uk/IPOTCH-Universal-Radiator-Overflow-Reservoir/dp/B07D5F9R3Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1535384499&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=universal+coolant+recovery+tank (this one doesn't come with a hose, but there are others listed that do) That will keep the coolant from leaving stains on your engine, getting on belt, pooling in the engine bilge, etc. It's better for the environment, too!
Water
Oil
Battery
Belts
Listen
Examine
Thank you for sharing and long live the BMC engine.
As always Jasmine this is an interesting, informative and generally enjoyable presentation but here are a couple of additional tips I didn't notice as specifically included which I hope seem relevant to your followers;
The alternator belt usually also drives the water pump therefore if that belt breaks but operators are vigilant with instrument scans they should, notice a red light activate when the alternator stops charging and shortly after that the engine coolant temperature will start to rise.
That is quick, easy confirmation that should not be ignored and is the proper time to moor a boat and investigate a problem rather than adopting an attitude of "lets just wait a bit longer and see if things improve on their own".
Lubricating oil for all internal combustion engines contains detergents to help break down contaminants that are not only potentially harmful to an engine when created as a by-product of their operation but to people as well because some cannot be removed by the sort of filtration normally found on a majority of engines.
Diesels in particular require oil with a significantly higher level of detergents due to the higher pressures created in their cylinders and it is very important to ensure that diesel engines contain oils specifically formulated for them.
Petrol engines will run on diesel oil without any problem but diesels will not run for long on oil formulated for petrol engines before they are likely to begin encountering problems.
This is partly because diesels produce a lot of carbon ash or 'soot' due to higher pressures generated as a by product of compression ignition in their cylinders and the type of 'high flash point' fuel that process requires.
Due to those pressures, a larger proportion of soot produced by combustion in the cylinders bypasses the compression and oil control rings on the pistons of a diesel and winds up contaminating the contents of the oil reservoir or 'sump'.
The higher concentrations of detergent in the correct oil for diesels helps that oil cope with this characteristic problem.
The extremely fine carbon particles mentioned are also why the oil in diesel engines is characteristically far blacker than oil in petrol engines and tends to stain everything it comes in contact with from workshop rags to skin.
Prior to greater awareness for life threatening contaminants such as carcinogens like dioxin that can occur in engine oil and the advent of stringent safety rules in the workplace requiring the use of protective gloves.
You could often tell someone was a diesel fitter by the black stains around their finger nails as well as in the corrugated skin at the joints of their fingers and any cuts or scars.
Another particularly harmful contaminant which builds up in the lubricating oil of all internal combustion engines is acidity and detergents in oil help to counteract this.
But even detergents can only provide protection for a limited time before becoming overwhelmed after which they are no longer effective.
As I have already said ordinary filters cannot remove acid or other chemical contamination from oil and I can illustrate this by the following anecdote.
Almost fifty years ago I stripped a petrol vehicle engine on behalf of an employer which was so neglected by it's owner that the oil looked like it came from a diesel but had an unnaturally thick consistency almost like golden syrup.
Most of the non-ferrous alloy parts in that engine from the piston skirts to white metal bearings on the crank-shaft and connecting rod journals in contact with the toxic sludge that substituted for lubrication had numerous holes eaten through them by such an extreme acid content that they looked a bit like wood full of borer holes.
So there are very good and compelling reasons for changing the oil in any engine regularly because not all harmful contaminants can be filtered out or otherwise counteracted by chemical means indefinitely.
In addition to this oil that is changed at correct intervals is far less likely to produce or 'breathe' harmful emissions from vaporized toxic volatiles because levels for them in the oil will be low and therefore safer for people who stand in close proximity to an engine while it is in operation such as on most canal boats.
So as you can see a neglected engine can be toxic to people as well as to itself.
Despite what many manufacturers recommend it has been the experience of mechanics I have known over decades that owners of engines who are willing to change the oil more frequently than stipulated find their engine lasts significantly longer and awareness of these factors should create an appropriate level of precaution.
In addition there are also automated means owners can adopt as exceptional additional protection for an engine and they are referred to, as 'watch dogs'.
I use watch dogs on a large Caterpillar diesel I own which powers mining equipment vital for air circulation among other things while operating more or less unsupervised in the harsh environment of the Australian outback while the operator is some distance away and underground.
Watch dogs are also available for engines right across the spectrum down to passenger vehicles however and a by no means complete list includes the following;
An accessory attachment on the header tank or expansion chamber of a cooling system which if maintained and functioning correctly will shut the engine down if the coolant temperature rises above a predetermined value or if the level drops below one.
I have used the same device on the very large radiator for my Caterpillar diesel for almost twenty years.
It features a simple needle type gauge indicating the level for coolant in the system in addition to the temperature and the gauge also includes a transparent sight glass behind the needle to visually confirm the level.
Another attachment on the circulation system for the lubricating oil shuts the engine down if the oil pressure falls below a predetermined value or the oil temperature rises above one.
This requires pressing on an over-ride button until the engine starts and oil pressure comes up to normal operational value but is a small inconvenience compared to the peace of mind it provides.
An additional unit I don't have can be incorporated to a specially adapted mechanically driven tachometer and can also shut an engine down if revolutions exceed preset parameters.
As you might imagine these accessories can be relatively cheap insurance for all owners of engines who prefer a bit of extra reassurance and are worth knowing about.
Some people probably think all this sounds like overkill but knowing the cost of rebuilding a big diesel can significantly exceed $10,000 and replacement cost can be five times that or more puts it in perspective.
But there is no reason, preventing the owner of an engine of any size from adopting a policy of prevention rather than cure.
12:33 Pressing the dipstick onto the napkin in order to read the level is a very clever trick I hadn't seen before. Thanks! As I age I'm having more trouble seeing the oil level directly on the dipstick.
well you can usally see too, but for the video i thought it might not pick up on camera.
I half expected Keith Duffy to pop up saying you don't want to do it like that 😀
So wonderful that John wants to share his knowledge, I learned a lot from him here. Thank You.
he is starting his own channel where he is gonna do engine talks it should be awesome!
Great vid,this guy talks a lot of sense,and makes you realise how important it is to work from first principles
thank you and I agree bout john!
Very interesting and informative.....
Thank you Jasmine and John, I can't express how helpful this vlog is. It's packed with useful information for newbies like me. I'm sure it's one that I am going to watch a few times. ♥️
I have been wanting to do this for ages ! hes awesome
Very useful session! I work through a pre start checklist , some thing I learned in my flying days. I have produced the checklist for my particular boat, the checklist will vary from boat to boat depending on th engine type and the various systems. Thanks for the video, Good to know that engineers like John Hill are out there to provide expert service.
yes he rules!
I love your videos they are fantastic I am learning so much from your videos and I am hoping to buy a narrow boat soon. So thank you for your hard work it's much appreciated. Cheers Jo
make sure you get a survey !
Hi yes absolutely, perhaps that is one of the first things I have gained from the you tube boating community is to try to avoid boats that need either plating or the hull is rusted!! I know it will mean I will have to spend a few hundred extra pounds on a survey but I know it's vital. I have budgeted this in to the boat I am looking for. The engine and the hull are so important but then there are so many other things to look at also. What has amazed me is the variation in what you can get for your money. Some boats are clapped out and still cost a fortune. I will carefully keep looking. Thanks for your advice and taking the time to get back to me. Cheers Jo
Damn good informative video that Jasmin 👍 (Shaun xx)
thank you shaun
Excellent vlog Jasmine. I'm just at the start of thinking of selling up and downsizing to a narrow boat and posts like these are fantastic. Very down to earth and informative.
make sure you get a survey!
great vlog now I know that a tankie is on the cut I will have John do a survey on our engine when we buy in 2019 always always trust a tankie
he can check it over for sure! :)
Great video - and what a great character to know: it's wonderful to have people like that in one's life :)
he is the litteral most interesting man!
he is the litteral most interesting man!
This is super helpful Jasmin. Until today I was doing the WOB checks but now I’ll be dong the full WOBBLE thanks to you....thanks so much for a great vlog
which b?
Bourbon...Always checked to make sure I had a bottle of Jack Daniels on board :-)
Sorry that was a little bit flippant given this is a serious subject. I always check the Water, Oil and Belts (mine squeal a little but my engineer says they are tight enough so I apply belt dressing which seems to work). I have new batteries and they are in good shape but I’m going to pay more attention especially as winter approaches and my new solar panels pull in less power. A really good blog Jasmin thank you
Great video, I don’t have a boat but found it really interesting :)
glad you enjoyed it engine care is importsnt of any engine!
Now, C.C. can have some very informative vlogs, but I've got to say, this one is at the top, or at least, very close.
I am not sceard to find an expert! I love john and I think he is starting a channel soon too!
"Default Text" ;-) Great video as always.
oh crap where did i make a mistake?
@@ThisNarrowboatAdventure 26:45 > 26:48 it on for 2 seconds
blast ! thats a bugger!
Great, really helpful video.Thank you very much.
I think this may be the most useful one i have made !
Fantastic video. Thanks Jasmine and John
thank you!
Wonderful advice. Great vlog as always. Thanks.
thank you :)
This is a really useful video for checking your engine. Lots of great tips and advice. Brilliant!
thank you! ive been trying to pin john down to do this and he is an absolute gold mine!
Very interesting and informative.
Johns the best ay?
Thank you for posting this Jasmine very helpful and informative.
thank you!
Great video as a new boat owner I will pay more attention, one thing I have heard of is water in diesel they say always have you diesel tank filled up it would be nice to learn more about this problem
some times condensation forms inside the tank and you end up with water in your diesel and there is a thing you can put on the fule line and that will take any water out, im not sure what its called as we dont have one...
Thanks Jazmin I may have that thing you mention been owner for 4 months still finding out about it
Easiest way to remove water is a water separator type fuel filter. They will have a bowl below the filter element with a drain, sometimes with a pet cock. Open that drain and let the fuel run out for a few seconds into a container or bucket. The first part of the fuel that runs out will be the fuel which contains the water.
Keeping the fuel tank full helps prevent condensation.
Don't know if it is a problem on narrowboats, but if the tank is difficult to fill, if you are filling it with fresh fuel and it all wants to come back out the filler pipe, that is from the tank vent having a "trap". Vent hose should come from the highest point possible on the tank top, and immediately go as straight up as possible for as high as possible. Above that the hose should not run horizontal but always be going "uphill". If the vent hose must run anything like horizontally, fore and aft is far superior to running the hose athwartships. On boats that list or heel, vent lines should be as close to the centerline as you can get them, not out by the gunwhales. Of course it's ok to have a loop at the top to keep water from flowing into the tank, but try not to have the vent tube end much higher, if at all, than the filler.
Great advice thank you.
thank you adrian
great video, thanks
The word your looking for at 10.45 is antifreeze mixed with water and that becomes coolant
thanks
Oil in the engine coolant and coolant in the oil is usually a sign of a head gasket problem. Engine oil problems, admittedly it was in a car but i had a oil pressure gauge and a oil pressure light on an engine that was known to use oil. What would happen was the pressure would drop to 0 before the light came on. The oil light never came on when the engine was running. So yes check the oil level!
When you're "making oil", your oil level goes up, could be some water getting in... the color of the lube oil will change from black to an opaque tan mocha.
Bmc engins they can have green anti freeze because that is what I used when I did my training on Bmc engines and the oil is best to use us Morris oill that is for these old engines I hope this all helps and speak to you all soon from Chris
Where is the link to John Hills page? You mention it at 2:33
facebook.com/pages/biz/engineering_service-newark/Springer-nomadic-mechanic-872701759432365/
@@ThisNarrowboatAdventure This link No longer working
Very good and thorough Vlog! Well done!
I was surprised to see that neither of the engines had a coolant overflow tank attached to the small connection below the radiator cap, which lets the coolant just dribble down the side of the engine. You can get a small one on amazon for a few pounds: www.amazon.co.uk/IPOTCH-Universal-Radiator-Overflow-Reservoir/dp/B07D5F9R3Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1535384499&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=universal+coolant+recovery+tank (this one doesn't come with a hose, but there are others listed that do) That will keep the coolant from leaving stains on your engine, getting on belt, pooling in the engine bilge, etc. It's better for the environment, too!
ah i actually know ours didnt have one thanks for the link