Milestone moment

So, as the time grew closer when we would attempt to fire up the first engine (only port engine ready, as the starter motor solenoid was knackered on the starboard), bearing in mind we had never heard them run, and they hadn't been started in the three years they sat in tony's yard, we started to become slightly apprehensive.  A plan of action was decided upon.  Plan A, the engine starts and we go to the Bounty to celebrate.  Plan B engine fails to start and we go to the Bounty to drown our sorrows.   Plan A about to be acted upon, after cracking the injector pipes on all 4 cvlinders to bleed off air, she roared into life, and settled into a nice steady tickover.  Well chuffed.

Awesome  have a pint for me

Brilliant, Bounty it is then

Hope you enjoyed a few pints at the Bounty for the right reasons. Lets hope you can repeat the experience for the other engine. A very cunning plan I think starting them separately!  

Brilliant!!!!  Well done!!!!

thanks all for your comments, big grin

Ok, as the actress said to the bishop, there's no reason why this shouldn't work, Mick has been beavering away all week (electrically), everything now in place for Stbd engine test. I've only booked 1 job for tomorrow so we will soon know. Plans A+B in place.  Helm position final design now decided, we realised with Mk1-5  there was nowhere for skippers beer,pimms, wine, G&T glass (rectified)[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thats some smart looking wood work....  please tell me all your secrets....

That's coming along well

Thanks Deano, 3mm facing ply, robbins elite, deep mahogany stain, all hardwood mouldings either routed out of Robbins mahogany or Richard Burbage dark hardwood mouldings, finished with, eventually 8-10 coats of varnish, we're on 3 at the moment,  all structural is B&Q WPB ply, I know John Freeman would be spinning in his grave, he preferred chipboard.

Cheers Pat.  Its nice having Mick so determined on this project. The drop down panel in the pic, which is for the CB panel access has been deemed unfit for purpose, new one is in mahogany, and, have to say I'm quietly pleased. A serious benefit of joining the forum and seeing the standard of other members cherished boats, has been to make us up our game.  Only the finest gaffer tape will be used on our propshaft/gearbox couplings.

Then you need Tessa tape...aka tank tape

Does SM sell it? couldn't see it on the website

Chris Meyer wrote:A serious benefit of joining the forum

So it was worth all the effort then, you wouldn't have got that joining the masons

Chris Meyer wrote:Does SM sell it? couldn't see it on the website

Doubt it...a bit automotive (and perhaps modern) for Sheridan

PS, Mick has now spent a total of 10 days on the rewire, with probably 5 still to go,  every old wire stripped out, new, all tinned wire , all soldered connections, cant see whats wrong with chocolate block and twisted jointsmyself, but hey, the boy is a perfectionist.

Nowt wrong with a bit of chocolate block now and then

Soldered joints can fracture....properly executed crimps are actually superior in situations where the wiring gets vibration. But not if the crimps are done with those awful cheapo crimping tools (!)

I had heard that too but didn't want to upset Chris as it will hopefully be fine.
I did invest in a pair of rachet crimpers when i rewired my instrument panel and the crimps they make are not possible with the cheapo ones,  I know because I tried using them and the ends kept falling off !?

Don't worry guys, power crimped and soldered, these baby's aint going nowwhere. 

Btw, Starboard engine fired today so plan a implemented, but what a clonker, planes over Heathrow diverted because of dense smog, not sure if its pump, injectors or worn bores but we cannot use that engine without alienating all other river users. more research required but suspect its a new engine 

Oh no, that doesn't sound good.
Hopefully the investigation will throw up a cheaper solution

First thing is to get a compression test done...needs specialist kit for a diesel. Should give you and idea of if you have terminal bore wear ...or leaky valves. It is, of course, possible that somebody had prepped the engine for storage, and you are seeing the preserving oil being burnt off from the cylinder walls. That sort of thing can give clouds of smoke, but will clear in the end. I recall a friend treating an "E" type Morris...1938(!)...to a dose of RedEx...and that bought out the fog signals from Barnes to Hammersmith.....

How long did you run the suspect engine ? As molemot says it could clear up after a few minutes, seen radial aero engines start... so much smoke can't see a B thing !
The Morris event triggered an old memory, I had a '50's convertible Consul Mk 1 which cost me £100 wow ! Drove it for years until the head gasket went, thought I could get it home, the exhaust was doing its best to imitate a steam cleaner on steroids, engine knackered by time I got home, sold it for scrap, be worth £1000's now 

It's amazing how much a small adjustment to the timing of the injector pump can make to cleaning up the exhaust.  Check the pump timing.  If it apears spot on, mark it and try a degree or two either way and see if it improves.