To use a lyric by Gilbert and Sullivan “Oh joy at sea oh rapture deep.” A whole day spent down on the moorings messing about with Minnow. Since well before the first frost and snow last year I had drained all the cooling water out of Minnows Bolinder and so I decided that today I would carry out a few jobs on the engine then if there was time I would start her up.
Started by removing the spindle control rodding. This allowed me access to the two bolts which hold the spindle body into the spindle housing which when removed along with the fuel supply pipe from the pump, allowed its removal. This was followed by the spindle housing itself and both cooling water connections, enabling both the spindle housing followed by the flame hood which was then lifted off. With all these removed, next came the five bolts holding the hot bulb in place. The outsides of both the flame hood and the hot bulb were firstly filed to remove any large pieces of rust followed by a good emery clothing to prepare them for painting. These were both given several light coats of Calfire Almond high temperature spray paint before being re-fitted to the engine. A ‘gasket’ was made from greased asbestos string which went between the hot bulb and the cylinder head, then the 5 bolts were sequentially tightened down. The spindle housing and its cooling water connections were re-connected. Having the spindle assembly stripped down, I also re-packed the spindle with greased asbestos string at the same time. When this was finished the fuel line was connected and several ‘squirts’ of diesel were given with the lifter just to check the spray pattern with the spindle screwed down and also with it screwed up. As this was alright, the spindle housing was fitted back to the engine and finally the spindle control rodding was connected back up.
With everything back together, The lamp was lit and I then busied myself lubricating the critical points as well as 20 strokes on each of the four lubricators. After ten minutes on the lamp, and on the third kick, the Bolinder fired into life and bonk-bonked away for the next fifteen minutes. After stopping the Bolinder I sat on the battery bow with a cup of coffee and a contented feeling of another year boating, Mind you I don’t know where as all the local rallies have been cancelled because of the on going problems with Chasewater reservoir and BW’s fears of water shortages through the Summer. By this time it was going into late afternoon and Dawn would be coming home from work and expecting food and hoovering etc. so I made my way home.
Cheers
Blossom
That sounds a bit exotic or is hovering just Black Country thing :), it was the expectation that really made me smile. All the very best PB
ReplyDeletesorry there should be an a between just and Black, that will teach me!
ReplyDeletePB
I stand corrected, or should I say my post has been. Dawn does not like me to hover as it makes her nervous, but hoovering, now that's a different matter. A lot of women 'hover' in the Black Country especially around pay day!
ReplyDeleteHello Blossom, I read with interest your stories about maintaining Minnow and that famous Bolinder engine. We have recently bought a new 60' narrow boat from Steve Hudson, which is fitted with a Beta Marine 'modern' engine. My first choice would have been a traditional engine but my wife is semi-disabled and the Beta was more practical. I think she knew that I'd never be out of the 'engine ole' if we'd gone traditional.
ReplyDeleteStill, reading your adventures together with those like Andrew's at fmc Dove, keep me going. I trained as a fitter at the Ford Factory in Halewood, many rears ago. My mentor was an ex-rugby player from Warrington who was a stickler for doing things the right way. Although I enjoyed his priciples and have carried them throughout my life, they were wasted at Fords. Their tempory repairs were evident all over the plant, it was a wonder the place kept going!
Mike