Fitting An Engine

Carrera said:

Jokes aside, please, as I'm wondering if any of the more mechanical people on the forum can answer my question.
I'm beginning to wonder whether it might be simpler for me to remove my inboard diesel engine from my boat and then redesign the whole system with a simple outboard petrol engine?
This is because I can't find any engineers in this area who can deal with diesel engines and it would be so much easier to have an outboard I could just take on and off when service is required. I imagine that in the U.S. you could just pick up the phone and get a diesel specialist but apparently not here. There seems to be a huge shortage of engineers in my zone.
For example, my diesel needs a new timer belt but there isn't an engineer here who can fit one. Plus, most of my wiring is suspect and would have to be redone (I was planning on having a go myself).
I figure I could pick up an outboard for maybe 200 - 300 pounds, fit it to the boat and then connect a simple gear system linked to the new motor. Seems a simple option but, seeing as my boat has never had an outboard, would it still be possible to mount one to the back successfully?
Any engineers on this forum?

Dear Captain Hogwash.
Yeh me. You don't use outboards on barges, so leave the diesel in situ. You don't need a marine engineer, a knowledgeable motor mechanic can sort it out, including the timer belt. It works the same as a diesel van apart from a few twiddly bits. And don't tell me there are no motor mechanics in the Midlands. The wiring for the engine is simple stuff. I've toldyou before that you are a buffoon and this proves it. If you take that engine out then youll ruin the boat, and you won't be able to run supply wiring to inboard facilities.
Jeeeeez.

Carrera, you'll be lucky to find a mechanical engineer to fit you an entire new engine in a boat for less that 8 grand unless you find another engine identicle to the one that was already in it. I used to be a ships electricial engineer in my former life working on lifeboats, tugs, fishing vessels (trawlers) and Puffers. I worked for the MOD on offshore explosive deployment and mine testing. I know a few very good ship fitters, engineers and testers. Fitting an outboard engine to a barge will be disasterous as Fred said. You cannot possibly control it.

PM me and i can get you in touch with some top guys, professional fitters if you are sure you want to spend the money.

Carrera said:

Jokes aside, please, as I'm wondering if any of the more mechanical people on the forum can answer my question.
I'm beginning to wonder whether it might be simpler for me to remove my inboard diesel engine from my boat and then redesign the whole system with a simple outboard petrol engine?
This is because I can't find any engineers in this area who can deal with diesel engines and it would be so much easier to have an outboard I could just take on and off when service is required. I imagine that in the U.S. you could just pick up the phone and get a diesel specialist but apparently not here. There seems to be a huge shortage of engineers in my zone.
For example, my diesel needs a new timer belt but there isn't an engineer here who can fit one. Plus, most of my wiring is suspect and would have to be redone (I was planning on having a go myself).
I figure I could pick up an outboard for maybe 200 - 300 pounds, fit it to the boat and then connect a simple gear system linked to the new motor. Seems a simple option but, seeing as my boat has never had an outboard, would it still be possible to mount one to the back successfully?
Any engineers on this forum?

MountainPro said:

Carrera, you'll be lucky to find a mechanical engineer to fit you an entire new engine in a boat for less that 8 grand unless you find another engine identicle to the one that was already in it. I used to be a ships electricial engineer in my former life working on lifeboats, tugs, fishing vessels (trawlers) and Puffers. I worked for the MOD on offshore explosive deployment and mine testing. I know a few very good ship fitters, engineers and testers. Fitting an outboard engine to a barge will be disasterous as Fred said. You cannot possibly control it.

PM me and i can get you in touch with some top guys, professional fitters if you are sure you want to spend the money.

He's already got an engine in situ. He just needs to get it going to see what's what. He's only on fresh water, and not a marine environment.

FredC said:

He's already got an engine in situ. He just needs to get it going to see what's what. He's only on fresh water, and not a marine environment.

[censored] that then, i never was one for reading posts before i replied....see you later.

FredC said:

He's already got an engine in situ. He just needs to get it going to see what's what. He's only on fresh water, and not a marine environment.

He could buy a horse and tow it the old fashioned way.

sod that, he should get is harem of lezies to pull it along, he can sit in the back eating raw garlic and doing magic tricks...

Don Shipp said:

He could buy a horse and tow it the old fashioned way.

MountainPro said:

sod that, he should get is harem of lezies to pull it along, he can sit in the back eating raw garlic and doing magic tricks...

How about tying the tow-rope to the back of his bike. At least he wouldn't have to worry too much about hills.

Don Shipp said:

He could buy a horse and tow it the old fashioned way.

As he purports to be a power([censored])house rider, he might as well pull it along the towpath himself.

If I knew it all, I wouldn't be asking. The truth is I know a little about bike mechanics but have never owned an engine in my life. I'm now reading as many books as I can get from the library on boat engineering.
First thing that strikes me is the volkswagon motor is never mentioned as a standard canal boat device. Plus, I still have no idea when the engine ran the last time and I bet it's had a good rain soaking over the months. So, I plan to try and fathom out if the engine works. One of the dials on the controls is smashed which makes me wonder how easy it would be to install an updated panel and have it wired to the motor.
This isn't a barge I have. It's a canal cruiser about 25 feet long. I've discovered the wiring to ignition and lighting e.t.c. is downright dangerous, damp and one or two wires hanging out.
The boat I sold had an outboard and is now running My own boat has been cleaned up so far but I figure I'll maybe have to have the whole thing re-wired or maybe modernised and brought up to safety standards.
The cambelt has been a nightmare. Nobody wants to do the job. Maybe my cousin will do it for me if he gets free time over a weekend.
I'm determined to salvage this boat and get it up and running for spring.

FredC said:

Dear Captain Hogwash.
Yeh me. You don't use outboards on barges, so leave the diesel in situ. You don't need a marine engineer, a knowledgeable motor mechanic can sort it out, including the timer belt. It works the same as a diesel van apart from a few twiddly bits. And don't tell me there are no motor mechanics in the Midlands. The wiring for the engine is simple stuff. I've toldyou before that you are a buffoon and this proves it. If you take that engine out then youll ruin the boat, and you won't be able to run supply wiring to inboard facilities.
Jeeeeez.

Cheers Mountain Pro. As I said before, it's not a barge. The boat I sold was a bit bigger than the one I'm working on but had an outboard. The owner took it (the motor) to a so-called marine mechanic who advised him the engine was essentially conked and that he should chuck it in the scrap heap. The new owner tinkered with it and he got it going.
My problem is the engine to my boat is fixed inside the boat and weighs a heck of a lot. Engineers don't want to go out to it. Over these coming days I'll be cycling out there and cleaning the engine up and maybe fixing some of the wires on the panel.
Here is what I'll try and do: I'll see if I can fire it up once the timer belt is changed. If the motor runs, I'll have it professionally wired to a new panel. I can choose to have 2 batteries on board or stick to the existing one.
Incidentally, you don't want to hear the story about how I got the huge battery out. We threaded it through the straps with a plank of wood and hoisted it on the shoulders. But then it turned out I was facing in the opposite direction to the other guy so our heads were opposite 🙁

MountainPro said:

Carrera, you'll be lucky to find a mechanical engineer to fit you an entire new engine in a boat for less that 8 grand unless you find another engine identicle to the one that was already in it. I used to be a ships electricial engineer in my former life working on lifeboats, tugs, fishing vessels (trawlers) and Puffers. I worked for the MOD on offshore explosive deployment and mine testing. I know a few very good ship fitters, engineers and testers. Fitting an outboard engine to a barge will be disasterous as Fred said. You cannot possibly control it.

PM me and i can get you in touch with some top guys, professional fitters if you are sure you want to spend the money.

Carrera said:

Cheers Mountain Pro. As I said before, it's not a barge. The boat I sold was a bit bigger than the one I'm working on but had an outboard. The owner took it (the motor) to a so-called marine mechanic who advised him the engine was essentially conked and that he should chuck it in the scrap heap. The new owner tinkered with it and he got it going.
My problem is the engine to my boat is fixed inside the boat and weighs a heck of a lot. Engineers don't want to go out to it. Over these coming days I'll be cycling out there and cleaning the engine up and maybe fixing some of the wires on the panel.
Here is what I'll try and do: I'll see if I can fire it up once the timer belt is changed. If the motor runs, I'll have it professionally wired to a new panel. I can choose to have 2 batteries on board or stick to the existing one.
Incidentally, you don't want to hear the story about how I got the huge battery out. We threaded it through the straps with a plank of wood and hoisted it on the shoulders. But then it turned out I was facing in the opposite direction to the other guy so our heads were opposite 🙁

You are without doubt the biggest [censored] on this board by far, your incredibility has no end. For the past few weeks your 'thing' has been a barge, now it has turned into cabin cruiser, and no doubt by next week you will have turned it into a submarine.
Right it's a VW diesel engine, now find out the engine model type and number, and number of cylinders. Is it attached to a drive shaft thru the stern tube? So far so good. Next stop, google in 'Volkswagen Marine Diesel' with the engine type. That's it. I've finished with you. You're useless.

Carrera said:

Jokes aside, please, as I'm wondering if any of the more mechanical people on the forum can answer my question.
I'm beginning to wonder whether it might be simpler for me to remove my inboard diesel engine from my boat and then redesign the whole system with a simple outboard petrol engine?
This is because I can't find any engineers in this area who can deal with diesel engines and it would be so much easier to have an outboard I could just take on and off when service is required. I imagine that in the U.S. you could just pick up the phone and get a diesel specialist but apparently not here. There seems to be a huge shortage of engineers in my zone.
For example, my diesel needs a new timer belt but there isn't an engineer here who can fit one. Plus, most of my wiring is suspect and would have to be redone (I was planning on having a go myself).
I figure I could pick up an outboard for maybe 200 - 300 pounds, fit it to the boat and then connect a simple gear system linked to the new motor. Seems a simple option but, seeing as my boat has never had an outboard, would it still be possible to mount one to the back successfully?
Any engineers on this forum?

Clean out the diesel tank,thoroughly.Clean and bleed the injectors.Charge the battery.Most truck mechanics will be able to work on diesels.There is no way to fit an outboard to this type of boat.Did you ever consider having the boat surveyed before you bought it?
😄

stevebaby said:

Clean out the diesel tank,thoroughly.Clean and bleed the injectors.Charge the battery.Most truck mechanics will be able to work on diesels.There is no way to fit an outboard to this type of boat.Did you ever consider having the boat surveyed before you bought it?
😄

Don't try to be sensible, he's bonkers. Pissing into the wind I call it.

Carrera said:

Jokes aside, please, as I'm wondering if any of the more mechanical people on the forum can answer my question.
I'm beginning to wonder whether it might be simpler for me to remove my inboard diesel engine from my boat and then redesign the whole system with a simple outboard petrol engine?
This is because I can't find any engineers in this area who can deal with diesel engines and it would be so much easier to have an outboard I could just take on and off when service is required. I imagine that in the U.S. you could just pick up the phone and get a diesel specialist but apparently not here. There seems to be a huge shortage of engineers in my zone.
For example, my diesel needs a new timer belt but there isn't an engineer here who can fit one. Plus, most of my wiring is suspect and would have to be redone (I was planning on having a go myself).
I figure I could pick up an outboard for maybe 200 - 300 pounds, fit it to the boat and then connect a simple gear system linked to the new motor. Seems a simple option but, seeing as my boat has never had an outboard, would it still be possible to mount one to the back successfully?
Any engineers on this forum?

Replacing a timing belt on a small diesel engine is not too difficult. You should first get a book on the engine you are working on. Step by step instructions will guide you to finish the task. The timing belt will align the crank,cam,and fuel injector pump in proper order.
Cleanning the fuel tank is very good advise, prepare to get dirty but it is time well spent.
Before you fire your main engine (turn the starter switch) you should be knowlegable in the shutdown procedure. Many marine engines will have an emergency shut off.

nget said:

Replacing a timing belt on a small diesel engine is not too difficult. You should first get a book on the engine you are working on. Step by step instructions will guide you to finish the task. The timing belt will align the crank,cam,and fuel injector pump in proper order.
Cleanning the fuel tank is very good advise, prepare to get dirty but it is time well spent.
Before you fire your main engine (turn the starter switch) you should be knowlegable in the shutdown procedure. Many marine engines will have an emergency shut off.

Jolly Jack tar good news hereabouts. Nobodys heard of the silly [censored] for days.
What a great site this, with our own rules. We have them you know?

MountainPro said:

sod that, he should get is harem of lezies to pull it along, he can sit in the back eating raw garlic and doing magic tricks...

He can't do card tricks on a boat, only in a bank line...

FredC said:

Jolly Jack tar good news hereabouts. Nobodys heard of the silly [censored] for days.
What a great site this, with our own rules. We have them you know?

As to courts and rules or bilges I prefer the later.

FredC said:

What a great site this, with our own rules. We have them you know?

No spamming; that seems to be about it.

FredC said:

Jolly Jack tar good news hereabouts. Nobodys heard of the silly [censored] for days.

Actually, that's a bit worrying, he's never off for this long. Perhaps he's lost in a blizzard, or maybe gone down with his boat.