Update continued.

Monday 5th October. And it's raining!

Hello again, I didn't write yesterday because it was an absolutely beautiful day and too nice to sit indoors.

Jenny text me Saturday eve and invited me to join her for breakfast Sunday morning at the Kingfisher cafe at Fradley Junction. Normally she works on Sundays so this was a rare opportunity for us to have breakfast together. A lovely way to start the day.

I didn't do much after, chatted to some of my neighbours, watched the wild birds empty the seed container, refilled the seed container, and generally enjoyed lounging in the sunshine. It was one of those days that make you feel glad to be alive.

Over the past few days a Kingfisher has been visiting our end of the Marina, and seems to have taken a liking to sitting on or near Pauls boat which is the last boat off our pontoon. I managed to take a photo of him but it isn't very clear as he's too far away from me. However, Paul took this next picture through his window, simply superb.

Picture courtesy of Paul.

In the afternoon Graham, Jaqui, and two of their friends called in to see me and have a coffee. They were on their motor bikes and on their way home from Matlock in Derbyshire where they'd been for the weekend.

Not only did they see the kingfisher close up but also the Great spotted Woodpecker who has become a frequent visitor to the seed feeder. I've not yet managed to get a picture of him as he's a bit camera shy but he's really colourful.

Returning to the engine installation subject.........

A couple of weeks ago I reached the point of 'turning the key' so to speak, the cooling system was complete, and filled. The Diesel system was connected and bled as best as I could manage with a gravity supply, (this became a problem). And the electrics were connected.

On turning the key the engine turned over albeit slowly but failed to fire up.

On stripping the starter motor down we found the brushes seized and rusted up. Cleaned up and re-assembled the engine spun over a treat but still failed to fire up.

Suspecting a lack of compression, we removed the glow plugs and squirted loads of penetrating oil down the cylinders in the hope of unglueing  the piston rings which we suspected were gummed up.

Still the engine refused to fire up although we felt we were now getting some compression.

By now I was convinced I had bought 'a wrong un' and was feeling pretty downhearted as you can imagine.

Someone suggested that the gravity fed fuel supply might not be sufficient to actively 'bleed' the system as this engine is supposed to be self bleeding. A small electric pump was inserted into the fuel line, it actually came with the engine but I hadn't fitted it because I thought the gravity system would be ok, - how wrong was I?

With one wire from the pump to the battery, and another wire from the heater plugs to the battery, after a few turns of the key the engine burst into life! accompanied by cheers from yours truly and various neighbours that had watched  with interest my efforts over the weeks of installing the engine.

There are still a number of jobs to do, like setting up the gear linkage, and throttle, and the electrics to work from the new panel and not the old one but I've run the engine several times now and it starts and runs ok.

During the writing of this I have used the phrase 'We' a number of times. 

'We' consists of Matt, who has helped a lot especially with the climbing in and out of the engine bay. Matts' mate Phil, who's stripping and re-building of the starter motor helped enormously. Paul and Dave, who assisted me aligning the engine on its new bearers. 'H' who provided the flexible exhaust at a very reasonable cost, and also much advice on the installation and commissioning of the engine. Graham and Dave for the loan of the battery cables.

All these people have helped me over the last few weeks, and I am grateful for all their assistance.