An aplogy to all Stuart owners

Ah Old Harry, it's the mis-spending of yoof what dun it.

You probably look after the Albin now but when but a callow youngster thought that kicking it was akin to servicing it.

The main trouble is that people inherit engines which have been abused and unserviced for years and then complain that they don't work. With simple engines, which ST, Seagull etc are, there is very little to go wrong so if you look after them they will start when you want them to.

My current ST went to sea before I did as it was built in 58 and it starts whenever asked. This winter however I shall take it out and rebuild it with the intention it will outlast me! If it goes on as long again it certainly will.
 
ST as far as I am aware only made two strokes and a few odd, now mostly defunct, diesels. By their nature four strokes don't "spit back" in the same way two strokes do but most other safety considerations would be the same, for examples carbs can drip and fuel lines runs have the same issues whether two or four stroke.
 
<<kicking it was akin to servicing it.>>

Ooops - I thought that was what 'servicing' meant! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif And I have to admit to having kicked quite a few over the years. After giving them full and meticulous servicing 'to the book'.

What always puzzled me was the fact that such apparently simple engines still often did not work properly.

I once bought a brand new 40+ - nice and shiny, ex works still in its packaging etc. Lovely engine, so little to go wrong, years of service etc.

It started and ran perfectly on test after setting it up. Off for a fortnights cruise. Arrived at Salcombe wanting to go ashore. Would it start? 20 minutes pulling EVERY time. Back home, returned to the supplier. They couldnt start it. Returned to Seagull at Poole. They couldnt start it. They stripped it right down, and rebuilt it, and it still wouldnt start.

Money refunded with the slightly strange comment from Seagull - we get one like that every so often!!!!

Same with ST's. If you had a good one you cherished it, and looked after it and it gave many many years of faithful and faultless service. I had one or two like that.

I knew the yard foreman of a firm that had been building plywood boats in the 60s fitted with ST4s as standard. They ordered them a dozen at a time from Henley. He reports that in every batch there would be one or two that had to be returned because they just would not run. Thats something like a 10% fail rate NEW!

Small wonder British marine engines went the same way as our Motorcycle industry when faced with the Japanese ability to design and build reliable engines (and before anyone shouts, I know at first hand the Japs dont get it right all the time either!)

My signature below reportedly comes from a Stuart Turner owners manual!
 
Your post got me thinking, (something needed to!) How individual are engines?, the previous engine in my little Morris Minor, never minded the cold, started like a dream and rarely had problems (till it developed terminal problems earlier this year /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif) the engine I replaced it with hates the cold, and coughs spits and backfires for the first mile or so, (quick apology to all the cars that got held up by me this morning... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif) So why are old engines so temperamental? boat or car
 
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So why are old engines so temperamental? boat or car

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Probably for the same reason as some of us old sailors are......



Just plain cranky and mean! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I agree, Dynastart is a good addition, but somehow seems to detract from the vintage simplicity of the engines??

If you have a good one, they will generally start on the handle with no probs, in fact I had one that would start just by giving the flywheel a flick, I wish I still had it!

To be honest, I like all those vintage style engines, Stuarts, Brits, and Albins, just seem to look and feel right for a vintage or classic boat, but then, I am probably just a silly old wazzock! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: An aplogy to all Stuart owners Winterising (Stuart Turners)

I just thought I would mention the advice I was given to look after the Stuart's that I have had........

Come the end of the season, I was told to......

Remove Plug or plugs and squirt WD40 down the plug holes. Then spin engine over, at the same time (with fuel taps off) squirt WD40 into the air intake. squirt more WD40 into plug holes then insert corks into plug holes. Drain any remaining fuel from fuel tank and carburetter, and leave cap off fuel tank but place a cup or some such with a small hole in it over the end of the filler pipe, to let fuel vapour escape but prevent ingress of water. Remove Mag, and take home and store in a warm dry place (airing cupboard). Take the plugs home too, and clean and gap as neccessary, store with Mag.

Beggining of season. take corks out of plug holes and spin engine over with a wee bit of WD40 once again squirted down plug holes. Re-install Mag, fill tank with fresh fuel fit plugs and fire up, jobs a guddun! What can I tell ya, works for me! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: An aplogy to all Stuart owners Winterising (Stuart Turners)

IMHO WD40 is the last thing I would want to put inside any engine - and most of all a 2stroke. Firstly, washing in WD is a very effective way of diluting and removing oil - the very thing you dont want to do with a 2 stroke which runs close to oil starvation anyway.

Second, WD dries off, leaving the surface unprotected and as it has washed all the oil away as well the engine internals will be more likely to suffer from damp.

Use a tablespoon or two of a good preserving oil such as Millers Classic Preservation Oil, poured through the spark plug hole, then turn the engine over either by hand, or on the starter (cover the plug hole with a cloth or it goes everywhere!), replace the plug, and you will have no worries. You will need to spin the engine on the starter to clear it before you re-start the engine in the spring. These lay up oils have Vapour corrosion inhibitors (VCI) additives that will ensure the damp does no damage to your engine internals.

Four strokes, you just replace the oil with a good VCI lay up oil, run the engine up to get it thoroughly circulated, and thats it! For an extended lay up, put some through the plug-holes as above to preserve the upper cylinder better.

External moving parts such as linkages should be greased thoroughly to protect them.

But, washing all the oil away with WD 40? - no thanks!
 
Re: An aplogy to all Stuart owners Winterising (Stuart Turners)

Never had a problem using WD40, I suppose the corks in the plug holes must stop it evaporating away, I was told that it stops the rings gumming up. Still each to their own, like I said, it works for me. Each to thier own eh? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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Your post got me thinking, (something needed to!) How individual are engines?, the previous engine in my little Morris Minor, never minded the cold, started like a dream and rarely had problems (till it developed terminal problems earlier this year /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif) the engine I replaced it with hates the cold, and coughs spits and backfires for the first mile or so, (quick apology to all the cars that got held up by me this morning... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif) So why are old engines so temperamental? boat or car

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You'll probably find the timing is a little more advanced,just turn your distributor a little clockwise.
 
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