BMC Captain and commodore engines

[praggers]

I recently bought a Macwester Malin with a BMC 1.5 diesel. I have no paperwork or instruction for this engine and am anxious that I get the starting and running of this venerable power unit right. I have searched the web for information and this has proved to be a dead end as regards the type of document that I can download. My spirits lifted when I came across your thread on ybw and I hope you will send me the digital versions of the workshop manuals if you are able.
My email is owenie@blueyonder.co.uk
Thanking you in anticipation
Regards
Owen

You can download a pdf of the Workshop Manual for the BMC Captain (a.k.a the BMC 1.5 litre diesel engine) here:
http://the-norfolk-broads.co.uk/downloads/bmc1500L-diesel-workshop-manual.pdf
Incidentally, you might notice that nowhere in the manual does it quote a figure for the horsepower of this unit. I've heard figures banded around that put it somewhere between 30 and 40 HP, with the lower figure likely to be closer to the truth! However, there are other factors in its favour - robustness, reliability and continued availability of affordable spares for example.
I would just add a note of caution about the timing chain, given that these engines must be at least 40 years old: In the absence of reliable service history, I'd definitely be getting it replaced sooner rather than later, along with the chain tensioner and ideally the chain sprockets as well, if new ones can be sourced.

Good luck getting it all sorted out

Praggers

 

[PCUK]

The 1.5 has timing gears. But as the thread is nearly two years old it probably doesn't matter!

 

[Jcorstorphine]

My 1.5 had duplex chain. Could be the 1.8 had gears.

 

[Latestarter1]

My 1.5 had duplex chain. Could be the 1.8 had gears.

Both BMC 1.5 and 1.8 diesel engines had duplex chain drive to the camshaft, however when production of the 1.8 moved to Turkey the duplex chain drive was modified to improve tensioner durability.

 

[PCUK]

Wonder what mine is with gears then? Early 1.5?

 

[SimonA]

Mine has a chain, which I believe is standard on all 1.5's.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Wonder what mine is with gears then? Early 1.5?

The BMC Captain was based on the old J4 Austin van engine also used in the Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge cars. The 1.5 diesel engine was a dieselfied 1498 cc petrol engine with the CAV injection pump replacing the distributer. As Latestarter has said, the 1.5 had duplex chains as did the 1000 cc petrol Vedette and I am sure the 2.2 Commander (Taxi engine) also had chains.
So to answer your question as to your engines provenance, it sounds a "special" if it is in fact a BMC.

 

[Mark Sea Prince]

Hello...
I found this thread some years ago when researching my boat and engine...
and thought it time to reply...
I live aboard Sea Prince a Norfolk Broads Cruiser built in 1946 .... I found out from workers of A G Ward that Sea Prince had a 3 litre 6 cylinder engine in the 1950s.. I thought the engine bearer's were a little oversized .. and I'm a fan of a little over engineering.
From what I know...
Mr Albert G Ward was well known in the industry.. he started with his first boat in 1929 called Sea Hawk... Then followed others all prefixed with Sea ....
Sea Prince was the head of the fleet... and it seems reasonable to say gave the name to the engine.
I see there are a couple of boats on the Thames with the Sea Prince engine and I will try to make contact with them... I used the search terms.. ' BMC Sea Prince '
I have found some of the fleet but if anyone reading this has any information I am on Instagram MY Sea Prince.