Diesel Engineer - Bristol

[BristolDiver]

Hi,

Looking for a recommendation for a diesel engineer to work in Bristol.

Our smoky old 28hp 1988 Volvo 2003 inboard has started stopping, and to put it simply we’d like some help from an engineer to stop it stopping.

Did 30-40hrs of motor-sailing this summer up/down the channel and it performed flawlessly for weeks until it cut out 250m from the lock at Bristol It does restart after a short while with some difficulty, but as it usually conspires to stop when we’d least like it - this behaviour needs to stop!

We’ve tried all the usual filter changes, and whilst we did find a clogged filter - replacing that hasn’t entirely helped. It will test run for an hour or so on/off load no problem. Then decide its going to die randomly when manoeuvring. Doesn’t seem to like having revs reduced.

So, any recent recommendations for engineers to help? Personally, I’ve had good service recently from Advance Marine on another issue, so they’re a possible. Any other options to try, especially for vintage sail-boat engines that you can’t plug a laptop into to ask what’s wrong!

 

[38mess]

How frustrating. I don't know anyone in your area I'm sorry, but diesels are simple things that will go on and on. Are you sure the filters are fitted correctly and there is no air getting in? Is the engine overheating? Good luck

 

[oldmanofthehills]

You could try Motion Marine / Motive Marine 07789 175042 down near Underfall Yard, but they seemed expensive when I used them and some of the reviews are poor.

I would trust Phil Collins of Advance Marine to do a sound job but sometimes he lets the underlings finish it off and one finds clips missing.. Most criticism of him is about slowness and somewhat agricultural finish on his welding. I don't know if Ray William of Portishead 07909 534091 does engines these days, but his work is excellent if somewhat more laidback at times than Advance Marine

 

[BristolDiver]

How frustrating. I don't know anyone in your area I'm sorry, but diesels are simple things that will go on and on. Are you sure the filters are fitted correctly and there is no air getting in? Is the engine overheating? Good luck

Thanks. Pretty sure we're not overheating. Latest bout of issues was this weekend - had to move the boat in the harbour. Freezing cold. Only ran it for 5-10 minutes at low revs - decent water flow in the exhaust.

I don't think its air, although might be wrong. When (not if) we fit the CAV filter incorrectly we get the irregular engine revs, running, racing, dipping, racing, dying - can't keep it running by increasing revs.

Right now it just runs 'fine' until the last seconds when it just tails off and stops. Increasing revs keeps it running.

Must be a fuel problem, right? But what? Injectors?

 

[38mess]

Could you bypass the filters by running a fuel line from a Jerry can straight to the fuel pump? See what happens, it certainly sounds like a fuel/air problem.