Thorneycroft 6 cylinder Diesel

[Odella1234]

Thanks, it's a long project but starting to look beter!

If you post some pics I could tell you how similar they look to my engines but I couldn't get any more pics of mine yet )boats 300 miles away.

I did a bit of research into these engines and they were used in coaches and all sorts so quite possible. I have an original leyland workshop manual for these engines which I may be able to scan over if you need it?

 

[Blacksmoke]

Thanks for the reply. I can see this site will absorb a lot of spare time! What's the background on your boat, please? I was surprised at it being twin engined, it's not that common here (they're too dear!) although it would be convenient with the bilge keels for sitting on the hard. What's the tidal range there? Is it fairly large and that's the reason for settling on the seabed? We have about a 2 metre maximum here. (New Zealand, Tauranga Harbour, here's a link in case you're interested: http://www.port-tauranga.co.nz/Environment/Harbour-Conditions/

On the subject of the old Leylands, I know someone who used to look after quarry machinery and he was telling me that one Saturday he was the last one away and locked the gates. When he went back in on the Monday morning, he could hear a ticking noise and it was one of the loaders still idling from the Saturday with no apparent problems.

I meant to take some fresh shots today but forgot, so I'll use the older ones I have.
This is what it's in
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The water pump mounts in this position
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[Odella1234]

Looks the same or very similar to my engines. I will try to get part of the workshop manual scanned to see if you can match it up.

I used to use the boat for charter trips out of St.Ives in Cornwall and the engines never skipped a beat going all day every day the weather would allow for the summer - not bad considering one of them was the original from 1969 when the boat was built.

The bilge keels were fitted as St.Ives is a drying harbour with a tidal range of between 5 and 7 metres.

What would you like to know about the background?

 

[No Regrets]

If they did run her out of fuel, you might need to check the filters haven't dragged up the bottom of the tank crud, and then prime the diesel pump before attempting a restart!

She's unlikely to have damaged engines unless the seacocks were off or she was running totally dry for quite a while.!

Oh, and check the fuel tank contents perhaps, before refilling! Check the compressions too, which would indicate piston/ bore damage.

 

[Latestarter1]

Where did this compression checking stuff come from...

We realised a zillion years ago that compression checking is gasoline engine stuff, because of compression ratio and impact of cranking speed as well as tiny droplets of fuel impacting on numbers obtained, tells you ten pennyworth of bugger all. If you can find a compression specification # for a Leyland 370 I will give you a prize off the top shelf.

The only way to do a proper health check on a diesel engine is a blow-by test. Add the fact that ripping injectors out of engines which have injector sleeves is plain asking for trouble. have also see cases where wrong thickness injector washer goes back, previously clean motor suddenly gets smoky.

If the motor has picked up a piston the old lady will tell you by chuffing like a steam loco. There is a simple test, once engine is warm loosen oil fill cap, if cap goes into orbit motor is scrapper as the parts do not come cheap. If it just breathes a wee bit, live with it, this old lady will run and run.

Often amazes me when motor is running like a lop eared crab some nupty comes up with the idea of a compression test! If it smells like s***t tastes like s***t it probably is s***t Knowing which cylinder is buggered is pointless, engine still has to come out. When head comes off you know exactly what you are up against.

 

[Latestarter1]

No Regrets

I believe I owe an explanation for my ire regarding compression testing without too much risk of hijacking this thread.

US boating industry supports a race people called ‘Engine Surveyors’ although not generally seen here I have crossed swords with these ‘experts’ on a number of occasions, many are OK guys, however are many that are nothing better than pond life. These guys can screw up the sale of perfectly sound vessel with their compression testing and one off oil sampling, together with other non data based gobbledegook comments. The American boating industry still dominated by gasoline and Detroit two stroke thinking.

Compression testing entirely appropriate for gasoline engines, as the compression of a gasoline motor follows a linear pattern to wear out.

Direct injection diesel engines have totally different chacteristics. Blow-by by is relatively high when new and pistons have not had the opportunity to bed in. Once power cylinder has bedded in, blow-by unlike gasoline engines remains pretty constant even when motor is close to wear out. For example I have data showing engine blow by could be WORSE on a 400 hour British Rail 156 Sprinter rail bus than at say 17,000 hours than when engine was due for removal for a mid-life overhaul.

If we are discussing engine damage as opposed to wear out then the ‘low earth orbit’ oil filler cap test is the simple common sense check of future engine viability.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Looks the same or very similar to my engines. I will try to get part of the workshop manual scanned to see if you can match it up.

I used to use the boat for charter trips out of St.Ives in Cornwall and the engines never skipped a beat going all day every day the weather would allow for the summer - not bad considering one of them was the original from 1969 when the boat was built.

The bilge keels were fitted as St.Ives is a drying harbour with a tidal range of between 5 and 7 metres.

What would you like to know about the background?

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was expecting an email alert for a thread update but thought I'd check and found things had moved on.

What sort of fishing was she used for originally. Also on charter, is that for fishing parties, or sightseers? Is the name significant?

I got the water pump back on and had difficulty getting it started, checked the batteries and one had "blown" a post away for half its diameter. So, out with the soldering gear and got that patched up and sweated a terminal on permanently and it started happily. It seems to be a good starter. (touch wood!) The primary diesel filter has a cloth element in it and it's a bit ratty, so I must fit a newer style of filter.

I hadn't figured your craft at 37 feet, so that explains a lot of things. There's an ex WW2 boat around here that was used for retrieving pilots from the English channel. I haven't seen it for a while but helm is a long way forward and it only has a small cockpit aft and theres a long low cabin in between.

A 5-7m tidal range would need planning for. We have the busiest port i NZ here and it comes in through a narrow entrance at 7 knots at half tide, always a good test for a yacht's auxiliary. There are plans afoot to deepen it further to allow the next generation of container vesdsels to berth here.

I hope things are progressing for you although the season will be changing as we head towards summer.

 

[Odella1234]

Getting a little further thanks, rebuilt the back of the wheelhouse but weather has turned now so cover is on for the winter with the hope of rebuilding deck boards/interior etc.

A long job!

I used to use her for sight seeing and fishing parties dependant on who was around and the weather.

Unsure what fishing she was used for originally - all I know is she used to be called ELLA and worked out of Looe so I guess a bit more research is required.