Took a short trip down to Fazeley Mill Marina yesterday for the usual services. Filled up with diesel @ 62 ppl as it all went into my heating tank in the front of the boat. I did not need any diesel for propulsion as I filled up in October and have not really been anywhere since so I signed the form as 100% for heating.
Now to the point of this post, supermarkets are now selling diesel at under £1 per litre compared to £1.05 at marinas. What (apart from the obvious hassle) is going to stop me filling my cans at the supermarket, and then filling up my engine tank with white diesel? How is HMRC going to know that I get my engine diesel from a supermarket?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Things can go wrong.......
Whilst we are moored up for the winter I like to run the engine for a couple of hours every 7 to 10 days. I put the key in the ignition and turned it, the starter turned but the engine would not start. It would appear that the starter motor was not working as it should.
Next were the options, take it to a boatyard where they would probably charge me an hours labour to take the starter motor out and another hours labour to put it back... there's a £100 pound gone before I start.
EXCEPT, the engine would not start so I could not get to the boatyard anyway. The other options were to call out an engineer (more expense) or take out the starter motor myself and get it fixed. Taking out the starter motor was very easy, disconnect a few wires, take out three bolts and there it was - out. Now, where could I get it fixed? Unfortunately at the same time as the starter motor on the boat failed the power assisted steering rack on my car decided to play up and failed the mot. Speaking to the chap from the garage who was fixing my car, he said, why don't you take it round the corner to Tamworth Auto Electrics - they will fix it.
It's encouraging when you go into a workshop and put this object on the counter and the chap behind the counter recognises exactly what it is and what engine it came from. A quick inspection and he said the clutch has gone. Would you like it fully reconditioned at the same time?
In for a penny, in for a pound so I said yes. Two days later I got a phone call to say my starter motor was ready for collection. I went to collect it and there was this object, all clean and shiny, repainted, and looking nothing like the sorry object I had taken in a couple of days previously.
For the technical boffins amongst us, the clutch had gone, the bushes were worn down to virtually nothing, and the armature needed regrinding or something! The chap said it was a wonder it had worked so long - I replied it was only 20 years old. At the end of the day I paid £120 for the repair and got something that resembled a brand new unit, which, apparently, I could not have got as they don't make them any more! He then said that the reconditioned motor would probably outlast me!
Today I refitted the starter motor, turned the key, and the engine started. I'm happy!!
Next were the options, take it to a boatyard where they would probably charge me an hours labour to take the starter motor out and another hours labour to put it back... there's a £100 pound gone before I start.
EXCEPT, the engine would not start so I could not get to the boatyard anyway. The other options were to call out an engineer (more expense) or take out the starter motor myself and get it fixed. Taking out the starter motor was very easy, disconnect a few wires, take out three bolts and there it was - out. Now, where could I get it fixed? Unfortunately at the same time as the starter motor on the boat failed the power assisted steering rack on my car decided to play up and failed the mot. Speaking to the chap from the garage who was fixing my car, he said, why don't you take it round the corner to Tamworth Auto Electrics - they will fix it.
It's encouraging when you go into a workshop and put this object on the counter and the chap behind the counter recognises exactly what it is and what engine it came from. A quick inspection and he said the clutch has gone. Would you like it fully reconditioned at the same time?
In for a penny, in for a pound so I said yes. Two days later I got a phone call to say my starter motor was ready for collection. I went to collect it and there was this object, all clean and shiny, repainted, and looking nothing like the sorry object I had taken in a couple of days previously.
For the technical boffins amongst us, the clutch had gone, the bushes were worn down to virtually nothing, and the armature needed regrinding or something! The chap said it was a wonder it had worked so long - I replied it was only 20 years old. At the end of the day I paid £120 for the repair and got something that resembled a brand new unit, which, apparently, I could not have got as they don't make them any more! He then said that the reconditioned motor would probably outlast me!
Today I refitted the starter motor, turned the key, and the engine started. I'm happy!!
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