My entire world now revolves around this damn boat......
I am currently drawing up a proposal to her Majesty's Prison Service to include "Vega Refurbishment" as part of an holistic approach to rehabilitation of offenders. The main thrust of my argument is based upon the multitude of personal and developmental skills required to undertake such a task. Immense patience, determination, positive attitude, flexibility, initiative, problem solving, adaptability, and unfailing motivation to name but a few!
I am convinced that inmates will either benefit greatly from the experience or vow never to offend ever again if they will be forced to fix another Vega!!!!
.......... so what happened today?
I decided to fire up the beast and see if my considerable efforts on the Combi have been worthwhile. I have changed the oil and filter, changed the alternator and dynastart drive belts,(the rear bolt on the dynastart is impossible to get a spanner or socket on - thankyou Mr Volvo) and greased everything within an inch of its life. I connected a supply of water (mindful of destroying the impeller) charged the battery and checked (again) all the nuts and bolts and anything else I could think off. Water was turned on and as I clambered on board I noticed a steady flow of water from the bottom of the engine (stb side) - oh gloom! After a bit of investigation I found a nice neat hole just by the dipstick which was happily emptying the engine of water. Time for more head scratching and a look at the engine diagram.. hmmmm... a water drain tap should be there! I remembered seeing a little brass tap in a box of bits that came with the boat so I set of to hunt it down. It was in a sorry state - someone had butchered it but joy of joys I found a new one as well! Delighted with my good fortune I proceeded to try to fit it... an hour later, suitably frustrated I checked the "new" one against the old one and discovered that it was a slightly larger diameter. No wonder it will not fit! ....by the way it could not be fitted anyway because the little cross bar (which allows you to unscrew it when draining) could not be turned because it fouls the dip stick tube....... I am now resigned to such anomalies and don't even bother sending strongly worded letters to Mr Volvo.
Back to the drawing board - it is in a really tricky spot to reach and I tried to fit the old one to see if it would screw in - it did but it was a bit sloppy. I ended up cutting off the cross bar (tap) to allow a 14mm socket to fit over the top and I managed to get it in and out ok... I ended up covering it with thread tape and copious amounts of thread lock! In it went - time for a coffee and gird my loins ready to try again to start her....
Water was turned on and success - no leaks! Ignition on - three pretty coloured lights glow brightly and I decompress the engine.. hang on - I checked everything again - a few pumps on the lift pump, then listened as the dynastart spun the engine up, decompress off and yippee - she runs! It started very easily and is as smooth as a virgins thigh! Oh happy days!
The prop was happily spinning away and I had made sure the stern bearing was well lubed - all was quiet and smooth with water coming out the exhaust so I pushed the prop/throttle lever on the combi (teleflex is not fitted yet) and revs increased and the prop pitch changed smoothly - no leaks, no nasty noises and no drama - I love my engine!
Even the voltmeter worked and the temp gauge began to show an increase in temp - I was delighted. I checked the battery voltages (both of them) and they both showed 13 and a bit volts so I assume both the alternator and the dynastart are working.. a miracle!
The engine runs VERY well and is SO easy to start - I was delighted. The only thing that did not work is the ammeter - it has no connections on the back for some reason - anyone know which wires I need to connect to get it going? No obvious ones were loose near it..
Anyway - I am well behind schedule so I decided to fit the teleflex throttle control thingy - the old one was corroded solid - I thought it would be a quick job.... when will I learn? To cut a long story short - the mounting holes are NOT equidistant around the central hole so it will only fit one way.. needless to say I had it 90 degrees out! All taken apart and put back together and it now works a treat!
God knows what I will do with my life when I have fixed everything!
Steve (bless him) has posted me a replacement machine screw for the prop boss - so overall things are looking up!
Thanks to all for the helpful comments and advice... toilet fitting tomorrow!
I am currently drawing up a proposal to her Majesty's Prison Service to include "Vega Refurbishment" as part of an holistic approach to rehabilitation of offenders. The main thrust of my argument is based upon the multitude of personal and developmental skills required to undertake such a task. Immense patience, determination, positive attitude, flexibility, initiative, problem solving, adaptability, and unfailing motivation to name but a few!
I am convinced that inmates will either benefit greatly from the experience or vow never to offend ever again if they will be forced to fix another Vega!!!!
.......... so what happened today?
I decided to fire up the beast and see if my considerable efforts on the Combi have been worthwhile. I have changed the oil and filter, changed the alternator and dynastart drive belts,(the rear bolt on the dynastart is impossible to get a spanner or socket on - thankyou Mr Volvo) and greased everything within an inch of its life. I connected a supply of water (mindful of destroying the impeller) charged the battery and checked (again) all the nuts and bolts and anything else I could think off. Water was turned on and as I clambered on board I noticed a steady flow of water from the bottom of the engine (stb side) - oh gloom! After a bit of investigation I found a nice neat hole just by the dipstick which was happily emptying the engine of water. Time for more head scratching and a look at the engine diagram.. hmmmm... a water drain tap should be there! I remembered seeing a little brass tap in a box of bits that came with the boat so I set of to hunt it down. It was in a sorry state - someone had butchered it but joy of joys I found a new one as well! Delighted with my good fortune I proceeded to try to fit it... an hour later, suitably frustrated I checked the "new" one against the old one and discovered that it was a slightly larger diameter. No wonder it will not fit! ....by the way it could not be fitted anyway because the little cross bar (which allows you to unscrew it when draining) could not be turned because it fouls the dip stick tube....... I am now resigned to such anomalies and don't even bother sending strongly worded letters to Mr Volvo.
Back to the drawing board - it is in a really tricky spot to reach and I tried to fit the old one to see if it would screw in - it did but it was a bit sloppy. I ended up cutting off the cross bar (tap) to allow a 14mm socket to fit over the top and I managed to get it in and out ok... I ended up covering it with thread tape and copious amounts of thread lock! In it went - time for a coffee and gird my loins ready to try again to start her....
Water was turned on and success - no leaks! Ignition on - three pretty coloured lights glow brightly and I decompress the engine.. hang on - I checked everything again - a few pumps on the lift pump, then listened as the dynastart spun the engine up, decompress off and yippee - she runs! It started very easily and is as smooth as a virgins thigh! Oh happy days!
The prop was happily spinning away and I had made sure the stern bearing was well lubed - all was quiet and smooth with water coming out the exhaust so I pushed the prop/throttle lever on the combi (teleflex is not fitted yet) and revs increased and the prop pitch changed smoothly - no leaks, no nasty noises and no drama - I love my engine!
Even the voltmeter worked and the temp gauge began to show an increase in temp - I was delighted. I checked the battery voltages (both of them) and they both showed 13 and a bit volts so I assume both the alternator and the dynastart are working.. a miracle!
The engine runs VERY well and is SO easy to start - I was delighted. The only thing that did not work is the ammeter - it has no connections on the back for some reason - anyone know which wires I need to connect to get it going? No obvious ones were loose near it..
Anyway - I am well behind schedule so I decided to fit the teleflex throttle control thingy - the old one was corroded solid - I thought it would be a quick job.... when will I learn? To cut a long story short - the mounting holes are NOT equidistant around the central hole so it will only fit one way.. needless to say I had it 90 degrees out! All taken apart and put back together and it now works a treat!
God knows what I will do with my life when I have fixed everything!
Steve (bless him) has posted me a replacement machine screw for the prop boss - so overall things are looking up!
Thanks to all for the helpful comments and advice... toilet fitting tomorrow!
