August 2023 – Birmingham Engine Lows and Highs

Not a very early start this morning, we walked Obi the dog, then get a coffee from the local Nero before the family leave me and Obi to work on the engine problem. They all head to the Bullring for some much-needed retail therapy.

We are on a 4 day mooring, but we need to get back at Droitwich Spa by the following Sunday (4 days time). Hunting online for a fuel pump is proving a little difficult, I cannot seem to find a part number for what we have got and the pictures I find look nothing like what I have?

Then I have a little inspiration, with the engine battery so low, maybe the pump, which I am told is electromechanical? may be not getting enough power to keep the pressure up. Also why is the engine battery so low.

A quick check of the engine and one of the belts, the one it is hardest to see and get to has worked a little loose, in the image above it is on the right hand side, in the boat this is very close to the bulkhead. I have spares belts, but my hands (poorly thumb joints) are not up to reaching behind and below the alternator to release the bolts, unfortunately I have some tools, but had left my main tool kit at homeland at this point I could really do with a set of normal spanners. All I have adjustable spanner and a universal ring spanner, but it is too large to fit well behind the engine and my hands by this time are painful.

I did search on google maps for a local tool shop, but everything was well outside the centre of Birmingham, I could have got an Uber, but luckily when the family returns Antony (Son) after much effort manages to tighten the belt with the adjustable and we then start the engine and the battery start charging.

Things now run smoothly, the volts are increasing rapidly, it is relief all-around, now we leave the motor going for an hour to get some charge back in the batteries.

Happy now with finding and fixing the problem and while writing this things can seem obvious in hindsight but there is more to come in the next few days….

August 2023 – Part 1 – A little adventure, Droitwich to Birmingham
August 2023 – Part 2 – A really Tardebigge adventure
August 2023 – Part 3 – Birmingham Engine Lows and Highs
August 2023 – Part 4 – Lost dog and diner out at Ju Ju’s Cafe
August 2023 – Part 5 – Screwfix almost saves the day