LesR

Hi cbport Lets get back to basics on this engine. The problem is an internal fuel leak that is causing the oil level to rise. The fuel lift pump is an external pump fitted outside of the engine casing. So even if you had one and it was leaking it would not drip internally and increase the sump oil level. You say in your opening statement that 'directly into the front of the engine behind the side plate covering the injectors'. This plate does not cover the injectors, these are in fact the injector pumps (one for each cylinder) behind this plate. On top of these two injector pumps are pipes that go to the top of the cylinder head where the actual injectors are housed. To access the injectors remove the two rectangular covers on top of the engine by removing the two nuts on each cover. The covers normally have the name Lister cast into them. I hope this helps.

Try Ray Ayres. He is based at Willowbridge Marina, Bletchley and does a lot of work on Listers

It's no fun if the fault is easy! Well if it is someone elses. If fuel is dripping out, air can also leak in, in most cases anyway. Les

Hi Ian The governor is there to stop the engine increasing its rpm above a pre determined setting. A broken spring should not effect the engines tick over. Will the engine increase rpm using the throttle? If so it may just need the tick over speed setting. Regards Les

There is a link to on line manuals in the SR2 smoking thread. These symptoms do sound very much like fuel in the oil. Change the oil ASAP and re test. If it is a slight leak, it can take many hours to affect the throttle response. It will restart, normally after the problem cuts out the engine. The two normal places to look for a leak are the internal fuel lines and the lift pump.

The gearbox looks like it is cable operated. I can not see the alternator, and the front looks different from the ones I have seen. Is that an oil dipstick at the front left of the engine?

Hi Leo1973 I have a Lister SR2.I fitted a filter/water seperator before the engine, directly onto the fuel tank. Using this method, the modern filter will collect anything from the tank before it enters the small filter fitted on to the engine.

Even if the old one is leaking it will tell you if the problem is the pump. The tappet is the small metal rod that fits in the engine block between the lift pump and the camshaft. You can see it when the pump is removed. This is what makes the lift pump work. If it was missed out when the new pump was fitted, the pump can not function.

That has given me an idea. The fuel tank is just high enough to give some gravity feed, what if the new lift pump is in fact faulty. That may just be enough for fuel to feed the engine under no load but struggle with a new full size prop. Have you tried the old pump back on? This may sound silly but did you make sure the pump tappet (small rod) was in place before the new pump was fitted. I know I have been caught out with dafter things before now.

Well, mine does push the boat through the water. Sorry Ian.

Sorry, to late, or I would have swopped.

My pleasure. The project included stripping, bead blasting and painting all external suffices. All wear surfaces were checked, but not a single surface had worn beyond manufacturers tolerances.

Just to throw another item into the pot. The engine has has a new SR2 lifter pump fitted. Are the pumps the same for all the engine combinations that are being listed as the possible engine in the boat?

Could someone explain what pressure the pressure relief valve should be for safety? Les

As you have 240v why not hire/buy a small de-humidifier. This will draw out all the moisture from within your boat. Les

I think Ian needs to clarify the amount of black smoke it was producing. I did not see any, but I was in the engine bay.If my friends BMC is anything to go by, that does produce black smoke, all down the moorings. Les

You might find this of use. It's the LR & SR manual: http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/lister_man.pdf

Hi bizzard, I will give that a try, if Ian askes me back. But I can not see how adjusting the stop plate will affect the fuel supply as it is not directly connected to the linkage rod.Its only purpose is to apply pressure towards the right, thus stopping the fuel flow when the engine stop is applied. likewise, the engine governors only role is to stop the engine exceeding safe speeds, (in this case max. of 2500rpm) by centrifugal force acting on weights and springs so unless these speeds are exceeded the governer is not used. We also know that the engine will reach its designed maximum rpm without load, showing the linkage and governor is basicaly set correctly and working. My concern is that if it was just being caused by lack of power to drive the prop. through the water, then it would still gain some extra rpm say maybe 50% of maximum, but would not have the power/torque to exceed this. But infact it is not moving much above tickover rpm with the load applied and throttle fully open. Les

Just to add my observations to the mix, after visiting the boat yesterday. The outward features are similar to a SR2 but the injector has a cylindrical base with a flat bottom with one central hole that has a small pip. My SR2 injectors have the cooling fins as already described, my engine was built in 1969. The leak off pipe is not the self venting type, and originally returned excess fuel to the feed line between the small filter and the injection pumps. This has now been fed back to the tank directly, I do not know what if any effect this would have. The gearbox is a 2:1 ratio, and looks to have been married to the engine for many years. The engine mount seems original with a plate welded to the hull for direct bolting of the engine, no rubber mounts are used, i.e. as fitted to a lister gearbox. The engine does not appear to have been highered to allow a reduction gearbox to replace a 1:1 lister box. As to the original prop running in reverse, I think it may be that in the period before Ian got the boat, the prop was damaged and some kind boater has offered to give the previous owner an old lister prop, not realising it was from a direct 1:1 gearbox that of course runs the opposite way to a reduction gearbox. The engine started first time and ran very smoothly. Full rpm was achieved without the load of the gearbox and prop. Once the gearbox was engaged (forwards or reverse) the engine would hardly pull much above tick over. As usual the revs did drop slightly, but it would happily pull the load of gearbox and prop without stalling at this reduced rpm. It did not show any signs of stress or labouring, but seemed that there was no fuel to allow the revs to increase. Slowly opening the throttle had not effect on building up the rpm, all these tests were at standstill so there was no extra load of forcing the boat through the water. I have suggested to Ian that he carries out these tests again after unbolting the propshaft from the gearbox and seeing what effect it has on the rpm. Also to rig up a small day tank and bypass as much of the fuel system as possible, just to test this side of things. As to the engine identification. If anyone knows how to identify what engine this is without measuring the bore/stroke I am quite happy to check it out. Les

My pleasure. You now have my number so just let me know if you ever need a hand. Les

Just had a look in the SRM Parts List and they are nothing like the drawing, or like the ones I have on my SR2. So as suggested by others, it may not be a SR2. Les Parkinsons have moved, they are now at: Parkinson House, Wrightsway, LN2 4JY, Telephone: 01522 530176 Les

I am a new member to the forum, but if it helps I am happy to be a second pair of eyes on this engine. I live not far from Saxilby (Lincs) in Retford. My engine is anSR2 which I rebuilt a few years ago. I also have a background in engineering. Les