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Vaguely thinking of buying boat with SR3


cmt1375

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We are going to look at a boat which has an SR3 with reduction box and gearbox. What should we be looking for when examining the engine? We know very little about these engines except that they were the work horses of hire boats so must be reliable. Any help/guidance would be welcomed. Thanks.

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We are going to look at a boat which has an SR3 with reduction box and gearbox. What should we be looking for when examining the engine? We know very little about these engines except that they were the work horses of hire boats so must be reliable. Any help/guidance would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

Starting from cold within a few seconds, little smoke when underway at cruising speed and no major oil leaks. Make sure the gearbox goes into neutral, ahead and astern. These engines have a habit of developing internal fuel leaks so make sure the oil is not very thin, smelling of diesel and defiantly not above the maximum on the dipstick.

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Starting from cold within a few seconds, little smoke when underway at cruising speed and no major oil leaks. Make sure the gearbox goes into neutral, ahead and astern. These engines have a habit of developing internal fuel leaks so make sure the oil is not very thin, smelling of diesel and defiantly not above the maximum on the dipstick.

 

Grab the propeller shaft coupling (with engine OFF!) and try to rotate it, in both directions. There should be very little free movement. A lot of free movement points to a loose coupling or badly worn gears (expensive to fix, if you can find them). Also check that the reduction box oil looks clean, no water (white or grey emulsion).

 

Engine spares should mostly be readily available, gearbox spares less so.

 

Tim

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Starting from cold within a few seconds, little smoke when underway at cruising speed and no major oil leaks. Make sure the gearbox goes into neutral, ahead and astern. These engines have a habit of developing internal fuel leaks so make sure the oil is not very thin, smelling of diesel and defiantly not above the maximum on the dipstick.

 

Good advice from Tony. As an ex-SR3 owner I'll just add two comments:

 

1. Its often said that you don't need a dipstick when you've got an SR. If there's oil in there, the exhaust will be smoking. If it stops smoking, you need to put some more oil in (please don't take this TOO literally but I think you'll see the point)

 

2. The steel underneath an SR will never go rusty (It's always been my dream to have an engine that didn't leak any oil).

 

Note that the gearbox defaults into forward gear, and only engages neutral or reverse when the engine is running - hence Tony's good observation above, and that is why Tim's test works.

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Note that the gearbox defaults into forward gear, and only engages neutral or reverse when the engine is running - hence Tony's good observation above, and that is why Tim's test works.

 

True with the hydraulic box, but not the mechanical version (one with a big lever, usually through the floor). If it's one of those, I should have said to put it in gear before trying the shaft.

 

Tim

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True with the hydraulic box, but not the mechanical version (one with a big lever, usually through the floor). If it's one of those, I should have said to put it in gear before trying the shaft.

 

Tim

 

The manual box locks in forward - the lever is there to pull the box into neutral and reverse against the spring pack. Is that what you were talking about?

 

Richard

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The manual box locks in forward - the lever is there to pull the box into neutral and reverse against the spring pack. Is that what you were talking about?

 

Richard

 

The gearbox needs to be in (ahead) gear for my check to have any meaning. The hydraulic box is in ahead anyway, regardless of control position, if there's no oil pressure, but the mechanical box will be in neutral if the lever is in neutral, independent of whether the engine is running.

 

Tim

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The gearbox needs to be in (ahead) gear for my check to have any meaning. The hydraulic box is in ahead anyway, regardless of control position, if there's no oil pressure, but the mechanical box will be in neutral if the lever is in neutral, independent of whether the engine is running.

 

Tim

 

Right - got it. Thanks for explaining that Tim

 

Richard

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Yes the hydraulic box fails safe into forward gear in the event of hydraulic pressure failure to ''get you home''in forward gear only.

Never dive down the weed hatch with the engine running in neutral in case the hydraulics should suddenly fail, always stop the engine first.

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With neutral gear selected and on fast tick-over (morso control button out and engine speed controlled by lever) briefly lift and return each de-compression lever in sequence. The drop in engine speed should be about the same for each one. (Dont need a rev counter, detect by ear) Shows that all cylinders have similar compression and fuel injectors are also evenly set up.

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With neutral gear selected and on fast tick-over (morso control button out and engine speed controlled by lever) briefly lift and return each de-compression lever in sequence. The drop in engine speed should be about the same for each one. (Dont need a rev counter, detect by ear) Shows that all cylinders have similar compression and fuel injectors are also evenly set up.

That's if someones great clomping boots haven't trodden on the levers and busted them, and they're often all linked together too.

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That's if someones great clomping boots haven't trodden on the levers and busted them, and they're often all linked together too.

Yes, the de-compression levers do break easily, but can usually still be operated if you have strong fingers or a mole wrench. For all the work involved it would be well worth disconnecting the links for a test that could detect an engine requiring some attention.

It is possible of course that the de-compression adjustments are out which may give a falso indication of the faults mentioned. That however is a defect in itself. (Usually less serious though)

I like the idea of having the levers linked, it makes starting in cold weather with an almost flat battery a reality. I used to have them, but they were misplaced some years ago.

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Yes, the de-compression levers do break easily, but can usually still be operated if you have strong fingers or a mole wrench. For all the work involved it would be well worth disconnecting the links for a test that could detect an engine requiring some attention.

It is possible of course that the de-compression adjustments are out which may give a falso indication of the faults mentioned. That however is a defect in itself. (Usually less serious though)

I like the idea of having the levers linked, it makes starting in cold weather with an almost flat battery a reality. I used to have them, but they were misplaced some years ago.

Quite so, i've linked mine, but only decompress during the winter to ease the starting load on the starter motor.

Chris B at Marine engine services have or did have new levers and new securing roll pins in stock.

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Only go for a boat with a lister engine in if you are happy to have a noisey, smokey, oil leaky, vibrating large lump of british metal next to or under your feet.

Sold! You make it sound quite irresistible. Where do I pay?

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Only go for a boat with a lister engine in if you are happy to have a noisey, smokey, oil leaky, vibrating large lump of british metal next to or under your feet.

Of course, what they do lack is the ability to piss out water as well!

 

If you really want the whole repertoire, maybe an air-cooled Lister is not the total "solution" ?

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Of course, what they do lack is the ability to piss out water as well!

 

If you really want the whole repertoire, maybe an air-cooled Lister is not the total "solution" ?

The SR's are available water cooled, a bit quieter but getting rare now.

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A water cooled SR3 is an abomination. The lister should be enjoyed, as part of the experience.

 

And there is no bettter excuse, when speedi g past moored boats, than to point at the engine 'ole, and make the 'can't hear you' signal, and smile beningly... :rolleyes:

 

 

SR3's rule

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A water cooled SR3 is an abomination. The lister should be enjoyed, as part of the experience.

 

And there is no bettter excuse, when speedi g past moored boats, than to point at the engine 'ole, and make the 'can't hear you' signal, and smile beningly... :rolleyes:

 

 

SR3's rule

And if you want to escape an enemy whack the throttle fully open to lay a dense smoke screen.

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  • 1 month later...

A water cooled SR3 is an abomination. The lister should be enjoyed, as part of the experience.

 

And there is no better excuse, when speedi g past moored boats, than to point at the engine 'ole, and make the 'can't hear you' signal, and smile beningly... :rolleyes:

 

 

A technique which I perfected when we had 'Batto', powered by a Rigas Dizelis which was in a rear engine-room and not covered over, and made a pleasing sound but lots of it. I don't think I speeded past moored craft, I'd like to tell you what their owners were saying to me as I passed, but I'm afraid I couldn't hear them.

I hope it was "That sounds like a nice engine", which would have merited my benign smile.

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