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Kelvin K2 Engine - question for the experts & more experienced users?


Lindapaws

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Hi we have just bought a narrow boat with a vintage K2 engine.

 

I was interested to read a previous topic from Dave about the oil wicks.

 

The wick was not in use on our engine when we bought it & we would appreciate any positive comments

as to how it should be positioned? like how far does the wick protrude into the engine?

 

Thanks for any help

Cheers Don

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We are talking about the 2 oil trimmings that lubricate the valves? If so don't run without them for any length of time or the plain bearings in the rockers tend to wear badly. If running without wicks is essential lubricate the rocker bearings frequently through the holes in the covers or by squirting down the oil holes in each well.

 

The head of each trimming should reach as far as possible down the hole in the oil well- ideally it needs to get as far as the actual rocker cover. The trimming itself should extend into the base of the oil well- leave enough tail to reach the far side whilst sat on the very bottom of the oil well. More is not bad, but reduces the capacity of the oil well so make them a bit long and trim to size once you have them installed.

 

A good test is to put the rocker cover with wicks and oil wells filled onto a clean wad of newspaper. If all is working properly you should have two-even-sized oily puddles under the drip tubes after about an hour. If not one puddle will be missing, or smaller than the other. Twist the wire a little tighter to reduce flow. I like an oil well to last me about 8 hours with two trimmings going so set mine up to last 16 hours on one. That is equivalent to approximately half an oilcan squirt's worth of oil every hour!

 

N

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  • 3 years later...
On 29/05/2017 at 23:41, Lindapaws said:

Thanks for your response N, we are getting a fine gauze shaped like an ice cream cone to catch the fine mist of oil.  Information came from another 2 cylinder Kelvin boater.

 

I have a K1 but you have me lost with this comment. Fine mist of oil where? Where does the fine gauze go??

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The oil is not in the rocker box it is escaping from the oil cap and spraying the exterior of the Kelvin engine.  Another boater came to look at it and diagnosed getting this gauze cone made to capture the oil mist under the cap.  I am not an expert by any means, I was instructed to ask the initial question, apologies if I did not word it very well - but I am not familiar with the workings of the K2.

It works fine and is very economical on diesel, just got an oil problem.

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On 30/05/2017 at 00:03, Lindapaws said:

Dont you have the gauze on your K1 Mike?

 

I've no idea! Where would I find it? Actually under the oil filler cap? Attached to the cap or in the hole?

I don't think I have one...

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Dont you have the gauze on your K1 Mike?

 

Yes it should be just below the oil cap.  My K2 used to be a stand by engine in a light house and wasn't used that much, but when it was decommissioned it was minus the gauze cone.  We are having one built by Catapillar, (not sure on the spelling) as they agreed to help me out as this boater works for them.

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  • 1 month later...

When we had a K3, I replaced the oil wicks with new ones made up by Dick Goble 9 (Kelvin man). On one of the oil wells, the oil was finding it's way out of the join between the base and the cover. On closer inspection (oil well removed), there are small channels under where the wick would terminate. These channels then led to holes where the oil would trickle down onto the rockers. one or two of the oil wells were on gaskets which may have been a mod. I fashioned a gasket and the oil no longer leaked beneath the well. HTH.

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