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My Ruston & Hornsby could be dead...


casper ghost

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It has been getting more smokey and also blowing exhaust out of the oil filler. On closer inspection today we saw oil in the air breather pipe. Stripping it down; one cylinder has been getting water in it, it needs new liners, new rings and the crank bearings are scratched. It probably needs coming out for serious work, though I'm not sure whether the costs will mean it's look for another engine time.. The chap helping me strip it is checking whether the head is cracked... but he is also concerned that the crank will need more regrinding for which the engine will need to go with it.. sad.png

If I could find a 1VSH I would fit that instead, though my Dad reckons I should just fit the Armstrong Siddley AS1 I have in the shed, but at 8hp at 1200 revs it will be a bit lower on power and I'm not sure it would be happy turning the 18x19 prop I currently have.. I do have a 2DSM in the garage, but it's a bit big..

 

Casp'

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Commiserations, what type of rushton is it? Out of the engines you have mentioned so far is go for the 2DSM, they are big heavy lumps though.

 

Regards kris

Ruston 2VTH. The Dorman is really too big, physically, but I'll have to measure it when I get home. Looks as though the Ruston has water cooled injectors and that is how water has been getting into the one cylinder..

Casp'

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Hi Casper

 

Sorry to hear of the possible demise of the 2 VTH.

I have an identical engine in my boat, They are really good engines, used to be put into cranes, and run for years, totally ignored ! And quite light too because the cylinder casings were of ally.

The injectors are Ruston's own make (type 37) and are not water cooled, they just drop into the appropriate bores in the cylinder head,

Sounds like perhaps the cylinder head gasket has blown, That could explain your problems.

I think Ray Hooley still has some. Certainly don't scrap the engine as they are getting a bit scarce now.

 

Cheers. Mick

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I think there is an excellent case for installing something slower revving and a bit bigger than a VTH.

 

How about one of those delightful big Saab twins currently being sold by that bloke in the west country?

 

What size is yer bote?

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It's 43 foot.. The VTH is pretty slow revving, it's governed to a max of 1000 rpm but is only 10hp at that, it sounds lovely so I wouldn't want any engine that wasn't going to sound as nice. A new engine would obviously mean a lot of work, for a start the roof hatch it was lifted in through isn't easily accessed any more..

Casp'

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Sounds like one of them Petters would be an ideal replacement then. They seem to crop up regularly on ebay.

 

A good strategy in my experience is to search ebay for 'finished listings' then select the ones that didn't sell. Then PM the sellers and ask if they still have it. Often they answer saying YES. Game on....

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Tricky.

 

A few years back 2VTH lumps were two a penny on ebay, duck etc. I know coz I was searching for 2VSH and all I could find was VTHs!

 

Mebbe those days will return soon...

I'd like a 1VSH, it would fit in better and only slightly less power, plus all the fittings will fit - ish..

Casp'

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I'd like a 1VSH, it would fit in better and only slightly less power, plus all the fittings will fit - ish..

Casp'

1Lw's are rather expensive.. The vsh is 11hp, so about the same as my vth. I'm used to low power after 10 years with the single cylinder Sabb..

Casp'

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1lw's are expensive, there was a single cylinder Jp on eBay recently that went for reasonable money. But obviously not now you need it.

This looks good

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/162024322467

Put probably too big for you, your preference seems to be for singles.

 

Regards kris

I saw the JP, I think it needed welding where the block had cracked.. One of those would fit.. The first thing my brother said, when he found out the Ruston was dead, was "what you need is a reliable little Sabb", which I sold to fit the Ruston.... angry.png

Casp'

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I saw the JP, I think it needed welding where the block had cracked.. One of those would fit.. The first thing my brother said, when he found out the Ruston was dead, was "what you need is a reliable little Sabb", which I sold to fit the Ruston.... angry.png

Casp'

There was that Jp, there was another as well. I almost bought it, to spin an alternator. They are lovely. The sabb sounds like a doh moment, but it's often like that. Something will turn up.

 

Regards kris

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There was that Jp, there was another as well. I almost bought it, to spin an alternator. They are lovely. The sabb sounds like a doh moment, but it's often like that. Something will turn up.

 

Regards kris

Indeed, my boat is at it's mooring, so there's no urgency, just wont be chugging about this summer. Can't decide whether I should start the process of removing everything that is now blocking the roof hatch, which is a wall, header tank and roof lining.. Suppose I've got to start sometime..

Casp'

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Indeed, my boat is at it's mooring, so there's no urgency, just wont be chugging about this summer. Can't decide whether I should start the process of removing everything that is now blocking the roof hatch, which is a wall, header tank and roof lining.. Suppose I've got to start sometime..

Casp'

In my experience the sooner you start a job the sooner it's fineshed.

 

Regards kris

Edited by kris88
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We had a 3VSH in a 45 footer, it didnt seem too much power back then although we did tow a full length converted butty without breaking a sweat from Barbridge to Walsall one time.

 

Is it physical space or over powering that worries you CG?

 

Ours did suffer with water ingress eventually though and blew a piston liner one cold morning.

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Speaking with my mate, who does engines, we are going to get this engine out and have a look at the crank. Although it may be cheaper to buy another engine, I may just have this one rebuilt as at least then all the connections etc will fit without any work. I'm told the cost of a total rebuild is somewhere between 1 and 2k, depending on the work needed to the crank. Suppose at least then i'll know it's been done. Unless a nice one pops up for sale before then..

Casp'


I have an air cooled Ruston twin for not a lot of money

Richard

What type is that? My 2VTH is water cooled.

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Hi Casper

 

Sorry to hear of the possible demise of the 2 VTH.

I have an identical engine in my boat, They are really good engines, used to be put into cranes, and run for years, totally ignored ! And quite light too because the cylinder casings were of ally.

The injectors are Ruston's own make (type 37) and are not water cooled, they just drop into the appropriate bores in the cylinder head,

Sounds like perhaps the cylinder head gasket has blown, That could explain your problems.

I think Ray Hooley still has some. Certainly don't scrap the engine as they are getting a bit scarce now.

 

Cheers. Mick

Interesting comment about alloy engines, we have 3 VTHs, 2 are all iron and one is mostly alloy , were the latter meant to go in minesweepers or something with a low magnetic signature? The iron engines vary in flywheel provision: a loco engine with 1 large diameter flywheel; a crane engine with 2 small diameter flywheels. All 3 engines are very heavy (even the alloy one!). All Ruston's are robust, I'm surprised you are having serious problems. The loco engine is 75 years old and still runs ok.

Bill

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