NarrowBoat Bones: December 2014

The water pump - update

I took the water pump off and had a good look at it.

After a bit of a fiasco (access, nuts, metric and imperial issues between the pumps) I then noticed that the pulley was worn....

a closer look still and the pulley rubs on the nuts of the pump (the nuts are worn). The new water pump is about 3mm thicker which would create a few problems.

Here is the old and new pump and the pulley.

Still on the dining room table rather than in situ working away. Tomorrow the grinder will get wielded at the pulley and possibly on the pump (not the important parts like the mating surfaces!). Hopefully all will go to plan and I will have everything back together in no time (no laughing at the back please).

When I picked up the new pump I was told it was quite rare. With this is mind, once this debacle is over I will be looking to refurbish the old one.... and all help is welcome!

I am now in the pub drinking gin. All spelling and grammar mistakes are my very own.

Oops - water pump again!

The water pump is throwing stuff around the place again. I thought this one would last longer, but it must be about 6 years since I turned up at a boat yard with it in my hand. It had broken so I took it off and took it along to a boat yard to get a replacement. I took Maffi with me. Once the proprietor had been persuaded to talk to me about it rather than Maffi (who had come along for the ride but as the only man of the duo was clearly the one who knew all about it) was suitably rude telling me the pump had come off a different engine and that I was effectively too stupid to know my own engine. He even took me around the back to show me a similar version of my engine. He was wrong (mine is blue, not green)...but I listened to his little patronising speech as I am sure it made him feel better.

His patronising tone and attempt at humiliation went over my head at the time, but he was quite convinced that the pump I wanted was in the box in his hand even though an amateur at the well known game 'snap' would know the difference. Fortunately someone else working there seemed unfazed at a women holding an engine part in her hand and sorted it out.

I think I will do a spot of internet shopping for this little number this time.