Author Topic: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed  (Read 5205 times)

Edith B

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Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« on: April 13, 2010, 06:41:56 PM »
Ok guys, here goes . . .

I have a narrow boat, it used to be my parents, and i am not the most mechanically minded man on the planet, though i believe, maybe some what foolhardily in my ability to do most things, given a little help. Now fortunately my best friend is a marine engineer, on the down side he has just moved to Brighton.

The problem is that water has gotten down the exhaust and into the engine, so, on his advice i need to totally strip her, survey the damage, if any and rebuild her.

What i need is advice on how to remove the heads, which seem to be stuck tighter than a square peg in a round hole. The rocker covers are off and all ancillary attachments removed, but i just cant seem to budge them, and dont wish to damage them in the process. . . advice?

Secondly I wondered from where I maybe able to source an 18/2 manual of some description.

Lokking forward to any advice no matter how obvious it may seem . . . treat me like the total novice I am!

Many thanks

Barney

LowGear

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2010, 07:51:52 PM »
Yo Edith,

Change the fluids and run her.  You'll know real quick if your intellectual friend has the proper answer.  You just might get lucky and save a few thousand dollars and hours.  That's what I'd do if it were my boat.  Lister 18/2?  In a boat?  Got photos?   

Do you like red wine? ;)

Casey
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M61hops

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2010, 09:34:34 AM »
Welcome aboard Capt'n Barney!  We could go cruising a lot sooner if you'd take Caseys advice!  I myself would try and get it going without a teardown if it was my engine, diesels have sat for years submerged in sea water and started up after a drain and flush  ;) !  I have worked siezed engines loose and got them running and they seemed none the worse for the trauma suffered  :) !  Good luck and smooth sailing!                        Leland
I pray everyday giving thanks that I have one of the "fun" mental disorders!

billypurves

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2010, 12:57:57 PM »
Hi, I would also change the fluids and try her.
  By fluids I mean engine oil,when you are there give the crankcase a good clean out and the filters.
 No need to touch the diesel ignition system re pump or injector.

   As previously requested any photos.I have never seen a CS in a canal boat.

apogee_man

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2010, 09:52:39 PM »
Barney,

I completely disagree with the above posts.

Listen to your friend, who knows what he's talking about.

What you don't want to do is attempt to turn the engine over if there is water in the cylinder.  You can bend a rod, crack a pistion, crack a head or damage a rod bearing or crank (or both).  What you don't want to do is force the engine past top dead center if there is a hydraulic lock from the water.  If you don't know for sure that all of the water is out of the cylinder, then DON"T do it!

Also, how long has the water been sitting in her?  If it's been for an extended length of time, then it needs to come apart for sure.

Without question, I'd take it apart to find out what shape the cylinders are in.

You'd hate to make the problem worse or create additional problems by being in a hurry.

Regarding removing the heads, you should just be able to undo all of the large nuts and it should lift off.  It might just need a little persuasion with a dead hit hammer to break it loose.  If you don't have a dead hit hammer, a block of wood and a regular 5 lb sledge will also work.  Don't whale on it!  Always make sure to hit the block of wood and never the head directly.  Hit upwards on the head, down low near where it joins the cylinder if you can.  For example, you might use a block of wood in an exhaust port and tap upward on it break it loose.  Just make sure you have all of the nuts off.  Keep in mind that it's hollow, so you don't want to beat the living daylights out of it.  Often, the gasket has been sprayed with goop that sticks the head on.  You don't need to be superman, but if you just get it started, then it will come off fairly easily.

Good luck,

Steve
« Last Edit: April 14, 2010, 10:07:47 PM by apogee_man »

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2010, 11:15:49 PM »
I absolutely stand corrected.  I'd turn it over by hand a bunch of times before I put the hammer down on it and all this activity with the injectors out.  Oh, are we talking engine room or engine "hang by your knees" cubby hole?

That oil you pull out is going to tell you a whole bunch of stuff when you look into it.  Color, clarity and aroma being three important sensory opportunities.

You can actually bend a rod with a starter motor?  I am dangerous. 

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M61hops

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2010, 10:43:06 AM »
To me it goes without saying that you would turn it over by hand a few times to make sure it is not filled with water  ;) !  If it won't turn past TDC I'd pull the injectors and oil the cylinders down and go from there.  I had an old Suzuki 2 stroke 250 enduro bike that couldn't swim as well as I sometimes needed it to, I'd added a compression relese to the head and the engineers who designed the motor had apparently anticapited these situations because there was a handy plug in the bottom end that would let the water out  ;D !  The transmission never filled with water, I guess the elaborate path for the breather vent worked!  I could have the bike running in about 15 minutes after fishing it out  ::) .  I've only seen a crankcase drain like that on a few bikes, it sure beats having to turn the bike on end and shake  :P !  Good luck with the boat!                                                                                              Leland
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oliver90owner

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Re: Lister CS 18/2 . . . serious help needed
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2010, 01:50:15 PM »
This engine has decompession levers?  Use them to make sure there is no hydraulic lock!

You don't actually say whether the engine is free, has compession, was running at the time (oops, difficult and could it have got in the inlet?), or what.  Without any decent info I would neither go with your friendly marine engineer nor the posters here.  We are just guessing too much.  Without any further useful information I would be safe, and lean towards the engineer's recommendation as I suspect he has a little more background to work on than we do.

BTW, when I saw your user name, I thought you musrt be female; then second sentence threw me!  Back to more normal when down to your signature. I am suspecting the boat is the 'Edith B'?

Regards, RAB