Hi

Thanks for that! I am wondering whether to try a repair - I've got a
suspicion that the head gasket has gone but there is also a nasty oil
leak which looks like it's coming out of the crankshaft oil seal so
it's a major job I think.

I have managed to locate a 2nd hand replacement which is actually a
marinised 1100cc BMC 'A' series (which, I believe, superceded the
earlier side valve engines in BMC cars). This has a watermota gearbox
fitted which I may use if it will fit, otherwise I'll use my original
box. There is also a BMC 1500 OHV available which, I hope, will fit
onto my original gearbox if the engine block of the side valve motor
is the same as the OHV one. I need to make some enquiries and weigh
up the best option. If you have any info on this I would be grateful
for any advice you may be able to give.


Cheers


MJ
"Tim Christian" wrote in message ...
M.J. wrote in message
om...
Thanks to all for your advice...unfortunately the engine has just
expired! That may explain the lack of power!!! It started losing oil
pressure and sounding a bit sick - on inspection there appeared to be
an oil leak from the crankshaft oil seal; fortunately we were near
enough to the marina to limp back in. Oh well, back to the drawing
board :~#

Does anyone know whether the BMC engine fitted to minis and morris
11/1300's etc can be marinised by bolting on the bits and pieces from
the vedette block or are they different - they do look similar...

any info gratefully received


Cheers

MJ

Don't give up on the Vedette without a struggle! It is a nice little power
plant. Remember, you are going to have to mate the gear box with a new
engine. It is probably less work to fix the Vedette than to cobble something
else.

The A series was used in the Morris Minor, the Austin A35. The basic engine
carried on into the Mini. So a Haynes Manual for any of these (Charity
shops!) will give you most of the info for a repair.

For bits and good, friendly advice, try

http://www.dsnclassics.co.uk/frame_c...mini_minor.htm

they do mail order and overhaul Vedettes!

Once you get in there with the info you need, you'll start to enjoy it!
Anyway, the better you know your engine, the safer your boating.





2. With luck



"Tim Christian" wrote in message
...
Brian Sweeting wrote in message
...
The normal excuses for lack of revs a-
Bottom of the boat fouled
Prop fouled
Air intake blocked

Bear in mind also that if the boat is a displacement hull then its
maximum
speed is only about 5.5 knots; trying to go any faster will overload
the
engine giving the sort of sound effects that you are experiencing.

Hope this helps ;} Brian


I have the manual for the Vedette installation. There is no governor.

Generally speaking, engines of this period (late '50s/'60s) were not
designed to run at more than about 2000 rpm. Speed limitation is mainly
due
to the boat hull (assuming the correct prop). If the hull is clean,
expect
3/4 h/gallon at 4 mph. As the speed increases fuel consumption drops
rapidly
until you are only getting about 1 h/gal at 7 mph.

My single Vedette in a Freeman 22 just about gets me up to 7 mph at 2000
rpm. A twin Watermota installation (very similar in power to a Vedette)
from
the late '50s on a Freeman 22 will make 10 mph with both engines at 2000
rpm: so engine rpm is not the limiting factor.