removing governor on Morris Vedette engine
 

Hi

My friend has an 18ft motor boat fitted with an old (but good) Morris
Vedette engine. I know this is only a 948cc engine, but it does seem
a little underpowered, and only seems to be reaching about 2000 rpm at
full throttle. This is achieved at about one third of the range of the
hand throttle control. If the throttle control is moved any further
than this, the engine note changes slightly (it sounds as though it is
running on choke) but the revs remain the same. When opening up the
throttle in neutral, the engine revs a lot higher (about 3000 rpm?)
and on visual inspection the throttle linkage seems to be opening as
wide as it can go, but I can't understand why it wont reach any more
than 5 knots/2000 rpm or so when in gear and driving the boat along.

I'm thinking it's either a governor fitted to the carb, (although the
higher revs in neutral would seem to contradict this theory) or a prop
problem (the engine has recently been refitted after a rebuild)...

Can anybody shed any light on this, or suggest a way of searching for
faults which may be causing this problem?

Many thanks in advance

MJ

removing governor on Morris Vedette engine
 

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

removing governor on Morris Vedette engine
 

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.

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



"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.

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.

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.

"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
it would cause you more problems the BMC transverse engines were designed
to run the opposite way round (with the carbs at the front) to allow for the
change they have gears on the end plate so you would need to remove this I
suspect the crankshaft would then present a problem as it is designed to
carry a gear-- a more likely bet would be a marina or ital 1300 engine
although I cant say whether it would be a straight swap
Derek


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"Derek" 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
Replacing an oil seal is not a big job. The difficult bit is getting the
gearbox in and out to do it. Certainly far less work than trying to cobble
another engine in there.

This sort of maintenance is part of the fun of boating!