Battery on new Bongo appears duff - what is correct AmpHour?
Moderators: Doone, westonwarrior
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moonshine
Absolutely right Vanmanerik, diesel engines like to be worked hard, and don't take kindly to being run at idle, or left unused for long periods. If left unused internal corrosion can set in, and injectors can become sticky, leading to poor starting and rough running. Idling a diesel for more than neccessary can result in glazed bores. As a boat owner, I am only too aware of these problems as most boats are only run for short and infrequent periods, particularly on the inland waterways, and this shortens the life of the engines much more than frequent hard use.
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Vanmanerik
Battery
I must admit that the sound of a diesel working hard is music to my ears.
I started work about 45 years agon in a factory making diesel engines but they were mostly stationary engines for generators, pumps etc but a few of the smaller ones were fitted into large dump trucks, excavators, trawlers, small locomatives etc. and the time I spent in the test house, repair shop and experimental were the happiest of my apprenticeship.
Even now I can sometimes hear a diesel thumping away and recognise the sound of one I may have worked on years ago.
I started work about 45 years agon in a factory making diesel engines but they were mostly stationary engines for generators, pumps etc but a few of the smaller ones were fitted into large dump trucks, excavators, trawlers, small locomatives etc. and the time I spent in the test house, repair shop and experimental were the happiest of my apprenticeship.
Even now I can sometimes hear a diesel thumping away and recognise the sound of one I may have worked on years ago.
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moonshine
I've heard many diesels working hard in my days as a train driver. A 2,400hp locomotive starting away a heavy train makes quite a satisfying noise, especially from the cab. Not a good idea to try going into the engine room at that time though! The noise in there is unbelievable.
Now we really have gone off track, haven't we??
Now we really have gone off track, haven't we??
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pippin
Off the rails, and now off course-
My first ship (TSMV City of Port Elizabeth) had twin Doxfords.
Don't ask me for the details as I was only the ships Radio Officer.
What I do remember was that walking into the engineroom from the boat deck was absolutely frightening.
There was a narrow walkway which led between the two engines.
The pistons actually shot right out of the cylinder heads of the engines by some twelve feet or so and were cooled by seawater that passed through flailing rubber hoses to the tops of the pistons.
The noise, the vibration, the heat, the smell and these pistons going up and down in seemingly random order on either side - to me it was a nightmare!
My first ship (TSMV City of Port Elizabeth) had twin Doxfords.
Don't ask me for the details as I was only the ships Radio Officer.
What I do remember was that walking into the engineroom from the boat deck was absolutely frightening.
There was a narrow walkway which led between the two engines.
The pistons actually shot right out of the cylinder heads of the engines by some twelve feet or so and were cooled by seawater that passed through flailing rubber hoses to the tops of the pistons.
The noise, the vibration, the heat, the smell and these pistons going up and down in seemingly random order on either side - to me it was a nightmare!
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moonshine
Many of the engines used in railway locomotives were originally marine diesels. I believe the engines used in the Deltic locos, once used on the Kings Cross main line, were originally developed for submarines. They had cylinders arranged in a triangle, two opposed pistons in each, and a crankshaft in each corner linked to a central driveshaft. The locos had two such engines driving generators, and developing some 3,300hp. I can't remember how many cylinders each engine had, but the number of moving parts must have been incredible.
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pippin
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moonshine
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Vanmanerik
Diesel
No problem bleeding those marine engines then Pippin? 
How can such a tiny engine such as our 2.5 in the Bongo cause so much trouble just changing the anti-freeze?
Years ago when we had coal trains delivering to the power station at Rugeley around 3 in the morning there was a train pulled by two class 20's with 30 wagons behind them going up the trent valley at full power for about 12 miles, that was a sound not to be missed as it started in distance, grew louder, then passed by and faded into the distance...... the goog old days, they are all high speed American GM diesels now on most of the goods trains.
How can such a tiny engine such as our 2.5 in the Bongo cause so much trouble just changing the anti-freeze?
Years ago when we had coal trains delivering to the power station at Rugeley around 3 in the morning there was a train pulled by two class 20's with 30 wagons behind them going up the trent valley at full power for about 12 miles, that was a sound not to be missed as it started in distance, grew louder, then passed by and faded into the distance...... the goog old days, they are all high speed American GM diesels now on most of the goods trains.
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moonshine
Think there are a few class 20s still around hauling the nuclear flask trains, but I can't think of the company that has them. A few more around in preservation though. Never got to drive one, but I did once drive a Class 59 from Harlow to Stansted Junction and back with 2,000 tonne of stone behind it. The regular driver didn't know that stretch of line, and he had been diverted due to a broken crossover at Harlow.