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Nanni Head
Off with her HEAD!Hi Folks, Today Sam and I took the engine apart and removed the head as well as the first leg of the copper exhaust. We are rebuilding the head and the exhaust. We tested the engine and confirmed the exhaust is leaking and confirmed that the engine has bad compression. So it's time for a head job and new exhaust. It took us till about 2:30 in the afternoon to get it all apart, tagged, bagged, and organized.
One of the things we found was that the glow plugs were not even hooked up. The wire was actually missing. Someone at some time in the past simply forgot to put the wire back on. I'm so dissapointed in people some times. I know we all are imperfect beings but some things baffle me sometimes when I find them. But with a 50 year old boat with work done by probably hundreds of people there's no telling all the uncommon fixes you find or forgotten things. In general I was quite supprised how good a condition the engine is in. It really was lightly used.
The exhaust is it's own problem. I have done a lot of research and a lot of thinking and there is no good way to get a water lift exhaust to work in this boat. I have to lift the exhaust nearly 7 feet and the best solution anyone can come up with is a double lift system that will steal a lot of power due to back pressure. I really think I'm going to have to rebuild the system from scratch with a new water jacket. To this end I have been looking at modular ways to accomplish this that I can build like lego blocks. I think I have a way to do it but it's probably going to be expensive. It looks like the best alloy for the job is 90-10 cupronickle. That's not cheap but overall not too if you consider the ability to configure it myself. I have come up with an adjustable angle making system that allows for a great number of various bends if necessary. Of course exhaust doesn't want to bend sharply so this makes it easier. I have considered patenting the idea if I can find the right people perhaps I can sell the system.
This evening Hannah and I spent talking to friends at the Tiki and along the dock. There are so many wonderful people here from all walks of life and a large number of them seem to be here for the same reasons we are. It's fun when you concentrate on commonalities rather than differences. It really makes this harbor special.
I am reading a few books/stories by James and Dena that are really quite wonderful. I'm so pleased to have found friends like them. We look forward to following their adventures. I'm not sure how we are going to leave this harbor because it's a magical place that brings people together rather than seperating them. This is what the world should be like... Well, nite nite for now.