Saving Old Seagulls

Back in the 60s I was part of a gocart racing team where the basic start engine was a Villiers 9E. This engine was a 197cc, 2 stroke but the speeds we were getting after mods got us to to 5th place in the British Championships. The thing is we used bottom end stuffers, and I wondered if you racing b...

I might be wrong but I think a boat propeller should have a cover over it if going up the road in the UK.

The flat metal and sometimes wood drop keels play little effect to the stability of a boat. They are there to stop the boat from moving side ways when pushed by the wind in the sail. You could look up center of gravity and metacentre height calculations to prove this but a lot of folk cannot underst...

It looks as the engine has been got at before you received it. That head gasket looks as it is home made from a sheet of gasket material, careful if it is what I think it is, it may be the dreaded asbestos sandwich in the middle. The allan screw holding the exhaust does not look original.

He`s having a laugh, it`s only a digital copy and the dam ship sunk.

Ive asked before but does no one know the length and gauge of the wiring in these coils with the view to removing the coil and rewinding completely.

OK so it seems all normal settings leave the engine set too far advanced on the timing....have you after taking the flywheel nut off checked the grove in the crank for the key is lined up with the grove in the flywheel, and check no one has fitted a key that is too thin. You are nearly there. Good l...

Im not a seagull expert like some of the guys on here but I have worked on many engines. To me it seems that a number of things might be at fault. It might be ignition too far advanced, try closing the points a little. I do not know if a condenser is fitted, if it is this might be faulty. The engine...

Is this a time for back to basics. I would take the plug out, put a long wood dowel through the plug hole, turn the engine by hand and check the contact breaker is opening just before top dead centre. Some one I guess can say exactly how much before TDC the points should open.

If the crank is bent and no good as you say, is it worth giving it a bash to try and bend it back to where it should be. I had a mower in years ago and it went back and lasted for years. Be careful not to mess up the flywheel

Just for interest sake, in my shed I have an Evinrude Row Boat engine (knuckle knocker) awaiting restoration that I can best estimate is a 1916 vintage. I often ponder why was the motor imported half way through the first world war. Someone had a cunning plan.

Does no one know what length and gauge of copper wire is needed to rewind a burnt out ignition coil. I`m not an electrician and have not got a problem with my seagulls, but if I had a problem its something I would be looking at. In the past I`ve rewound 240 volt electric drills and transformers and ...

Ahhhh days when ships were made of wood and the men made of steel. Now, well ships of steel etc. Swing them lights.

I would not lower the needle as the fuel cools the engine as well as the water. Thinking out of the box, what about using a slightly smaller prop and upping the revs until water flows nicely, or if you have an old spare prop, clip the tips off. Better than sitting out there waiting for a motor to co...

Do I see a `tug o war` coming on and not a speed trial. If a bookie is at hand I know where my 2pence is going.