Page added 7 December 1998

The RYA Book of Diesel Engines by Tim Bartlett;

Adlard Coles Nautical, 1998; 88pp; ISBN 0-7136-4284-X; £10.99; CA15333

This superbly illustrated book, based on the RYA's one-day Diesel Engine Course, will be of value to those boatowners who want to care for their own engines and understand how they work and what to do when they misbehave. This latter aspect is covered in an excellent fault-finding section..

Starting with how diesels work, chapters cover fuel, air, cooling, lubricating and electrical systems, and including very clear directions for changing fuel and oil filters, etc.. The final chapters cover gearboxes and propellors (with simple but useful data on choosing propellors), stern glands (with illustrated instructions for repacking), control systems and tools and working practices. Surprising omissions are winterising, and (in the electrical section) reference to the popular ADVERC and TWC battery charging controllers. Despite these omissions this book can be highly recommended to the novice engineer. -RMG