Gardner 6LXB

[billr]

Where have all the knowledgeable Gardner diesel engine expert gone? For a while, the Gardner Enthusiast company in the UK sold parts and rebuilds, had a forum, and was a great source of knowledge. I recently checked the site, and the source of knowledge seems to have disappeared. The company appears to have changed hands and they dropped the forum and advice. Anyone know of similar sources, for the advice and forum??
Billr

[bobconnie]

always got parts for them from a Co. in Vancouver BC, been a few years but I never had a problem getting parts for them !! Hope things don't change to much, cus they are some fine smooth engines! burn damn little fuel for the work they do !!

[CPseudonym]

http://www.gardnermarine.com/

This should get ya where ya wanna go.

As for advice forums, none better than boatdiesel.com well worth the $25/year fee

[billr]

Well, there are a number of places in the UK that sell parts.
Getting tools is a lot harder.
But the specific knowledge is what I am missing. The forum on the old Gardner Enthusiast use to have a lot of UK guys who worked at the factory or done Gardner engine maintenance for years. They knew the specific variations in the engine parts, whether the engine was used in a commercial fishing boat, a double decker bus, of UK long boat. That was a real resource.
I have a rebuilt water pump with the "new" design of the bearing than the original, I think. However, the pump has the same housing as the original. The original had had a grease screw in it that was to be used sparingly to occasionally feed grease to the bearing. I am not sure if I need to install the grease screw on the re-build. That information was missing when I got the re-build. I suspect that is pretty common knowledge with some of the UK guys. That is the kind of information I am looking for.
I have heard a lot of good things about boatdiesel, but kind of figured it was more generalized to current engines. Any comments on that? Thanks.

Billr

[atoll]

Originally Posted by billr

Well, there are a number of places in the UK that sell parts.
Getting tools is a lot harder.
But the specific knowledge is what I am missing. The forum on the old Gardner Enthusiast use to have a lot of UK guys who worked at the factory or done Gardner engine maintenance for years. They knew the specific variations in the engine parts, whether the engine was used in a commercial fishing boat, a double decker bus, of UK long boat. That was a real resource.
I have a rebuilt water pump with the "new" design of the bearing than the original, I think. However, the pump has the same housing as the original. The original had had a grease screw in it that was to be used sparingly to occasionally feed grease to the bearing. I am not sure if I need to install the grease screw on the re-build. That information was missing when I got the re-build. I suspect that is pretty common knowledge with some of the UK guys. That is the kind of information I am looking for.
I have heard a lot of good things about boatdiesel, but kind of figured it was more generalized to current engines. Any comments on that? Thanks.

Billr

you might try over on the ybw.com forum

[scottsman]

Originally Posted by billr

Where have all the knowledgeable Gardner diesel engine expert gone? For a while, the Gardner Enthusiast company in the UK sold parts and rebuilds, had a forum, and was a great source of knowledge. I recently checked the site, and the source of knowledge seems to have disappeared. The company appears to have changed hands and they dropped the forum and advice. Anyone know of similar sources, for the advice and forum??
Billr

Hi Bill,
Not so many people work on the gardners, I have rebuilt the 6lxb and do have the gardner tools here still too. I even have some spares too.
What do you need done to your engine?.

[scottsman]

Gardner 6lxb, parts. I have a water pump and a new set of pistons linners and rings here. just had a check on the parts I have... anybody need them give me a shout.
Regards David

[billr]

Scottsman,
I need to go check back on some old emails, and the manuals. My original water pump had a graphite bearing I think, and the manual said to grease it sparingly (turn the knob on the grease screw) because too much grease would dissolve the bearing, or some other dire prediction. The re-built pump from the Gardner Enthusiast, rebuilt in about 2006, has a hole in the side of the pump for a grease screw. But I think they had used a newer (non-graphite) bearing.
I'd like to chat with you on 6LXB since you seem to have first hand knowledge on them. I have been having a lot of computer problems here, so I'll likely be on and off the next few weeks getting them fixed.
Thanks,
Bill

[scottsman]

Originally Posted by billr

Scottsman,
I need to go check back on some old emails, and the manuals. My original water pump had a graphite bearing I think, and the manual said to grease it sparingly (turn the knob on the grease screw) because too much grease would dissolve the bearing, or some other dire prediction. The re-built pump from the Gardner Enthusiast, rebuilt in about 2006, has a hole in the side of the pump for a grease screw. But I think they had used a newer (non-graphite) bearing.
I'd like to chat with you on 6LXB since you seem to have first hand knowledge on them. I have been having a lot of computer problems here, so I'll likely be on and off the next few weeks getting them fixed.
Thanks,
Bill

We have a recon water pump as new. also a complete set of new pistons plus rings. new set of linners all for 6lxb.