Solving an insoluble engine problem

We had an intermittent problem with our Yanmar diesel engine for five years. The circumstances were hauntingly similar to those experienced by Simon Broadley (May 17).

We’re based in Loch Creran. We described the symptoms to Ewen MacGillivray, 'Young Ewen', who is a diesel engineer and runs Creran Marine. He wanted to witness the problem at first hand. After a disappointing spin in the loch the problem just wouldn’t appear and we decided to return to base. Part way there the engine did its trick and just stopped. Ewen fiddled with the engine and got it going. ‘It's the lift pump,’ he said. He replaced it for us, and we’ve never had the problem again. John Anderson

An elusive and apparently insoluble problem with John Anderson’s diesel was diagnosed in a trice by Creran Marine’s ‘Young Ewen’ MacGillivray