40 sedan bridge forum

Be very careful with any aftermarket strainer/flushing cap where someone has drilled and tapped a threaded hole in the bottom of the strainer lid to then insert plumbing fittings in for flushing the engines.

The problem is than even on bronze lids the metal is so thin where you mount the hose fittings that just bumping the hose fittings can break the threads out of the strainer lid. On a 3/4" Perko strainer lid with 1/2" NPT drilled and taapped in the lid you only have 2-3 threads holding the hose fitting in place. Groco plastic lids, like the one pictured here are even worse because side pressures on threads in plastic will break out with very little effort.

The only safe way to use them is to have a second set that you install just for flushing, then remove them and reinstall the OEM ones when your flushing operation is done.
 
Be very careful with any aftermarket strainer/flushing cap where someone has drilled and tapped a threaded hole in the bottom of the strainer lid to then insert plumbing fittings in for flushing the engines.

The problem is than even on bronze lids the metal is so thin where you mount the hose fittings that just bumping the hose fittings can break the threads out of the strainer lid. On a 3/4" Perko strainer lid with 1/2" NPT drilled and taapped in the lid you only have 2-3 threads holding the hose fitting in place. Groco plastic lids, like the one pictured here are even worse because side pressures on threads in plastic will break out with very little effort.

The only safe way to use them is to have a second set that you install just for flushing, then remove them and reinstall the OEM ones when your flushing operation is done.
Yes, the strainer cap pictured is just for flushing.
 
Thr first year I winterized our 260DA, I went to HD and found a PVC fitting that fit the strainer and epoxied a garden hose fitting into it and done. All for less than $10. Only used when winterizing....

Bennett
 
Thr first year I winterized our 260DA, I went to HD and found a PVC fitting that fit the strainer and epoxied a garden hose fitting into it and done. All for less than $10. Only used when winterizing....

Bennett
Yup. I've been using a 3" threaded PVC fitting plumbed into a 5 gal bucket for years. Great project for the DIY'er
 
On the older 400DBs, like mine, the impeller on the Westerbeke generator is impossible to get at. It's on the back side, against the water tank. I had a mechanic at the boat yesterday helping me with some routine maintenance items, and towards the end of the day, the genny impeller was next on the list of things to address. After looking at it, he was in awe that an engineer could be so stupid to place it there. He said the genny needed to be disconnected from all hoses and then at least 3 motor mounts needed to come off in order to swing the genny out to gain access to the impeller. He estimated a 3-hour job to change it and we didn't have time for that yesterday.

How did anyone else with older boats overcome this? I think newer boats (maybe 2000+) have a remote location for it and the impeller is now on the side. I'll call Westerbeke to see if they sell an adapter kit in order to overcome this problem.
 
probably to late but I would like to put in my 2 cents. although its tight I managed to get the job done in about an hour without removing anything from its place
 
Something has to be on the back side of the generator.......the engineerings/designers could put the water pump on the back (you service it every 3-400 hours), or they could put the oil filter, fuel filter, (serviced annually), fuel supply solenoid, and electrical control box and alternator on the back side. westerbeke water pumps can be a pain in the toucass, and I suppose it is normal to compain about it.

I have found that the works better to remove the water pump and rebuild it on a bench off the boat works best. Two hoses and 3 bolts and it is in your hands and off the boat. The biggest reason for doing this on a bench or vice is because the cover gasket surfaces must be absolutely clean or the paper gasket will leak because it is not compressible In fact, it is so thin that it is very difficult to reinstall the cover with gasket, and it really complicates things to try to change the impeller behind the generator where you cannot see what you are doing.
 
Probably impeller time for me all around. Two years on these three so I'm probably due.

My gut says is still good.

The little impeller that could.....I feel they last freakishly long. I put roughly 130 hrs per year, and have adjusted to change it every 3 years. It comes out in one piece and still very plyable.
 
The special order 8x12 dual stage genny muffler finally arrived. I had to wait over a month for it. I'll let you know how it sounds.
 

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So how do you remove the factory Black and Decker coffee maker?
 
Screw into the left side of it about 2/3 way down keeps it from sliding. Remove it, then slide it out forward along the tracks at the top. Then unscrew all the mounting hardware.
 
Screw into the left side of it about 2/3 way down keeps it from sliding. Remove it, then slide it out forward along the tracks at the top. Then unscrew all the mounting hardware.
Thanks figured out how to remove it. Need to find a midget to climb into the lower cabinet to find and unplug the electric plug.
 
Hello All, I could use some guidance.
This being the first year owning and winterizing the boat, I have some issues I've never experienced before.
1) How to winterize the mufflers, I have always thought that they were self draining based on how they fill up ( and get quiet ) upon starting the engine. but looking at them, it doesn't seem like they can drain empty( there appears to be a drain bolt at the bottom, is that the solution?
2) drip-less shaft seals, do they require any special treatment or are they self draining through the shaft bearing?
3) I'm using the Seaflush system in my strainers for the AC, the Genny, And the Engines which are closed cooling,
any inherent problems with doing it
this way?
4) This is not winterizing related but I'm planning on replacing my cockpit ice maker with refrigerator, any thoughts or leads on which to get?

99' 454 F.I.

Thanks in advance....Mike
 
Hello All, I could use some guidance.
This being the first year owning and winterizing the boat, I have some issues I've never experienced before.
1) How to winterize the mufflers, I have always thought that they were self draining based on how they fill up ( and get quiet ) upon starting the engine. but looking at them, it doesn't seem like they can drain empty( there appears to be a drain bolt at the bottom, is that the solution?
2) drip-less shaft seals, do they require any special treatment or are they self draining through the shaft bearing?
3) I'm using the Seaflush system in my strainers for the AC, the Genny, And the Engines which are closed cooling,
any inherent problems with doing it
this way?
4) This is not winterizing related but I'm planning on replacing my cockpit ice maker with refrigerator, any thoughts or leads on which to get?

99' 454 F.I.

Thanks in advance....Mike
The mufflers do hold water, and are not self draining. Before running antifreeze through the sea water system, you should drain the mufflers. Once you see pink come out the side you are done. For Cummins I run 5 gallons per engine. I see plenty of pink coming out the prop shafts, and do not do anything additional on that.

As long as the seaflush system creates a good seal on the strainer, it should work fine.....just close the seacock. I found a PVC fitting at a big box store that matches the thread on the engine strainer, and fabricated a top for the genny. I connect fittings to a 5 gal bucket.

I don't winterize until I'm on land, and don't have enough power to start the ac. I end up disconnecting the hose on the ac, and run an external pump
 
Thanks for the quick response, I will definitely drain the mufflers. I have already done the AC and the Genny, the Sea flush worked great for those.
 
FWIW the AC strainer is 2" thread (NPT). I'm pretty sure the motor strainers will be 2.5" since I bought 3" and that's not correct. The motors are easy to run antifreeze through but adapting to the AC strainer is going to be really handy instead of pouring into the strainer.
 
Well, also FWIW. I'm now a big fan of my new SeaFlush. It's not to often that products actually meet their advertising hype. I realize there are many ways to flush these systems but this was straight forward and easy.
 
The special order 8x12 dual stage genny muffler finally arrived. I had to wait over a month for it. I'll let you know how it sounds.
Bill, I installed mine about a month ago, and can tell you that it 's one of my favorite upgrades yet. Don't know about the diesel genny's, but on the gas Westerbeke, it's virtually silent save for the water splashing out. Centek makes these as they are ordered as far as I understand, and they do take about a month to get in once ordered.
 

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