WESTERBEKE 6.5 BCG

Just a wild shot.... I had a similar problem with my westerbeke. It seems that if you fill the oil based on the dipstick and your boat is aft loaded (as in a dinghy etc). the boat’s deadrise is increased. The generator will sit at an angle and the oil tilts level to the back of the reservoir. If you fill by the dipstick you will have overfilled the generator. The generator will die. Other possibilities are fuel pump, fuel filters etc.

hopefully this helps.
 
Sounds like my Honda GX motors, low oil pressure. I also agree with Mitch due to the fact you have been working on the Gov
 
Thanks guys for all the ideas I am going to hook a dwell meter up and try to see what RPM it reaches. I took it apart and put new bearing and seal in and bolted it right back up did not move any adjustment screws at all so it seems to me it should stay the same but maybe not ??The biggest problem is it doesn't stay running but about 5,6,7,seconds and will not re-start till it sits about 10-15 minutes and then it does the same thing like maybe a sensor has to re-set or something. It definitely does not run long enough to get hot and it is pumping water,the first time it started was the longest it ran about a minute and it sounded pretty much like normal. I'm also going to check fuel filters and such just in case.it also seems like it is running out of fuel maybe ??. Thanks again for all the replys i'm gonna check into them all I will stay in touch.....B.B.
 
Do you have or need the manuals for the Genset?
 
I don't have the Manuals I could probably use them...
 
What's the best way to jump the sensors ? Make a pig tail and hook the two wires together ? And also I found a manual on Ebay for like 29.00 that seems pretty reasonable...
 
Ok back at the boat here's my delima ...Turn on start switch in elec panel in boat, go into bilge hit start switch starts right up, runs 6-8 seconds shuts off will not start..hold down the stop switch 10 seconds hit start switch in bilge will start right back up....will do this as many times as you do it and crank right up every time.. engine is full of oil, water pump is pumping, has not run long enough to get hot..I guess one of the sensors ???? Any ideas anyone ??? oh yea hooked up dwell meter and its running about 1600 RPM.....
 
My guess is a bad oil pressure sensor. When you turn on the start switch on the panel it activates the electric fuel pump momentarily and put enough fuel in the carb for it to start. Then the oil pressure sensor should activate to allow the electric fuel pump to continue to supply fuel. If there is no oil pressure or the sensor is bad or there is a bad connection the fuel pump will not run for long and the engine shuts down. Check the connections and hook up a bypass wire across the 2 terminals. If the generator runs you have your answer.
 
Not sure if this was posted or not already--but have the switches for the main engines turned on , just to be sure. On my boat if I don't turn the engine switches on the genny will crank but not start. as soon as I turn them on it starts and runs fine.
 
You can download the manuals for free from Westerebeke. Also you can shoot me a email and I cand send you a copy of mine gpw1001@aol.com
 
Ok my oil pressure sensor is on a tee there is one with a single wire and one with a double wire I took the double wire one and looped those two wires together nothing happened same thing, then the exhaust water sensor two wire I took those off and tied them together and it was same thing nothing happened, not sure if this is the right way I'm not to handy with a multi meter although I have a good one.Not sure if I did this right or not I figure maybe the single wire is the alarm buzzer ??
 
If it hasn't been addressed already I'd be thinking about dismantling the carburetor amd give it thorough cleaning.
 
Also, just a thought, check all 3 fuses with your meter I had a crack in one of mine and it would shut off at times. What happens if you hold the run switch on when it starts, this will bypass the low oil pressure cut off. I sure don’t want to send you all over the place but I’m remembering some of the problems I had with mine
 
Page 40. Trouble shooting / engine starts then stops

1. Faulty automatic shutdown switch
2. Faulty overspeed switch (reset and start, lift Tl coil if switch will not reset.)
3. Faulty fuel pump
4. Faulty STOP switch
5. Engine circuit breaker tripping 6. Dirty fuel filters
7. Low oil in sump
 
Ok my oil pressure sensor is on a tee there is one with a single wire and one with a double wire I took the double wire one and looped those two wires together nothing happened same thing, then the exhaust water sensor two wire I took those off and tied them together and it was same thing nothing happened, not sure if this is the right way I'm not to handy with a multi meter although I have a good one.Not sure if I did this right or not I figure maybe the single wire is the alarm buzzer ??

The double wired are usually the switches, and the single wire are the senders for the instruments. So you are correct in jumping the 2 wires together. Follow the trouble shooting guide above and see if one of those items resolves the issue.

I had a similar experience this summer with my generator and it ended up I had 2 component failures (I think one failed and smoked a second item electrically "downstream" and it took me several trips to the boat to sort that out). As a last resort, you might consider jumpering everything, and see if that solves your issue. If it does the issue is electrical and components can be replaced. If not you have at least eliminated the switches as potential failure points.
 
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Now on another note, I was reading that if the generator over speeded it was a possibility that the Diodes could burn out, Could this have an effect on it to keep running like it's doing or is that a whole separate issue because it definitely over speeded.....
 
Sorry for the late entry to this thread.

I would test the fuel system before I started getting exotic with the diagnostics.

Fuel pump. -When you start it ...take off the flame arrestor and have a can of carb spray available. If you can keep it running by using the carb spray....then you have a fuel delivery problem which is most likely the fuel pump if it hasn't been replaced.

The restart issue is consistent with a failing/failed fuel pump. Westerbeke also used a fuel/solenoid shutoff that is known to fail on older models which can create the same problem.
 
Ok back at the boat turn switch on in panel go down in bilge and start runs 5 seconds right when it starts to quit I hit the stop switch and depress for no more than 1-2 seconds let off of switch it keeps running 5 sec goes to quit hit stop switch keeps running did this for a good 30-45 seconds..??? It will run as long as you hit stop switch and let off over and over......
 
I'm going to the boat tomorrow and I need to sit at mine and see what I think you are saying.

At the Genset you are pressing the on toggle and then the start toggle until the motor starts correct?

Once the engine starts you are releasing the start toggle and still holding the on toggle for 30sec or more. Correct?

Once you've done that she wants to run but then shuts down unless you hit the stop toggle? That's where you loose me.

The On toggle bypasses the low oil pressure sensor, that's why you hold it till the pressure builds up. I still believe that's the problem. Bad wire, or misplaced wire, bad ground, or the sensor has failed completely.
 
Ok back at the boat turn switch on in panel go down in bilge and start runs 5 seconds right when it starts to quit I hit the stop switch and depress for no more than 1-2 seconds let off of switch it keeps running 5 sec goes to quit hit stop switch keeps running did this for a good 30-45 seconds..??? It will run as long as you hit stop switch and let off over and over......
I believe you are resetting the overspeed shutdown monitor when you hit the stop switch.
Try this. Make sure you have NO LOAD on the generator side. Don't want to hurt any TVs or A/Cs. Turn the throttle down on the governor speed adjustment so that the generator will run slower than 1800 RPM when you start it. Start it, and let it warm up to operating temperature. If you got this far, you know why it was shutting down. Then, without any other stuff being plugged in, you can hook a frequency meter to an outlet or the A/C output terminals, and adjust your throttle linkage up until you reach 60 Hertz. I have a permanent panel mount frequency and voltage monitor on my dash, so I can always see what the gen is doing. Add half a load, and re-adjust. If you feel brave, add a full load, and re-adjust. If your governor is doing its job, you won't have to adjust much. If you can't get to 60HZ or down to 60HZ, then you may have to pick different tap points for the caps. That is a different discussion. I'm going to dig up the governor adjustment procedure, and the troubleshooting for the correct winding taps.
 

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