Westerbeke 7.0 BCGB

Haden

Haden

Active Member
May 27, 2020
482
Madison, Alabama
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1l Mercury w/V Drives
For starters, I did a full service on the generator in February 2020. Filter, cap, rotor, plugs, filter, anode, impeller, belts, etc. The generator runs amazing, but the past 3 outings I have had an issue. Same route for starting the generator, but shortly afterwards it shuts down within 1 minute, and will not start again, just cranks and cranks. Literally acts like it isn’t getting any fuel. Even when I try to prim the fuel pump, I can not hear it prime/pump. After the generator sits for a few hours, it will fire back up, and run all day. This has now happen a total of 3 times. Same exact situation, except the downtime to reset or whatever becomes longer and longer. Two other people in the Sea Ray 380 Facebook page have suggested it’s the fuel pump. OR, could it be something else. I am DREADING replacing the pump. It’s going to be a nightmare of a squeeze!! Any pointers? I was advised to unbolt and spin the generator for better access.
 
Chances are it's the fuel pump. Have you looked into the manual troubleshooting guide?

I don't recall off hand if one of the sensors (exhaust overheat, manifold overheat or low oil pressure) will shut down the fuel pump, but worth looking at the wiring diagram to see. A bad sensor can cause all sorts of havoc.

The fuel pumps are facet IIRC. They too go bad over time.
 
Yes, I have checked the manual. But it doesn’t sound like it would prevent the fuel pump from pumping. Or it could be the K2 run relay??? Where is that. Haha.
“Dual low oil pressure switches are located off the engine's oil gallery manifold. One is normally open when the engine is in a static state. This switch functions in the automatic shutdown circuit when the unit is operating (5 psi rating). The second oil pressure switch is installed only on SEA RAY spec. gener- ators. This switch is normally closed and functions in their low oil pressure alarm system (10 psi rating).
Should the oil pressure drop to 10 psi while the generator is operating, the SEA RAY spec. switch will close activating their low oil pressure alarm. Should the oil pressure drop fur- ther to 5 psi, the automatic shutdown circuit switch will open interupting DC voltage to the K2 run relay thereby shutting off the generator.”
 
If anything like the 7.0BCG, any one of the sensors will remove B+ from the supply to the distributor and fuel "run" solenoid. I say run because that solenoid is engaged for the entire time your genny is running, unlike a diesel "shutoff" solenoid, which chokes off the fuel supply to kill the engine. Having said that, I have never encountered an intermittent sensor.
I chased this kind of intermittent issue for months until I finally disconnected the overspeed shutdown as a test. That was it. I did it to myself because I calibrated the engine speed, hence hertz on full load with new A/C units, which instead of 7 and 12KW are 12 and 16KW. Since I have started to run the vessel with just one of the A/Cs during genny time, all of my issues went away.
BTW, the fuel pump is something that I change every couple of years, and that fuel shutoff solenoid is also every 3 or so years. It's just too hot down there for these electrical devices to live for long genset runs. All of my genset runs are long.
Hope this give some insight.
 
370Dancer said:
If anything like the 7.0BCG, any one of the sensors will remove B+ from the supply to the distributor and fuel "run" solenoid. I say run because that solenoid is engaged for the entire time your genny is running, unlike a diesel "shutoff" solenoid, which chokes off the fuel supply to kill the engine. Having said that, I have never encountered an intermittent sensor.
I chased this kind of intermittent issue for months until I finally disconnected the overspeed shutdown as a test. That was it. I did it to myself because I calibrated the engine speed, hence hertz on full load with new A/C units, which instead of 7 and 12KW are 12 and 16KW. Since I have started to run the vessel with just one of the A/Cs during genny time, all of my issues went away.
BTW, the fuel pump is something that I change every couple of years, and that fuel shutoff solenoid is also every 3 or so years. It's just too hot down there for these electrical devices to live for long genset runs. All of my genset runs are long.
Hope this give some insight.
Click to expand...
How are you gaining access to change the fuel pump?
 
In the 370, the unit is on the Starboard side, generator side facing forward, off to the side of the Starboard Engine, and slightly aft.
I'd be surprised if yours is in a different spot, but I don't own a 380. The side facing the bilge has the raw water inlet hose, raw water pump, fuel pump, fuel shutoff solenoid, carburetor, start switches all facing the stbd side of the stbd engine. What's a bitch for me, is the oil filter, starter motor, or anything else on that side of the engine.
There is space between the fuel tank and the generator where I can get down beside the stbd engine, and do maintenance on the bilge side of the genny. Although, as the years go on, that space seems to be shrinking, just like the space between the engines.... :)
Bilge side of my genny.png
hull side of my genny.png
 
Haden said:
How are you gaining access to change the fuel pump?
Click to expand...
Mine did the same as yours, the fuel pump was going out and finally went kaput. The marina changed mine, but my dock neighbor watched a little. He said they unbolted the genny and rotated it to make the fuel pump more accessible
 
Chris-380 said:
Mine did the same as yours, the fuel pump was going out and finally went kaput. The marina changed mine, but my dock neighbor watched a little. He said they unbolted the genny and rotated it to make the fuel pump more accessible
Click to expand...
I’m thinking that rotating is the best way. I thought about laying some foam padding down, and laying on my side. Have one of the kids hand me tools, water, pain medicine, and then help pull me back up!! I’m dreading this!! It’s hot here in North Alabama even with a fan blowing.
 
The pump is a Facet. Search around for our threads here on suitable replacement equipment that is not painted red. Westerbeke makes nothing. They engineer, assemble, paint and double the price of everything. The trick is undoing the inlet and outlet fittings without twisting or collapsing the 1/4" vertical pipe to the carb. I got tired of fighting it, and replaced mine with thick wall 1/4" fuel line. Works just fine.
 
Westerbeke 043124. Do some googlefu and look for a cross reference to facet as this is a facet pump.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,247
Messages
1,429,265
Members
61,128
Latest member
greenworld
Back
Top