Westerbeke Diesel Starting Sequence

[kylemclaughlin]

I recently purchased a 1997 Sundancer with 3116 Caterpillars and a Westerbeke generator. After reading the boat owners manual which referenced the Westerbeke manual, neither addressed the rocker switch preheat. How does this switch work? Start on the switch is the same as preheat..

 

[Riptide III]

Hopefully someone will chime in. I just installed a new gen that doesn't use that system anymore. I looked thru all my manuals and can't find the answer. If I remember correctly, you push and release the button. The green light comes on to tell you it is heating. When the green light starts to blink, press and hold the start until it starts.

 

[bahamabreisus]

On our boat, push start button to "on" position, hold preheat for 15-30 seconds, push start button all the way. Starter should engage then. If does not start pretty much right away, redo sequence. Ours is a 1992 version, should be the same though.

 

[kylemclaughlin]

Thanks guys, I will give it a try. It starts now but turns over a few more times that I know it should since it is not properly pre-heating.

 

[RollerCoastr]

If I remember correctly, you push and release the button. The green light comes on to tell you it is heating. When the green light starts to blink, press and hold the start until it starts.

This, except on my boat (gas) the indicator flashes slowly during the priming cycle. (pre-heat on diesel) if I mess-up the sequence the indicator light will come on solid, but slightly dim. When that happens I click it back to off and begin again:

Press the top of the button all the way to start, and then release.
The indicator should flash slowly during the pre-heat cycle.
When the indicator flashes rapidly, pre-heat is complete.
Press the rocker to the start position until unit starts.

 

[GnrlPatton]

The amount of time to press pre-heat, both before and after engine start, is ambient temperature based. I think the minimum was 15 seconds, before and after start. The longest was a full minute. I think I saw the figures in my user guide, I am happy to dig that up and give you any info you need from it.

Kevin

 

[Marc C.]

I press mine to the start position but never hold it in place during pre-heat. I wait 15-seconds and then hold it down to start it. Not really sure if this is the correct way but I've never had an issue with it starting this way...

 

[mquiet]

I have 1999. Press once to preheat (flashes), when solid press and hold to start (flashes again) hold til solid and release.


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[kylemclaughlin]

Thanks everyone for your responses. It turns out there is some kind of short, on the third toggle to pre-heat it engaged and preheated until the light turned solid green. I had to replace the coolant overflow connection line today and seriously Sea Ray the generator is the hardest to get to item I have had the pleasure of working on myself. How are you guys able to access the generator for servicing?

I have 1999. Press once to preheat (flashes), when solid press and hold to start (flashes again) hold til solid and release.


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[Riptide III]

Thanks everyone for your responses. It turns out there is some kind of short, on the third toggle to pre-heat it engaged and preheated until the light turned solid green. I had to replace the coolant overflow connection line today and seriously Sea Ray the generator is the hardest to get to item I have had the pleasure of working on myself. How are you guys able to access the generator for servicing?

I pull the starboard exhaust off. It takes less than five minutes.

 

[kylemclaughlin]

I pull the starboard exhaust off. It takes less than five minutes.

That is a great suggestion, thanks.

 

[ttmott]

There was a change from two switches to a single switch in 1999. The two switch uses the same "logic" to start the generator as the switches on the generator itself. FYI - the pre-heat switch does a couple of different things when depressed; it activates the fuel pre-heaters, it bypasses the low oil pressure switch, and lastly it primes the fuel system by running the fuel pump (which is that ticking noise you hear). The pre-heat switch must remain depressed when cranking the generator until the generator starts allowing oil pressure to come up and close the low oil pressure switch.
As an important side note, do not crank the generator continuously if it does not start within 10 seconds or so; and, if it does not start do not immediately resume cranking, let it rest for at least a minute or two. The reason is, as it cranks the raw water pump is pumping water up through the exhaust and if the water backs up through the muffler it can back flow into the engine's cylinders and severely damage the generator.

The single switch models essentially do the same process but have a solid state sequencer called a Monoplex which when the switch is fully depressed and released it goes into that pre-heat mode as described above then the switch light notifies you that it is ready to start and you again depress the switch to crank and start the generator. The Monoplex has a built in safety feature where if the generator does not start it will not allow a restart attempt for, I think, 60 seconds.