Westerbeke Gen. problem

[Dave66]

Having problems with a 4.5 BCGTC westerbeke gen. It cranks but won't start. The choke solenoid closes the butterfly but it just cranks. Have spark at distributor and plugs. If I pull the choke linkage by hand it starts right up. I ran it for 4 hrs under a load and had no problems. I removed the load let it run to cool down and shut it off. Tried to start it short time later and it would not start. It was still warm and the choke did not close. Pulled the choke closed by hand and it started right up. Choke opened right away and it ran until I shut it down again. has anyone had a similar problem or any idea about mine. Thanks for any help on this matter.
Dave

 

[rcknecht]

I would check the fuel shut of solinoid (p/n 039643) and the electric choke solinoid(p/n 038038). I start by replacing the choke solinoid and see what that does... BTW you have a 4.5 BCGB....

 

[allan1]

I had a friend last week with the same problem. replaced fuel filter and filled with fresh fuel. Had to take the spark plugs out, crank over, put a couple drops of fresh fuel and it started and ran great. Ran for one hour. shut it off and tried to restart. It would not start.

Problem is that the fuel in the boat is old and the 10 % enthanol turned ugly color, the color of tea. I should have known that when I dumped the fuel out from the old filter. Also found out from owner that the motors are not turning the correct rpm's. He is now running the boat to get the old fuel out.

 

[Dave66]

Sorry for the delay in responding to your suggestions. I have not been able to get back to the boat to check it out further. I will replace the choke solinoid as soon as I can get one.

 

[370Dancer]

Replace your spark plugs. I had a no start situation that I bought a fuel pump for, and before I replaced the pump, I decided to change the plugs because it had been a year.
Started right up, ran under load, and cooled down just fine.

try this first. I have fixed issues with the Westerbeke at least 3 times just by putting new plugs in.

 

[Dave66]

Made it back to the boat and tried to fire up the gen. Still had problem with starting even though I thought i had solved the problem by lubricating the choke solonoid piston. It did fire up after luricating the choke. But after trying a few more times the choke did not close all the way. Took rcknecht suggestion and ordered a new choke solonoid. Just received it today and will try to get install it this thurs. Will let you know the results.

 

[dpmulvey]

If it is moving the choke solenoid both ways that's a good thing. Those circuit boards are expensive.

 

[370Dancer]

alignment of the solenoid plunger is more critical than you think. Leave the linkage a little loose, and start it a couple of times before tightening it down. Sometimes that's frustrating, because of all the movement of the unit when starting. It should always close easily, and not bind.
chances are your old one wasn't bad if it was staying in once pushed in. It was just out of alignment.

NOW, my no start has escalated into an entirely different thread on this board. I am in day 3 of getting the manifold and what's left of the exhaust elbow off.
WHAT PENCIL PUSHING non field engineer designed the exhaust manifold mounting pattern on the 7.0BCG?!!! Hold him down whilst I beat him with a rubber hose with my bloody hands.

 

[fc3]

Hard to say exactly what the issue is here. The description is not clear.

The choke on a 4.5 BCGTC is electrically activated. It has two inputs. One input is controlled by the choke or "preheat" switch. The other input is the oil temperature switch which activates the choice solenoid until engine oil temperature reaches about 170F, I think. I forget. It's not important. Either a cold engine or holding the switch should completely pull the choke solenoid core into the solenoid's body. If that does not happen, and there is power at the solenoid connection, then the choke solenoid is defective. If there's no power, it's a wiring issue.

Once the solenoid core is fully retracted a calibrated spring applies a slight tension to the choke plate which holds it gently closed. If the spring is missing, worn, sticky, or maladjusted, then the choke won't close, won't close fully, or will open too easily when the engine cranks. Since you didn't specify how you were holding the choke closed, I can't tell if you were overriding the spring or not.

Finally, if the carburetor isn't right, the engine won't start. If the fuel level in the bowl or the metering jets are dirty, then the mixture might be a bit too lean to fire on startup. Overriding the choke's calibration when you hold it closed could be masking this symptom since the increase in vacuum would draw more fuel though the fuel passages, enriching the mixture.

Need more data.

 

[Dave66]

Finally made it back to the boat to put the new choke solonoid in. Removed the flame arrester. When I hit the preheat switch the choke butterfly closed all the way. So I hit the start toggle and it fired right up. Stopped and started it several times. It started each time. I then let it warm up and put a full load on it for an hour. When I shut it down I waited a few minitues and it started back up. The only thing I did previously was lubricate the linkage. That did not correct the problem on my previous attempts to start the gen. To get it started I had to pull the choke linkage closed by hand and hold it until the gen started. The solonoid would only close the butterfly 3/4 of the way. By pulling the linkage by hand the butterfly totally closes off the throat of the carb and it starts right up.
I did not put the new solonoid on as i want to see if it starts again when I go back to the boat. I know it did not fix itself so I'm hoping the lube did it. If not then I will replace the solonoid and go from there.

 

[PlayDate]

I'm with FC3 on this. The start sequence on a cold gas Westerbeke is to hold down the Pre-Heat button, hit the Start toggle and continue to hold the Pre-Heat button down for 20 seconds after the engine starts. A lot of new boat owners think hitting the Pre-Heat button then releasing it....then, hitting the Start button will start the unit...it won't. The choke only will stay closed if the Pre-Heat button is held on during the Start sequence.

You can hear the choke solenoid click closed when you hit the Pre-Heat button. If it doesn't close all the way, the choke solenoid needs to be replaced or the wiring to the choke solenoid has an issue.

-John

 

[Dave66]

Tried the gen again and it fired up. I am going to change the spark plugs as suggested. I want to thank everyone for your help and suggestions.

 

[370 DA]

Great info. I will add that the choke did not activate on mine so i bought a new choke solenoid. i installed it and same condition, no start cold. Had to maually finger the choke over. I saw in the wiring that there was an oil temp switch in line so that was the next item i replaced.....It now works as intended.