Westerbeke (westerbreak) stops running after 30 to 60 minutes of running

[ardeprint]

I am a bit stumped. Before I go an contort myself any longer I'd thought I’d run some ideas by you guys.
My Westerbreak BCGB 4.5 stop running after 30 to 60 minutes. I have changed impeller, it has a new fuel pump, belts are nice and tight, and coolant is good. I have checked for air in the system and its clear.

I'm leaning towards a heat exchange cleaning.

Anyone else have any thoughts.

 

[PlayDate]

I always feel I start in the middle of the story when I respond to questions about Westerbekes and Quicksilver generators.


1) How many hours does it have and has it behaved like this before?

2) Does it restart right away (after running) and keep running or does it shutdown? (That would point to one of the three safetys)

3) Does it have a load on it when it shuts down? (That may point to an electrical issue)

If you have a IR temp gun that really helps determine what the probem is. If it is the heat exchanger, you will see the temp rise much higher on the exchanger than the engine. Shooting the temps on both will give you a good idea if one the two temp safetys are being triggered.

The exhaust water flow should be constant and luke warm. If it is not, it may point to a clogged pickup which is restricting water flow to the generator (plastic bags and debris can clog the hull pickup). You can check the water flow to the generator by disconnecting the hose to the impeller housing and opening the seacock for 15 seconds. It should flow like a garden hose.

I would do those things before I pulled off the heat exchanger.

-John

 

[ardeprint]

1) How many hours does it have and has it behaved like this before? 800 and No.

2) Does it restart right away (after running) and keep running or does it shutdown? (That would point to one of the three safetys). No it wont start even if I hold down the warmup button.

3) Does it have a load on it when it shuts down? (That may point to an electrical issue). No load.

Pick up is clear.
Water pumping out is normal and warm to hot.
Temp on Exhaust manifold is around 190. Did not check heat exchanger. I will next time I go out.

 

[northern]

Based on my quicksilver your heat exchanger has restricted flow. If you have never had it serviced it can not hurt to get it serviced. I take mine to a rad shop that has experience in marine heat exchangers. For $100 they clean it by soaking it in their rad cleaning tank pressure test the exchanger pipes. Put it back together with new gaskets, pressure test the entire unit and paint it. Best $100 I spend as we use the generator a lot. They also take my old anti freeze at no charge.

 

[Uplate]

Re: Adding a pair of wolverine engine heaters and 110 lights in the bilge

I as amazed at the old impeller blades and broken zinc parts that came out of my 4.5. My tech removed the end cap of the heat exchanger and pulled them out with a pair of hemostats.

He told me that this is where the impeller pieces always end up as they get broken off. It will restrict flow.

 

[Southpaw II]

Re: Adding a pair of wolverine engine heaters and 110 lights in the bilge

I as amazed at the old impeller blades and broken zinc parts that came out of my 4.5. My tech removed the end cap of the heat exchanger and pulled them out with a pair of hemostats.

He told me that this is where the impeller pieces always end up as they get broken off. It will restrict flow.

Mike....right on track. This is the usual situation.

Don

 

[PlayDate]

The odd part is that you say the water flow is normal which raises the question if there is a blockage. What we do know is one of your three safetys has tripped which is why it won't restart. Based on your engine temp reading....that appears to be ok. That leaves us with safetys for the exhaust manifold and oil pressure. I doubt it would be oil pressure based on the hours you have on it.

That keeps pointing back at the exhaust manifold or the sender having an issue. In regards to the exhaust manifold being clogged...I have seen impeller parts clog a few cooling tubes in the exchanger which meant it wasn't cooling as well as it should. In those cases though, exhaust water flow was definitely not normal. In any case, comparing the temps between the engine and the heat exchanger will help you positively identify the problem.

-John

 

[ardeprint]

Could it be the circulating pump?

 

[PlayDate]

It could be but your engine temp reading and the number of hours puts it low on the possible problem list. I think you are on the right track with the exchanger. It is just possible that what looks like normal water flow .....isn't. While every configuration is a bit different, when you do sort it out the actual problem.....fill a bucket with generator exhaust water for 30 seconds and that will give you a real reference for future use.

That reference is a really a quick way to determine a raw water flow problem.

I put a set of permanent gauges on my own Westerbeke just so I could spot a problem before having to solve it when a safety tripped. It is a minimal investment and gives you immediate feedback.

John

 

[ardeprint]

It could be but your engine temp reading and the number of hours puts it low on the possible problem list. I think you are on the right track with the exchanger. It is just possible that what looks like normal water flow .....isn't. While every configuration is a bit different, when you do sort it out the actual problem.....fill a bucket with generator exhaust water for 30 seconds and that will give you a real reference for future use.

That reference is a really a quick way to determine a raw water flow problem.

I put a set of permanent gauges on my own Westerbeke just so I could spot a problem before having to solve it when a safety tripped. It is a minimal investment and gives you immediate feedback.

John

Thank you John!

 

[ZZ13]

Had a similar problem on my Kohler 5e and it turned out the shutdown relay went bad. Had to replace the circuit board with this relay on it. Not sure if your Westerbeke has similar circuitry, but more for you to ponder at least.

 

[skolbe]

I have found it is hard to visually tell if water flow at the exhaust is restricted. However it is very easy to tell by sticking my hand in the exhaust. Warning when I had a problem - the exhaust was very warm before it would shut down.

 

[northern]

The water temperature on all my engines at the exhaust is warm 70F may be. Once the screen on the bottom of the boat restricted. Probably jelley fish the water temp went to very warm 120F and there was steam.
For the $100 I would get my heat exchanger service. Worst that could happen is it is fine and you wasted half a day drinking beer and playing with your boat. I need to re domine this year. It will be year 4 since last done.

 

[ardeprint]

The water temperature on all my engines at the exhaust is warm 70F may be. Once the screen on the bottom of the boat restricted. Probably jelley fish the water temp went to very warm 120F and there was steam.
For the $100 I would get my heat exchanger service. Worst that could happen is it is fine and you wasted half a day drinking beer and playing with your boat. I need to re domine this year. It will be year 4 since last done.

Hahahahaha!!!! Good advice! Isn't that why we buy boats after all. LOL!

 

[Gofirstclass]

Here's something else to think about.....my Westerbastard (the mechanic's name for it) was shutting down from time to time after running for awhile and would not restart. He found the problem to be a very tiny crack in the fuel line, at a 90° bend right where the rubber line connected to a metal fitting at the back side of the genny. The crack was so small you could hardly see it, and he found it by flexing the line when the genny was running.

The gen would heat up, something(s) expanded and caused a very slight shift in the position of the gen and the crack would open allowing air to get into the line. Once the air got into the genny the whole thing would shut down. Once it had cooled down it would restart and run for another half hour or so. It cost me over a boat buck to have the injectors pulled and cleaned, the injector pump pulled and cleaned, then the defective line replaced.

Now it works just fine. Good luck with yours.

 

[ardeprint]

I've hit a wall. Had a new pump installed and my heat exchanger cleaned. Basically my cooling system has been refurbished. Unfortunately my problem persists.

I did notice that my fuel pump may not be getting fuel when the genny stops running. After it stops I have removed the fuel filter, replaced it back, and then the genny starts up again. Could I have a bad fuel filter or a fuel selinoid problem?

 

[kaz911]

I've hit a wall. Had a new pump installed and my heat exchanger cleaned. Basically my cooling system has been refurbished. Unfortunately my problem persists.

I did notice that my fuel pump may not be getting fuel when the genny stops running. After it stops I have removed the fuel filter, replaced it back, and then the genny starts up again. Could I have a bad fuel filter or a fuel selinoid problem?

Does it have a fuel cooler? I had the issue on my boat on both starboard engine and the genny - starboard engine would cut out in "low rpm" if running for some time - and genny would cut out after 30-60 min and would not restart. Turned out to be fuel cooler in both cases - PO had never flushed or had coolers cleaned - so it created vapor locks in the fuel supply from "to hot" fuel. So cleaning heat exchanger was not enough - fuel coolers had to be flushed as well.

 

[ardeprint]

I'm thinking a failing fuel shut off valve...

 

[hottoddie]

At this point I would check the low oil pressure shut down switch. May sure the oil is topped off and put a jumper wire across the 2 terminals of the oil pressure switch. May not be an overheat problem at all. Could also be a bad coil or electronic pick up in the distributor.

 

[kevin27]

I had as simular problem on a gen set and it was the fuel pump. As the pump heated up from use it would stop working. Also I had the same gen in my 300da and had some problems with it early on with the fuel pump. Replace the fuel pump first. I think it may fix your problems and is not that expensive. You can also check to see if it has pressure when it quits by leaving the run switch on and cracking the fuel line at the carb to see it you have gas there. It won't be much pressure, I think it's like 4psi but should have some flow. Hope this helps.