Westerbeke diesel gen Obi-wan

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Your Westerbeke is probably a Mitsubishi S3 L2 engine. Don’t be fooled into buying parts from WB.
 
twistedtree said:
What were the readings across all the cylinders? It should still fire even with one cylinder down.


And what's the history on this generator? Was it working one day then stopped? Has it never worked? Did it work, then sat for a vary long time, and now won't restart?


I still think the hot control wires should be addressed first. It suggests a poor neg battery connection with current flowing back through control wires. That could cause all sorts of things to not work properly.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. There should be signs of life even with a low cylinder. The low reading could be stuck rings or whatever from sitting, and may loosen up with a few heat cycles of the engine.
Get the wiring sorted, make sure all the devices are working, then it should at least try to fire.
 
I can't help you directly but I do have two references.

First is Vosbury Marine in Annapolis. They have been Westerbeke dealers and mechanics for decades starting with Dick Vosbury in the 1950s:
Vosbury Marine & Recreation Inc.
303 Greenlee Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
Phone: 410 – 757 - 3844

Second, I have what is probably the same genset on my 1977 Grand Banks 32 and I have the original manual. I'll be at the boat tomorrow and can retrieve it to scan the page copies if that will help. As I remember, the manual is dated 1981.

Any of this help you?

-- Tom Dove
 
Tks for the offers! I have it downloaded, but the troubleshooting part is not very helpful. I have checked everything I can except pulling injectors and while out rough check valve timing with a straw. That's tonite
Here's what's strange- it is immaculate inside the head, but a careful inspection does not look like it's been apart. Looks like a virgin but won't start.
 
If you can't get combustion on ether, then it has to be compression related. I have added oil to the cylinders, as you mentioned, in cases like this to get an engine to start.

You have bled it to the point where you are getting fuel dripping from the union between the injectors and the high pressure pipes?

A lot of cranking and no fuel going into cylinders could mean the rings are dry, which could affect compression.

Also, I hate to use ether on diesel engines. If I do use it, I spray it on a rag, and then slowly move it toward the air intake while cranking. Or, use WD-40 instead, it's friendlier to a diesel.
 
Update. Took out injectors. Gave cyls a drink . Both injectors spray a pattern. Might not be the optimum, but not a dribble or fire hose. Sounds healthier, but still not trying to start. Valves in proper sequence and have proper .010 gap
Ok guys, have at it.
 
Are you getting white smoke from the exhaust while cranking to confirm it's blowing fuel through without it igniting?
 
did you ever confirm that your glow plugs are bright cherry red when activated? I keep harping on that because this gen will not start without bright cherry red glow plugs. I would even hang them from the wires, ground the them with some large alligator clips and check them while you are cranking to ensure they stay bright cherry red when cranking.

I have the same gen and fought this very issue on this very same generator and the problem was high resistance through the glow plug solenoid.

See this video.

 
Glow plugs

Tks for all the input. As you can see , the plugs DO turn red

Next ?
 

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Well thats nice and red..lol. hopefully you checked that during cranking too.

Next thing is to actually put some gauges on it to check compression and get actual numbers. I want to say its around 450 psi with a decent cranking rpm.

As said above if the battery is weak and you arent spinning the motor enough that will affect the cylinder pressure.
 
The Owner's Manual from the posted link does not have the same content as the Technical Manual I have for the W13 engine (vintage 1980). The Technical Manual includes complete overhaul instructions, but it's 125 pages long. I will scan it if you need it but that will take a bit of time. There's a bit of troubleshooting info but it's primarily aimed at rebuilders.
Would this be useful to others in the Forum? How do I upload the scanned document to the site?
-- Tom Dove
 
It seems I'm going to have to pull the head. I'm more than competent to rebuild this thing, but the head gasket is $131 & I have no idea if the other end works. Does not appear to be a Mitsi engine by the numbers cast in.
Any final ideas, or how to test the gen? I have no access to an adapter or a diesel comp gauge.
 
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I dunno. Benn reading this for a while and if the glows are red hot and the engine is cranking and you've got diesel vapor blowing out the exhaust and not even a kick?

Yeah something seriously wrong. You checked the valve clearance already I know. Must be a serious leak elsewhere.

Yup, pull the head.
 
Any signs of the engine (or parts of it) having been apart in the past? Since you have no history with it, I'm wondering if someone took it apart for something and didn't put it back together correctly, so something like timing gears that weren't put back timed correctly?


It might be worth a visual verification that the valves are operating in correct sequence relative to the piston, and that fuel squirts at the right time, just to check for gross errors.


And personally, I'd invest in a compression tester before tearing the engine apart. And I'm confused because a while back I though you said you had checked compression and one cylinder was low compared to others. But there were no numbers reported, and low is a relative term.
 
Really gotta have numbers. Both dry and if low with some oil thrown in. And if numbers are bad then a leakdown test is in order prior to disassembly. During a leakdown you can tell if the air is coming out of rings into oil pan, into water passages, leaking out of exhaust valves or leaking out of intake valves. Otherwise you are just disassembling and looking for things. Many times those things are not obvious. Sometimes they are.

You could probably rig something up using the glow plug hole a bit easier than the injector. Another reason to diagnose prior to disassembly is that parts for this are scarce. Even knowing its a mitsubishi K2C really doesnt help much, I scoured the internet for weeks just to find a spare water pump that wasnt $400 from Westerbeke. Finally found one in Finland for like $75 and another $50 in shipping.

Good luck. If I was closer I would be there trying to help. Troubleshooting is something I like to do.

That block should have K2C cast on the backside (opposite of fuel solenoid) indicating it is a Mitsubishi K2C and .600L just behind the fuel filter. Hard to see.
 
Could be stuck rings.

While you have the glows out you could give a blast each of penetrating oil, crank a quarter minute and give another blast and let 'er set overnight.
 
I concur with all the above. Good call on the leak down test. Actually aside from that, only one decision needs to be made. Do I throw more money at it not knowing if the assend is good or not. Local former Beke dealer could probably do the compression test, but for a buck & a quarter an hour? Or do I cut & run, sell it as parts and look for something running/newer/better?
I have my hands full getting Phelps in the water wo messing with it.
 
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Pay a diesel mechanic to do a compression and leak down test. My 3cyl version of your genny died the same way. Had fuel at the injectors , sol open, cranked ok. Compression 275 in all cyl. Needs to be 425. Not ok. The rings were fused to the pistons with carbon in spite of my best efforts to always properly load it. Too many “no longer available “ parts to be worth trying to rebuild.
Check out Phasor generator.
 
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Steve D said he has added oil to create compression. If it starts then all will loosen up.
Also suggested was a visual confirmation the valves were operating, any gaps greater than speck? Don't re gap!! unstick that valve with a few ball pien hammer taps.

Or do a compression test.
 
Guys, I appreciate all the input. But down & dirty do I put another $100 minimum into this when I dont know if it will make electric or not.
I don't "NEED" a generator to run my dialysis machine (TG!) while I cruise , it's just nice to have. "NICE" rhymes with "PRICE", they increase together.
For a few thou' me an' chef boyardee do real well together
 
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What about a shot of starting fluid just to get it to pop off? If things are gummed up creating low compression, a good run under full load may be all that's needed.
 
Been there. Speeds up a LITTLE, not a real pop. Oiled the cylinders w plugs out & let it soak. Throws the stuff across the garage. (Well, OK, maybe a little too much oil..........)
Cleaned off the crank pulley, can't see any marks for TDC.
 
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You can just use a air gun with the rubber tip placed into the glow plug hole to do a down and dirty leak test. No gauge required. If there is a large air leak it may be obvious. Remove the oil dip stick to check for blow by. You could even tape a bag over it
 
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