Westerbeke 30b in Beneteau 331

[Dan Ratko]

After putting about 90hrs on the diesel in the month I've had the boat in the water, I'm starting to get to know it. Under 900 hrs total in a 2000 Beneteau 331.

Had a few questions for those with similar engines. 

1.  It's pretty tough to get started after shutting it down overnight or being gone a few days. It feels like minutes, but in reality may be 15-30 sec of cranking, followed by perfect reliability and instant restarting. Is this what others experience?  It just seems too long.

When bringing it home to Chicago, I sailed up around northern Michigan which was cold, but seems to be exactly the same in hot or cold weather.  I thought at first maybe there could be issues with glowplug, but not sure how necessary these are in 90 degree weather.  Fuel filter was recently replaced, although can double-check.  

2.  Rough idle speed.  When transmission is engaged at idle soeed it vibrates pretty hard and bottoms out on motor mounts.  Disengage transmission or rev up a hundred RPM or so and it's totally smooth.  It really seems that the mounts are at their limits.  

Should I be investigating replacing the mounts?  What else to check?  Transmission alignment/mounts?

Dan

[joe newell]

Did you replace both filters  I have the same engine and it also runs rough when started. I put it in neutral (red button in) and increase to 1200 rpms

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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[Rod MacLeod]

I have a 30B Three in my 361. Cold starts are usually under 5 seconds. On cold starts I hold pre-heat 7-10 second before engaging starter. This is no only activating the glow plug, but also engages the electric lift pump and pressurizes the fuel feed. 

Mine also idles rough. In reading the manual it suggests an idle RPM of 10K when warm. Mine idles at about 8K so will try increasing to see if that makes a difference. 

Rod

Rod MacLeod

Windswept 

B361

[Dan Ratko]

A mechanic replaced both filters last year before I owned boat. Although it's hard to tell how many hrs were driven after, I didn't think it was many.  I'll probably inspect and replace both and check out the lift and fuel pumps.  

The engine itself seems to run smoothly at idle, but the issue is that it rocks so much on the mounts it seems that it's transferring a ton of extra vibration.  Once slightly above idle like you mentioned it totally stops.  Maybe my mounts are worn out.

Dan

[Tony Marchesani]

I have 1700 hours on my Westerbeke 30b in my B361.  It has always started quickly with glowplugs from Maine to the Bahamas.  I'd check battery condition and electrical connections for tightness and corrosion.

Rough idle speed - welcome to Westerbekes.  My Westerbeke engine manual states idle should be set between 1000 and 1200 RPM.  It does run smooth at that setting.  I have had engine mechanics tell me that setting is too high,  at 700 RPM it vibrates terribly,  I've broken two brackets connecting motor to motor mounts with good motor mounts and alignment.  OEM brackets were redesigned and now have welded reinforcements on them in critical spots.  I keep my idle RPM at 1000 minimum and no problems since, just very careful to shift slowly!

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[Dan Ratko]

Rod, 

This is good info.  I have something to chase now.  It's definitely a lot longer than 5 sec.  I have held the preheat for 5 sec to 30 sec with seemingly no difference.

I wonder if it's possible the engine would run at all without lift pump.  If that were somehow malfunctioning drawing only off the primary.   My fuel tank is vertical and is fairly elevated compared with engine, there probably some natural head here.  Or maybe the preheat button has a lose wire and doesn't engage this pump. 

Hmm...more digging to do.  Will let everyone know what I find.

Dan

[Bill Jarvis]

You may have a very slow air leak on the suction side of the fuel pump.

 

Bill

[Rod MacLeod]

You can check the lift pump by listening for it to click when the pre-heat button is pressed. Have someone turn the key and press pre-heat while you are down below at the lift pump. You should hear one of more clicks. It will only click once if the fuel system is primed/pressurized. If you have just changed the fuel filter there would likely be a few more clicks until the air is bled out and the system is pressurized. 

Rod

Rod MacLeod

Windswept 

B361

[Rod MacLeod]

I have had to replace those brackets as well at about 600 hours on engine. 

Rod

Rod MacLeod

Windswept 

B361

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[jkr...@aol.com]

I have the Westerbeke 30 horse and have for the second time in 15 years had to replace the glow plug solinoid AND resister wire. With this bad the engine needs to be cranked a lot when cold starting (but does start) and kicks right over when warm. This engine needs the glow plugs to start no matter the temperature.

Idle has been rough since new and quiets out at around 1500 rpm.

Ron 

S/v Esprit B331

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Ratko <dra...@gmail.com>
To: beneteau-owners <benetea...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Jul 31, 2018 11:02 AM
Subject: {Beneteau Owners} Westerbeke 30b in Beneteau 331

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[Dan Ratko]

Ok, thanks.  Should be easy to do a few tests on this. 

1.  Leaks/Air Leak

2.  Current flowing to glowplug when activated

3.  Lift Pump activation with warm up switch

4.  Replace fuel filters

As for the idle, it sounds like it's a westerbeke being a westerbeke.  It's been a solid engine, but has it's quirks.  I'm betting I could dial out a lot of this vibration by tuning up my engine mounts, but this is a project for another day. 

Dan

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[UWE Mewes]

I few extra cranks to start a diesel may be necessary if you have some air in the fuel delivery system. Try bleeding again. A bleed screw is typically on fuel filter housing. Bleed till you see no air bubbles at all with the fuel spilling out.

       Uwe Mewes

            B45F5

   Heaven Can Wait

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[Michael Boyle]

yes. as said keep the idle at 1000 or wherever the engine smoothses out. I let my engine idle at that rough idle and had my main electrical feed wire break off causing big headache! She now idles at 1000-1200 RPM

Michael Boyle
mechan...@verizon.net

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[Daniel Ratko]

Bracket replaced; piece of cake.

Did some reading ok the RPMs and go figure, the manual suggests a 1000+ idle speed.

Getting closer to Summer!

Dan

[Daniel Ratko]

Hard starting issue is hopefully coming to a close .  One of the three glow plugs had a crack and was not heating the other two cracked coming out. 

What was making this a little harder to diagnose was the fact that 2 of 3 plugs likely worked so you saw the expected voltage drop. For anyone having a similar issue I recommend pulling them out and putting a meter on them  and not just relying on the pre-start voltage.  It's only the first step of diagnostics, but gave me some false security and lead me a lot of directions that I maybe didn't need to go.

Dan