Westerbeke disel injector question

[kvduff]

So I started to see a sheen from generator exhaust. Thinking it maybe a leaky injector. Seems to happen once the devices like refrigerator have gotten cold, and hot water heater has warmed. Like when the amperage draw isn’t as great. Found part number of 30538, the westerbeke part, then started digging into the whole, I bet westerbeke doesn’t make these injectors for themselves. I know it’s a Mitsubishi motor K3D, found that a company called Denso made the injectors, anyone know the Denso part number?
If westerbeke wants 370 an injector my guess Denso is a 1/3rd of that price. Also found that the Denso injector is stamped with a 2020 on it but that isn’t giving much. The alternative would be to remove and have mY injectors cleaned and serviced, just trying to eliminate downtime at this point in the season.

 

[fwebster]

Westerbeke injectors are simple and elemental so they are pretty near bullet proof. Rather than just assuming the injector is bad and spending $200-$350 per injector to replace them. You should remove them and send them to a diesel specialty shop that can rebuild injectors. Ask them to pop test the injectors and repair as needed.

The pop test is simply installing the injectors on a test stand and running a solvent thru them in order to observe at what pressure they open and close, whether of not they leak and what kind of pattern the have when fuel is passed thru them. Something as simple as a piece of carbon on the injector tip disrupts the spray pattern so you get droplets rather than an atomized pattern. Droplets cannot be completely burned to you could get incomplete combustion, excess smoke, fuel in the exhaust, and vibration when running.

I did this on my 450DA with an 8.0 BTD Westerbeke because the engine was smoking n start-up, p running ragged and vibrated. The diesel shop found carbon on the tip of one injector and the cleaning solvent used to check the pressures and pattern cleared it. They charged $75 to check the injectors and ship them back to us. We retorqed the head and reinstalled the injectors and the generator was smoother and quieter than when the boat was new.

 

[kvduff]

Westerbeke injectors are simple and elemental so they are pretty near bullet proof. Rather than just assuming the injector is bad and spending $200-$350 per injector to replace them. You should remove them and send them to a diesel specialty shop that can rebuild injectors. Ask them to pop test the injectors and repair as needed.

The pop test is simply installing the injectors on a test stand and running a solvent thru them in order to observe at what pressure they open and close, whether of not they leak and what kind of pattern the have when fuel is passed thru them. Something as simple as a piece of carbon on the injector tip disrupts the spray pattern so you get droplets rather than an atomized pattern. Droplets cannot be completely burned to you could get incomplete combustion, excess smoke, fuel in the exhaust, and vibration when running.

I did this on my 450DA with an 8.0 BTD Westerbeke because the engine was smoking n start-up, p running ragged and vibrated. The diesel shop found carbon on the tip of one injector and the cleaning solvent used to check the pressures and pattern cleared it. They charged $75 to check the injectors and ship them back to us. We retorqed the head and reinstalled the injectors and the generator was smoother and quieter than when the boat was new.

Thanks Frank, I called a local injector shop, left a vm, waiting to hear back going to see what turn around time is. Engine runs fine, starts easily, some smoke when I see the sheen. First thought was unburnt fuel…

 

[kvduff]

Just spoke with the shop, can test them the same day I bring them in. Off to the boat!

 

[The Bill Collector]

I have an 8.0 BTD Diesel... It has never smoked until this past season. I had the mechanic on board yesterday, he asked a few questions and proceeded to remove the exhaust mixer elbow. It was over 50% clogged with build-up, $120 part, and under 2 hours labor and we are up and running...