Westerbeke Generator Question

J

jgoedd99

Active Member
Aug 10, 2008
205
Buffalo, NY
Boat Info
1998 370 DA
Engines
7.4 Mag MPI Horizon Inboards
Looking at a Westerbeke 7.0 BCG in a 1998 370 and have a question. I ran it today to check it out. It could not run 2 AC units and the hot water heater but could run 2 AC units without the hot water heater. I assme the load was too great for everything at once.

My question though is with the cooling water discharge. The cooling water had a milky white color to it, though it was not completely translucent (ie you could still see through the water). Water inlet temp (river temp) was 38oF. Cooling water also had a gas smell.

It was only run 5 minutes today and probably 5 minutes the other day by the dealer, for a total of 10 minutes since it was winterized last spring.

Do you think the milky color is still fogging oil burning off, or do you think there is an oil/water mix going on somewhere?

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.
 
First off, putting that much load on a gen. that is only running for 5 min is way to much. Let everything warm up a bit and than try it again. And as far as the coolant water color. get the engine nice and warmed up, put a load on it after a bit and let it sort out. Only than can you really see what is up. Good luck.
 
It has a fouled plug and is only firing two cylinders. For a quick and dirty fix, or to prove the theory, start it again and let it run for a few minutes, then shutdown and touch the head near each plug. The area near the mis-firing cylinder will be cooler.

Replace them with a good set of NGK's and make sure to always let it warm up, then run with a load, and give it a brief cool-down period before shutting down.
 
katricol said:
If it's only firing on two cylnders...Isn't it possible the others are "cooked" ?
Click to expand...

It could be any number of things, but the symptoms are exactly what a 'beke with a fouled plug will exhibit.

(it's a 3 cylinder btw)

It's a solid engine too. It's prone to getting fouling when run with too little load and SeaRay's implementation of remote start on these units often causes cold starting issues, but under normal conditions and maintenance, the mechanicals are unlikely to fail.

Mine not only doesn't burn oil - the oil doesn't even change color.

As far as load, 2 AC units and a water heater won't even make a healthy 7KW genny break a sweat. In fact, that's what, about 30 amps before the AC cycles off? You're more likely to pop a house circuit breaker with extra appliances before you reach the max load of the genny.
 
Interesting comments regarding load on the genset prior to being fully warmed up.

Is it a commen thing that the generator will not deliver full amps until it has warmed up?

Why is this?

Thanks

Graham
 
Ours I believe is a 7.2BCGTC and it will moan a little when its cold and the AC kicks on but after its warmed up it doesn't complain too much. I would imagine the genny installed at the factory should be rated to run everything on board all at once and maybe still have some reserve.
What about changing the governor oil??? I know it help control the speed and its a maintenance item. I changed ours a couple years ago. Remove it from the engine as its easier to do on a bench. Then grab a new belt and impeller since your right there and bolt it all back together and hope for the best!
 
I second the governor. I would try spark plugs first as they might be an easier change and depending on how long might need to be changed anyway.

The governor is mechanical on the generator and controls the speed of the generator. If its not moving freely and quickly enough when the extra load of the Hot Water heater is put on it does not react quick enough and the generator stalls out under the new load. Given your test it might have never been exercised like that and once one of the AC units is off or cycling adding the hot water load might be no problem...

As for the color of the discharge water I don't know.
 
When these gensets start, they run rich for a while until they get up to temp. If you try and load them up before they get warm, they just bog down.

Change the plugs.....when you start your genset, let it run for a while...until it warms, and under load. If you run it without load, it runs rich, and the plugs don't last as long.

These things are over designed, with lots of safety devices to shut them down if there's a fault. I've seem them with over 3,000 hrs.

Don
 
Don't mean to hijack your thread but I have an issue with mine surging. Under a full load orat least the AC pump on, it runs smooth but w/out much of a load it surges to the point it sounds like it's goin to shut down. I had the motor rebuilt last year due to water intrusion but it didn't resolve the surging. Nex time out, I may try and adjust the gain control myself but am too scared to tinker with the speed controls.
 
Graham Lorimer said:
Interesting comments regarding load on the genset prior to being fully warmed up.

Is it a common thing that the generator will not deliver full amps until it has warmed up?

Why is this?

Thanks

Graham
Click to expand...

Graham, it's generally a good idea to allow both gas and diesel engines a chance to warm-up before asking them to work hard, so in that respect, a generator is like any other engine.

I begin to add load to the genny within 5 minutes, but not all at once. I add components incrementally. IMO, doing it that way is kinder to the genny as well as the items it powers. Electronics and compressor motors don't tend react well to low or fluctuating current.

This is a case of incomplete combustion, without a doubt. A faulty governor would only explain 1 of the 3 symptoms. (low power)

The cloudy exhaust, smell of fuel and lack of power confirm a combustion problem. It's my guess that it's simply a fouled plug. It could be something else, but a long history with the 7.0 BCG tells me when to reach for my spark plug socket...
 
Thanks all for the great feedback.

It's on the list of things to be fixed prior to closing, I'll reply with what the dealer finds. But for now, it does not sound like a deal breaker. The fact that it could not run 2 Acs and a water heater with one cylinder not firing makes sense. It also explains the gas smell and probably the cloudy water (water and gas emulsion) that is created in the exhaust/coooling water discharge.
 
2000 310 sundancer with 4.5 westerbeke. Ran 12 hours fine and then shutoff. Tried to start the next day and it ran for a minute or two and shut off. I checked the oil and saw water coming out the exhaust. I can keep it running if I hold down the run button, but once I let off the switch it stops help
 
doubletrouble said:
2000 310 sundancer with 4.5 westerbeke. Ran 12 hours fine and then shutoff. Tried to start the next day and it ran for a minute or two and shut off. I checked the oil and saw water coming out the exhaust. I can keep it running if I hold down the run button, but once I let off the switch it stops help
Click to expand...

If it's running while you hold the run button then one of the sensors must be reading a fault. I recall that the start or preheat overides the sensors to allow the genny to start running and build oil pressure. If while its running and any sensor reads a fault it shuts down.
 
How many hours does the generator have on it? At 500 hours, my exhaust elbow was carboned up to the point it could only run at idle.

Plus governor oil needed to be changed, or it delayed in responsing to load.
 
Curious how much peoples generators surge when the A/C kicks on? Mine definitely can hear it surge a bit once the load starts.
 
While changing the oil in ours yesterday it ran pretty smooth with the water heater and one a/c unit for load. It really didn't surge. I HAVE though just changed the plugs and the govenor oil. I'll add that the plugs I changed out that were replaced maybe a couple years/~100hrs ago and appeared new. I still am chasing the hard start which I'm guessing might be fuel. Once it starts it runs great. It's just a prolonged crank that I'm worried is gonna fill the muffler with raw water. I'd like to check the fuel filter on the carb but have never done one. Anyone check these? Are they washable or replacable?
 
Maybe a dumb question on the hard start, but do you have a pre-heater button (my '95 does). If so, are you sure it is working properly?
 
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