Repowering from a Westerbeke W46

[bcboomer]

Our W46 has bit the dust. For some reason it has spun 1 rod bearing. In the 10 years we have owned it there has been no oil consumption, negligible smoke on a cold start and no other issues at all.

So, now the problem of repowering our O'Day 40.

At the moment the Betamarine 45T seems like a good choice. It fits the space and has enough power. I'm not afraid of turbos although I don't like the heat they generate. This one is pretty small so maybe not an issue.

Anyone have any experience with the Beta 45T?

[skipperpete]

No experience with this specific model but it looks like they put a bit of thought into the new injection elbow. I have to admit I don’t like the turbo jacket and lagging, the engine space will need an efficient extractor fan to pull the extra heat out. A watercooled turbine would have been far preferable. Betamarine do a quite good marine conversion of mostly Kubota engines but this “ super5” is a more recent release and might well be the last of the mechanical fuel injection models before the inevitable common rail electronic engines, Betamarine is one of the few that are stubbornly hanging in with engines we can actually fix far from a dealership.

[bil56]

ahd why not a 43, bigger displacement, lower rpm
https://betamarine.co.uk/portfolio/beta-43/

[bcboomer]

The 45T has enough power and is an easier install. 200 more RPM isn't an issue since there is enough at 2000. Size is a factor. It is longer, wider and taller than the W46.
My only concern is heat from the turbo.

[Mickeyrouse]

I’ve been through the repair vs. replace conundrum more than a couple times. I would strongly encourage you to rebuild the Westerbeke 46. I have had 3 Westerbeke branded engines in the Last 30 years. I don’t think much of Westerbeke’s user support and parts availability but the short blocks they have marinized over the years- Perkins, Mitsubishi, Kubota, Isuzu- are good engines. I think the Westerbeke 46 is an Isuzu. Parts are available for most Isuzu diesels built over the last 30 years. A rebuild will run about $3500. A new engine will be substantially more. In addition, everything in the engine compartment- fuel, water, controls, wiring harness, instruments, coupling, shaft, exhaust, etc. etc. will line up with no necessary modifications if you rebuild. I don’t think a “drop in replacement” really exists for any engine. Several may be close, but something will be different- and you won’t really know until you’re trying to shoehorn the new engine in.

[Lepke]

I've always found it cheaper to rebuild than replace. A spun rod journal can either be turned to the next std size or hard chromed up to spec. Any engine I want a great rebuild on, I have all the journals hard chromed and ground to std. If you change your oil it will never wear.

[bcboomer]

The W46 is a long out of production Mitsubishi motor. The bearing journal is well below the available undersize bearings. I've been told by the local machine shops that spray welding and machining isn't available any more.

A new crankshaft is 12,000 CAD.

I talked to a shop that has tried the Chinese replacement cranks and they tell me that they won't use them any more because only 1 in 3 is within specs.

I looked at the Sole Mini 44 but it is so wide at the front that it will be too close to the wall beside it.

Beta Marine have an excellent reputation.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

The W46 is a long out of production Mitsubishi motor. The bearing journal is well below the available undersize bearings. I've been told by the local machine shops that spray welding and machining isn't available any more.

A new crankshaft is 12,000 CAD.

I talked to a shop that has tried the Chinese replacement cranks and they tell me that they won't use them any more because only 1 in 3 is within specs.

I looked at the Sole Mini 44 but it is so wide at the front that it will be too close to the wall beside it.

Beta Marine have an excellent reputation.

You certainly did your homework, spot on about the aftermarket crankshafts, a cruiser I know bought a crank for his 4-108 rebuild and it broke on the sea trial. I’m not keen on Solè conversions ( they once used bronze mixer elbows but I suspect that’s been abandonned on the new releases. Totally agree about Betamarine

[Lepke]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

The W46 is a long out of production Mitsubishi motor. The bearing journal is well below the available undersize bearings. I've been told by the local machine shops that spray welding and machining isn't available any more.

Hard chroming is electroplating not spray. Companies that recondition cranks either do it or have a supplier. Crank is ground smooth, then plated slightly above standard size. Finally ground to standard. Others weld and machine. Should be still cheaper than buying a new engine.


Do a search for crankshaft repair. There's a bunch of companies.


And spray metal buildup is still done. I have the equipment. New equipment and supplies are available everywhere.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I've always found it cheaper to rebuild than replace. A spun rod journal can either be turned to the next std size or hard chromed up to spec. Any engine I want a great rebuild on, I have all the journals hard chromed and ground to std. If you change your oil it will never wear.

We scrapped a Westerbeke 55A last year because Westerbeke could not supply parts and would not tell us who manufactured the engine. All of the people who told us the actual manufacturer ... were wrong.

[bcboomer]

W46 parts prices plus labour to overhaul plus machine shop charges add up pretty quickly.
Gasket set $2500 CAD, rod bearings $720, mains $1013, rings $825, misc. $1000, so $6000 in parts.
The machine shop tells me that a hammered rod bearing often bends the crankshaft and that cannot be repaired.
New Beta looks pretty good.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

New Beta looks pretty good.

After trashing the Westerbeke we went with a Beta 50 and put 540hrs on it over the last year. We love the engine ... but ... join the Beta Facebook page and read the many stories of corrosion of the marinization parts added to the Kubota by Beta.

Beta appears to be somewhat ignorant of galvanic corrosion and there are many complaints about corrosion of the heat exchanger.

Before we fired her up for the first time we removed every external nut/bolt/screw on the engine and treated all dissimilar metal mating surfaces and all fasteners with Tef-Gel before reassembling. We've been using Tef-gel for over 30 years with over 20,000 engine hrs (3 boats) and have never seen corrosion on our engines.

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

treated all dissimilar metal mating surfaces and all fasteners with Tef-Gel before reassembling.

Thanks for the advice. As the old Frank's Hot Sauce said: I put that sh!t on everything!

[lancedaywhite42]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

Our W46 has bit the dust. For some reason it has spun 1 rod bearing. In the 10 years we have owned it there has been no oil consumption, negligible smoke on a cold start and no other issues at all.

So, now the problem of repowering our O'Day 40.

At the moment the Betamarine 45T seems like a good choice. It fits the space and has enough power. I'm not afraid of turbos although I don't like the heat they generate. This one is pretty small so maybe not an issue.

Anyone have any experience with the Beta 45T?

I have no experience with re-powering my 1986 O'Day 40 with a W46. I do know that I have been able to reach hull speed at about 2300 RPM. I am of the opinion that 46 HP in a more modern engine would be more than needed. I would think that a boarded search range may be in order.

[lancedaywhite42]

I have just blown my injection fuel pump. Do you still have yours?