Westerbeke 8 generator will not start

[woodyapex]

I really need to get the geni going in the next 24 hours ideally .
So any help will be much appreciated .
So I've not had this generator run since I got it but ,
I had a guy from the keys give it a quick turn over . And he did a few things and it gave a cough and splutter and died again . At this point he sighted that it's the exhaust a that was all he said . Any how it will turn over but maybe not that fast , I've since found the 2 fuel filters full of **** and I mean full .
With those changed it still does not run . Not even a hint of running .
Fuel is coming out of every thing I open so it seems that the fuel pump is ok .
So
My thoughts
Could it be all 3 injectors .
Could it be the injector pump .
Could it be heater plugs .

What would you guys suggest ?
I need to get this fixed asap
Thanks in advance woody

[brantleychuck]

On my generator the throttle opens to run position while cranking. This is easy to verify

You may have already , change fuel filter mounted on engine.

Turn on glow plugs, touch glow plug bases with finger, should be able to feel heat. Another way is with a clamp on dc amp meter. Clamp around wire going to glow plug. If it's pulling amps it working.

Pull one injector and turn motor over and watch for fuel spray out the tip.

I'm betting on the throttle not moving to run position. If that's the case , post that. A whole trouble shooting routine for that problem can be done.


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[River Cruiser]

I have a Westerbeke BTD 8.0. The reasons they won't start - #1 if the starter isn't spinning it fast enough, #2 if the glow plugs aren't working, #3 air in the injection system, #4 exhaust elbow plugged with carbon and #5 the cylinders dry out and need a bit of sae 30 oil shot down each glow plug hole, crank the engine over to spread the oil around the cylinders. Also a bad sender on the safety shutdown circuit can cause them not to start. The injection system is self bleeding, but it takes awhile because the electric lift pump doesn't move much fuel, also about 10 or 20 seconds is all you want to energize the glow plugs with the preheat switch according to the manual to keep from burning up the glow plugs. Depending on how the exhaust plumbing is arranged you do not want to do a lot of cranking with the starter to keep water from flooding any cylinders with open exhaust valves, shut off the thruhull and open as soon as it starts. Check your battery voltage, the battery connections and cables, if it's spinning good check the fuel solenoid to be sure it's locking the lever in the on position, it may pull it back but not to the stop. I've had all theses problems at one time or another except the bad sender and plugged exhaust elbow, do some checks and if you have a question just ask, good luck


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[Exile]

Originally Posted by River Cruiser

I have a Westerbeke BTD 8.0. The reasons they won't start - #1 if the starter isn't spinning it fast enough, #2 if the glow plugs aren't working, #3 air in the injection system, #4 exhaust elbow plugged with carbon and #5 the cylinders dry out and need a bit of sae 30 oil shot down each glow plug hole, crank the engine over to spread the oil around the cylinders. Also a bad sender on the safety shutdown circuit can cause them not to start. The injection system is self bleeding, but it takes awhile because the electric lift pump doesn't move much fuel, also about 10 or 20 seconds is all you want to energize the glow plugs with the preheat switch according to the manual to keep from burning up the glow plugs. Depending on how the exhaust plumbing is arranged you do not want to do a lot of cranking with the starter to keep water from flooding any cylinders with open exhaust valves, shut off the thruhull and open as soon as it starts. Check your battery voltage, the battery connections and cables, if it's spinning good check the fuel solenoid to be sure it's locking the lever in the on position, it may pull it back but not to the stop. I've had all theses problems at one time or another except the bad sender and plugged exhaust elbow, do some checks and if you have a question just ask, good luck


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Excellent trouble-shooting post. I have the same genset and found the fuel soleneid issue you identified rather deceptive. I've now replaced mine, but the plunger mechanisms on both the old & the new would only draw back on their own about 3/4 of the way to the stop. I've always had to physically move it the rest of the way. Haven't figured out a fix yet, but easy thing for the OP to double-check.

[Lodesman]

I'd bet on fuel solenoid - there's a service bulletin that refers to a circuit improvement.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

I'd bet on fuel solenoid - there's a service bulletin that refers to a circuit improvement.

Thank you. I have this bookmarked and will confirm whether mine has that improvement or not.

[woodyapex]

Originally Posted by River Cruiser

I have a Westerbeke BTD 8.0. The reasons they won't start - #1 if the starter isn't spinning it fast enough, #2 if the glow plugs aren't working, #3 air in the injection system, #4 exhaust elbow plugged with carbon and #5 the cylinders dry out and need a bit of sae 30 oil shot down each glow plug hole, crank the engine over to spread the oil around the cylinders. Also a bad sender on the safety shutdown circuit can cause them not to start. The injection system is self bleeding, but it takes awhile because the electric lift pump doesn't move much fuel, also about 10 or 20 seconds is all you want to energize the glow plugs with the preheat switch according to the manual to keep from burning up the glow plugs. Depending on how the exhaust plumbing is arranged you do not want to do a lot of cranking with the starter to keep water from flooding any cylinders with open exhaust valves, shut off the thruhull and open as soon as it starts. Check your battery voltage, the battery connections and cables, if it's spinning good check the fuel solenoid to be sure it's locking the lever in the on position, it may pull it back but not to the stop. I've had all theses problems at one time or another except the bad sender and plugged exhaust elbow, do some checks and if you have a question just ask, good luck


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1 starter spinning
I'm not sure if it is but I presume it is . It starts the ford leeman easily .
2 on push down of the pre heat switch there was definitely NO power to the heater plugs . So since I've posted I changed out the solenoid for what I thought was a new one . ( it came with the boat but had definitely never been fitted as far as I could see . )
So after fitting I held down the pre heat again and obviously I had power to the left (that's permanent ) and I had power to the front two terminals , but no power to the right one , I presume that's the heater plugs wire ? As there was still no power to them.
Now I did put a temporary direct 12v feed to the heater plugs and for the first time I got a little noise change on starting .
I'm trying to establish if one of those other front soliniod wires are cancelling the soliniod cos something is wrong .
3 no air , I'm getting great fuel out of everything when bled.
4 I spent 2 days getting to that exhaust elbow and taking it off , to find it fine. We did think that might have been the problem,
Question is there any other thing to do with exhaust that might be causing it ? Faulty elbow sensor ? (Just put a brand new one on)

Only just turned water off so thanks for that .
At the minute ( and don't have heart attacks ) I've mounted my temporary heater plug wire to the front terminal on the soliniod that had power when the pre heat was pressed down , but at the minute I'm trying to charge the batteries to get some power in , until I get a reply from you about my findings .
Thanks so much ,
So what's the prognosis now doctor ?
Woody

[Lodesman]

Get a new preheat solenoid - don't bypass it.

[Lodesman]

Is the start panel on the engine or is it remote? If remote, have you ensured the kill switch on the genny is in the run position (up iirc)?

When you push down the preheat switch, does the lift pump run?

[woodyapex]

The lift pump works perfect , but the heater plugs, only the first ( left hand one ) is getting warm / hot . I don't think the solaniod is broke but is there something that cancels the solaniods actions if alls not well .?
Thanks Woody

[Lodesman]

If the first glow plug is getting hot, then I doubt the problem is with the solenoid - that's just a switch. Iirc the glow plugs are wired in series - have you checked continuity through the glow plug wires? Try bypassing the first glow plug - ie connect from solenoid to #2 plug and see which ones get hot.


Do you have the manual?

[TheThunderbird]

A pre-heater helps out, but does not make ignition impossible, if out of order (and, 1st one got hot...)

I still bet air in the circuit. Also, the hose pipes can bleed, but can take in some air, if old...

So....
I would try operating with a new hose held manually into a jerrycan of fresh fuel...

And, of course, having all heaters in order is something to get done anyway

When I resuscitated my Fisher Panda, I had to change solenoid pump and fuel hose pipe...

[Xthewater]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

If the first glow plug is getting hot, then I doubt the problem is with the solenoid - that's just a switch. Iirc the glow plugs are wired in series - have you checked continuity through the glow plug wires? Try bypassing the first glow plug - ie connect from solenoid to #2 plug and see which ones get hot.


Do you have the manual?

I believe the glow plugs are wired parallel because of not when one fails none will work.

[Exile]

Have we already ruled out the other 2 glow plugs themselves being bad? There's a continuity test detailed in the service manual, but it requires pulling them out.

[Xthewater]

Originally Posted by Exile

Have we already ruled out the other 2 glow plugs themselves being bad? There's a continuity test detailed in the service manual, but it requires pulling them out.

There's another way to check. Disconnect the power rail from each and put VOM from top of plug to block. I forget the value it should have, 6 ohms or lower, if very high then the plug is bad. You can use the known good one for comparison.