Westerbeke generator SITUATION

[a64pilot]

Connect it to a Jerry jug of fuel. I bet you have a fuel blockage somewhere.
Or, take the fuel line off just before the filter and try to blow back through it with just your mouth, you should be able to easily, if not use a supply of compressed air, often a dinghy pump is perfect, good pressure but not enough to hurt anything.

It could also be a blocked fuel return line I believe, many times the return line is never checked and if blocked, it can cause problems

[Pitchondesign]

Doesn't sound like the electronic governor since the actuator is at full extension at low rpm, per your description. At full extension, the engine would be running at well above 60hz with no load. The actuator linkage is easy to trace as it is mechanical. It should connect directly to the high pressure pump. With the engine off, you should be able to move the actuator and see the lever on the pressure pump move at the same time, and by a comparable amount. If the actuator and lever on the HP pump don't move together, there is a problem with the linkage.

You indicate the engine runs smoothly, although at low rpm. I agree, it suggests there is no air leak. When mine had a small air leak in the fuel line, it would run, but 'hunt'. Still might be fuel starvation somewhere.

[suemw]

A64pilot thank you for your thoughts. We have done the jerrycan test and checked all fuel lines going in. We have NOT checked the fuel return line and will give that a try first thing in the morning.
Pitchondesign the actuator arm and lever do move simultaneously and the same amount. We’ve just found a manual for westerbeke electronic governors for Diesel engines and the troubleshooting section has some ideas to look into. Will get on that in the morning too. Thanks again for your ideas.

[a64pilot]

If the governor arm is wide open and it’s running at low RPM, then your problem is not with the governor, whether it be mechanic, or electronic.
I would say a possibility is the arm is installed incorrectly, except you have already said that at times it has run at proper RPM and the governor arm only partially open, which tells me the governor is functioning properly.

[Sailmonkey]

Back to the low pressure pump.

Is it developing the proper pressure/fuel rate?

[suemw]

We’ve checked the fuel return line and it is not restricted. During that check while the return fuel line was disconnected we see a steady stream of fuel to the return line while we held the preheat switch. Are we right in thinking this suggests there is not a fuel problem?
We are looking into speed and gain adjustments on the electronic governor as the troubleshooting guide for the electronic governor lists running at low idle as a possible problem caused by the governor. Other noted issue in manuals that mention low idle problem is the timing in the high pressure fuel pump. Since this pump was just serviced and re-installed is possible the timing was set incorrectly?

[a64pilot]

The steady stream of fuel is likely because the electric fuel pump is running during pre heat to prime the fuel system.
Things like timing etc are in my opinion not at all likely as then the problem would not be intermittent.
Hold the electric fuel pump when preheating, you should feel it vibrate.
Then crank the generator and see if it still vibrates. Fuel pump can be intermittent, and the relay that turns it on can also be.
If it runs slow RPM with the governor arm open, it’s either that the engine is excessively loaded down, or a fuel delivery problem, or a restricted exhaust.
Now that I think about it, You haven’t looked at the exhaust have you? Mixing elbow?
There is no fundamental difference in a propulsion engine not making RPM and a generator.

[suemw]

The mechanic checked the exhaust elbow when first here, before he determined the injectors and high pressure fuel pump needed servicing. All was good in exhaust system. The engine has no load on it so that eliminates that suspect. Will try try feeling electronic fuel pump.
Troubleshooting electronic governor now.

[Pitchondesign]

Since fuel streams out of the return line when the preheat switch is depressed, it means the low pressure pump is OK. Does fuel stream out of the return line when the engine is running? If no fuel stream out of the return line, it suggests the low pressure pump operates only when the preheat switch is depressed. This would suggest an electrical or wiring problem.

Don't mess with the settings on the speed control module. It's highly unlikely that is the problem, and will add one more unknown. If there

[suemw]

Ok Pitchondesign and a64pilot we will go back to fuel one more time.
The low pressure pump vibrates and the fuel come out while engine running in a nice steady stream.

Troubleshooting in electronic governor manual, the service manual and operators manuals all list “system appears dead” (engine runs at idle) as a problem that has many causes.

[a64pilot]

OK, manually move the governor arm. One way of course should reduce RPM, the other advance it. If it’s fully in or out for high RPM, but not running high RPM, then it is not the electronic governor.
If you can run the RPM higher manually, then it is.
Extended could be either more or less fuel so unless you know your generator and know which is which, then you need to try an experiment.
Of course the manual ought to state which is which too.
To experiment, you may have to disconnect the arm as the linear actuator or whatever is used may not allow you to move it manually.

[suemw]

A64pilot. Would you go back to your thought of the arm being installed improperly. If it was would there be any way that we could occasionally get a start with full rpms?
By the way, the full rpms starts are fewer and fewer. Only one all day yesterday with at least 20 starts.

[Cheechako]

Here's just a wild thought. I have a generator once that had a 90 degree fuel fitting at the engine. (Kubota engine) To make fuel hose routing better I rotated the fitting on the block a different direction. Unfortunately this allowed an air bubble to stay in the elbow and the engine would start but not run more than a few seconds. It drove me crazy until I figured it out. Bleeding didnt get the bubble out. You could not run that engine unless the fitting was rotated one direction only.
Just something to think about.

[suemw]

A64pilot when the engine is running at low rpms the arm is up against the frame on the right. When we move the throttle (actuator arm) to the left the rpms decrease. When we move it to the right it hits, and can go no further than the frame and we get no more rpms above the low rpms.
When it runs at low idle now it is touching the frame.
When it does run at the high rpms it is 1/8” or so back (to the left) from the frame.

[suemw]

Just tried disconnecting the arm from the throttle and started the engine. We moved the throttle further to the right and still had no increase in rpms.