I replaced the Racor filter housing and on-engine filter on my 1981 Westerbeke 40. I bled the air out of the system. Now the engine does not develop any power. It will start, but will only operate at about idle speed when in gear.
I have checked the system for air leaks.
I don't know what is wrong. Is there a way to check the amount of output at the fuel pump or injectors?
Richard
When you put the on-engine filter on, you have to put the large O-ring seal in the filter housing, not on the filter itself. It will fit in either, but will clog off the passage in the filter if you put it on the filter. Mine, when I learned that fail, wouldn't start at all. But if you did put it on the filter before installing, it will def mess you up. Easy to miss, hard lesson learned.
You can check flow by removing the fuel line from the injection pump, (or if that is too hard to get to, from the output of the engine filter housing), then operate the lift pump by hand to check that you have good flow.
Thanks! I was wondering if there might be something wrong with the on-engine filter. However, I did not see any leaks. I will take it off soon and re-install it as you recommend, and then get back to you.
Richard
Using the priming lever is a pain, so I installed a small 12v fuel pump, sold in auto parts stores, between the primary fuel filter and the lift pump. Now to replace the secondary filter on the top of the engine, its a breeze,... change the filter, and apply 12 volts to the pump, and in less than a minute, you will have fuel coming out of the banjo bolt. jim on Toothpick
Thanks! I had thought about doing that a few months ago, but could not find out if it was a good idea or not.
I reasoned that the valves in the lift pump would allow fuel to be pushed through.
Do you recall what brand/model fuel pump you used? I am sure there is one that would suffice on eBay!
Richard
I do not know the name of the small fuel pump, looks like a small transformer attached to some tubing. As I recall, I bought it from Napa Auto Parts, for not too much money, say around $25.00 years ago. I also used these low volume pumps to move fuel from a forward "emergency tank" under the v birth to the main fuel tank in the back. It will take hours for this, since the output of this small pump is very little. I do not hard wire the pump, just use long jumpers to attach 12 volts to it. And, of course, I am aboard watching this happen. These small fuel pumps work great. jim
Thanks, Jim. I bought a pump from eBay that I expect will work. It is cylindrical.
I like the idea of using the forward water tank as an extra fuel tank! I don't typically use it for water anyway.
I have not had the time to work on the engine again, but will report back when I have tried re-installing the on-engine fuel filter.
Richard
I worked on my Westerbeke again today. I installed an in line electric fuel pump I bought from eBay. I also took apart and replaced the on-engine fuel filter.
I had installed the upper seal correctly in the filter that was already on the engine. I also replaced the two o-rings, which I don't think I did when I last replaced the filter.
I started the electric fuel pump and it seemed to fill the filter OK, although slowly. However, I was not able to start the engine. I checked, and the mechanical pump was able to pull fuel to the engine OK even with the electric fuel pump in place.
I went ahead and bled the engine at the usual bleed points. The electric fuel pump did not seem to have enough pressure to push the fuel out of the bleed points on the injector pump. I ended up using the mechanical pump to bleed the system. The engine started OK, but did not run at full power. So there was no effect of the changes I made.
I checked the output of the electric pump at the input to the on-engine filter, and it did put out a dribble of fuel.
Maybe I should try a different electric fuel pump. However, my fuel problem does not seem to be fixed.
I tried turning on the electric fuel pump while the engine was running, and it did not make any difference. So, at least I know that the problem is not the mechanical fuel pump.
Maybe it's the injector pump.
Richard
I looked up the specs on the pump I bought and it is rated for 60 gallons per hour! There is no way it was delivering that much when I tested it.
I disconnected the metal fuel line from the mechanical pump to the on-engine fuel filter and operated the electric pump. There was a mere trickle of fuel coming out.
Maybe the problem is that the fuel line is clogged somehow between the electric pump and the fuel tank.
I installed the electric fuel pump after the Racor filter and between the Racor and the mechanical pump. Next time I am at the boat, I should remove the metal line to the top of the fuel tank and try drawing fuel from a container. Also, I wonder if the paper filter in the Racor is faulty or something.
I need to look upline at the fuel feed to the electric pump before I tackle the injector pump! At 60 gallons per hour, there should be a jet of fuel coming out of that electric pump!
Richard
A good way to troubleshoot this is to use a rubber fuel line into a jerry can of good fuel. You can do all the tests you described earlier and check that 1) your engine runs normally, and 2) where your fuel restriction is. You do have a restriction somewhere. Using an electric prime pump you will get a nice stream at the injection pump bleed ports.
After a 32 day pacific crossing, the fuel in our tank had sloshed up enough muck to clog the system. I got towed into Hiva Oa harbor, but I could have motored in myself if I had a few gals in a can. This is one of the reasons I now carry a few gallons in a jerry can onboard and a fuel line with inline filter. Even if the whole fuel system fails,( or I stupidly run out of fuel!) I can still get back in the harbor by gravity feeding directly to the injector pump.
Thanks, SV Journey!
Did you sail the Pacific in a Pearson?
Reply got cut off for some reason.
Thanks, SV Journey!
Did you sail the Pacific in a Pearson?
The clue may be that the electric fuel pump is not putting out the fuel flow that it should. I am a little confused, however, because when I operate the mechanical pump, I seem to get a good jet of fuel.
Nevertheless, I will remove the copper line to the tank and attach a hose to a fuel container. I keep a small gallon container for such tasks as filling the Racor housing with fuel when I replace the filter.
I won't be at the boat again for a few weeks, but will report back eventually!
Richard
SV Water Spirit
Yeah, we did cross the Pacific, and most of the Caribbean in a Pearson. 18k NM and counting, though not much further as the boat is now up for sale as we are now devoid of $$$.
I am almost positive you don't have an injection pump problem. I also don't think the electric fuel pump is an issue either, you don't need much fuel flow to get your engine up to full power. One gallon per hour of flow is about all your engine will burn.
I am also almost positive that you have not installed the engine filter correctly. If you put the o-ring on the filter, you will still get some fuel, but only from the return fuel system. Again, the O-ring ring packing must be put on the engine filter housing, then the filter installed afterwards. Its weird, but if you take off the engine fuel filter and look at it, you need to see both an entrance, and an exit. Entrance by banjo bolt in the center, exit by slots around the outside. If you remove the filter and there is an O-ring on it, that would be wrong. The ring should be on the engine.
Hope that helps!
Thanks. I was not clear about the on engine filter. The filter I have is not spin on. It is held on by a round plate or fitting on the bottom. The top filter fitting has a bolt in it that extends downward inside a housing.
There is a round rubber seal that goes under the filter where it sits on the round plate. There is a second round seal that goes into a groove in the upper part of the filter housing. The filter seals against it at the top.
There is also a small o-ring that goes on the shaft of the securing bolt and another o-ring that goes around the housing.
I have attached a picture from the Westerbeke manual showing the four gaskets and o-rings.
Richard
Richard,
The two (2) O-rings (#11 in your drawing) are actual different sizes. There is small one and a large one - the larger one goes on the top (engine) and the smaller one on the bottom (bowl).
Garner
Yes, they are. I called those the round seals. The smaller o-rings go on the bolt and the housing.
How are you doing, Garner?
Richard
Actually, my filter is a little different than in the picture I posted.
This looks more like it.
https://www.westerbeke.com/Category/FUELFILTER/53EA627EDAF73B27F88DA3B7
Now that I am looking at it, I don't think I replaced #9, which seems to be another o-ring. (It is not described in the list of parts to the right.) It came in the package with the new filter, but I could not see where it was used. There did not appear to be one in place when I disassembled it.
Richard
Sorry, even this picture does not seem quite right. I will check with Westerbeke.
Richard