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HobieFan · 15-12-2009, 09:58

Well,

Yesterday, I was doing some work on the boat after being away for 2 months. I got a ton done and decided to drop by the fuel dock to fill up. I'd run the engine for 18 hours straight on my trip up from my previous marina 3 months ago and hadn't had the boat out of the slip since then.

I didn't really think much of it, just fired it up go take the 5 minutes over to the other end of the marina.

I only got about half way there when the engine just seized up.

It's a Westerbeke 30 Diesel

After a bunch of troubleshooting... water in the gas? no WTF?

Check the oil? Bone dry.

*sigh*

I remember checking the temperature gauge and it never got above 200 (though it has always run right around 200), which is the overheating point, so I didn't think anything was wrong until it just quit and then wouldn't turn over.

I couldn't handle any more troubleshooting after that. I just had to leave.

I'm just about to head back over there to determine the damage. It could be anything from a "doh" to the beginning of an unplanned repower. :-(

Always remember, check the oil. I have no idea where it all went, but later inspection seems to indicate that it is all in the bilge, as my bilge has a few pints of oil floating down there.... How the heck would that happen? I know it burns oil, but I'd filled it up before my last trip and had no issues. Must have developed a bad seal somewhere and leaked it all out?

*sigh*

Wish me luck.

Solitude · 15-12-2009, 10:01

Bummer !

**sneuman** · 15-12-2009, 10:05

Good luck. I wish I could suggest there's an easy fix, but alas, it doesn't sound good.

gonesail · 15-12-2009, 10:15

wow bummer indeed. i never really check the bilge before starting the diesel. seems like your oil pressure alarm should have gone off .. what's up with that? good luck.

Marksman · 15-12-2009, 10:16

Had that happen on a motorcycle trip once. What a sinking feeling. I guess it's time to call Beta Marine, or Westerbeke, they both use Kubota engines now. I liked the Beta marinization better so that's the way I went.

Good luck!

Tempest245 · 15-12-2009, 10:25

How long were you running it before it cut out?

I wouldn't push the panic button just yet, clean everything up, find the source of the leak and see what's going on. Get oil in the engine.. Check the fuel and fuel system

How much fuel was left in the tank?

Ram · 15-12-2009, 10:25

If its any comfort a lot of us have done things "stupid" like that!, I always checked my trans oil & engine oil on my trawler every time i start her up,so I left Florida bound for the Bahamas and with in sight of land i somehow did not put the dip stick back in the trannny and it blew all the oil out, blew the Gears and had to get towed from the Bahamas all the way back to Fl with a charter onboard , then I had to pay about $2000 for the tow bill-- uggggggggggly!

good luck and lesson learned the hard way never has to be done again!

thinwater · 15-12-2009, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobieFan

Well,

Yesterday, I was doing some work on the boat after being away for 2 months. I got a ton done and decided to drop by the fuel dock to fill up. I'd run the engine for 18 hours straight on my trip up from my previous marina 3 months ago and hadn't had the boat out of the slip since then.

I didn't really think much of it, just fired it up go take the 5 minutes over to the other end of the marina.

I only got about half way there when the engine just seized up.

It's a Westerbeke 30 Diesel

After a bunch of troubleshooting... water in the gas? no WTF?

Check the oil? Bone dry.

*sigh*

I remember checking the temperature gauge and it never got above 200 (though it has always run right around 200), which is the overheating point, so I didn't think anything was wrong until it just quit and then wouldn't turn over.

I couldn't handle any more troubleshooting after that. I just had to leave.

I'm just about to head back over there to determine the damage. It could be anything from a "doh" to the beginning of an unplanned repower. :-(

Always remember, check the oil. I have no idea where it all went, but later inspection seems to indicate that it is all in the bilge, as my bilge has a few pints of oil floating down there.... How the heck would that happen? I know it burns oil, but I'd filled it up before my last trip and had no issues. Must have developed a bad seal somewhere and leaked it all out?

*sigh*

Wish me luck.

You were only at idle I presume, which is good. Perhaps only minor damage.

I would put oil in it and see if it turns over, now that it is cool. If so, an oil change, for sure. And of course, you have an oil leak issue to solve as well. The biggest danger with oil leaks is what you have described. Also, they can suddenly get worse, so that even with regular checking, she runs dry.

cdennyb · 15-12-2009, 10:35

as a worst case scenario... you probably have the rings of oneor more pistons welded to the cylinder walls. Not good. Sometimes you can pull the head and smack the piston top with a hammer driving a wooded hammer handle and it'll snap loose. It'll probably end up with a bunch of blowby because the cylinder now has rough pits in it from the welding that went on due to the heat and friction.
good luck.

HobieFan · 15-12-2009, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempest245

How long were you running it before it cut out?

I wouldn't push the panic button just yet, clean everything up, find the source of the leak and see what's going on. Get oil in the engine.. Check the fuel and fuel system

How much fuel was left in the tank?

It was running for about 5 minutes. I did push it above idle for a bit.

I haven't checked it today, but it wouldn't turn over yesterday. That's possibly due to a battery issue (bad cell needs replacing), but i doubt it. More likely, it's a seized piston. I left the battery charger on and left. Maybe once it cools down and I get some oil in there, it won't stick, but from what I've been reading, it doesn't sound great.

The one thing that was weird is that it didn't show overheating on the temp gauge, so maybe it's not terrible, eh? *sigh*

Fuel was probably about 1/2 tank, maybe less. My gauge doesn't work properly and I was in the process of determining how much fuel I had.

;-)

Anyone know any diesel magicians in Ventura, CA?

Ram · 15-12-2009, 11:00

Running the engine for 5-10 min is not going to seize it up, its the 30 hour trip you did the last time you had it out with out oil that layed the ground work of the brakedown- as a kid i had an old car we were changing out the engine on so we decided to drain the oil and drive it dry so we could "blow it up" well funny thing is we drove that car over 150 miles with no oil before we changed the engine and it never blew!

Stillraining · 15-12-2009, 11:01

Dude!!!..I am so sorry to hear this..Dang my gut is queasy and its not even my engine.

You more then like likely did some irreversible damage but don't pull it quite yet...It has now had a chance to cool down and you might be able to free it up and get it running.

1) pull the valve cover off and pour 1 quart of oil needed to fill your engine over the whole valve train..this will oil up things as best you can as it finds its way to the oil pan..getting cam and some oil ( not much) around the rod and main bearings.

2) Pull the injectors and squirt about a table spoon of some 10-40 weight oil in each cylinder.

2) try and break the engine free right hand turn only from the crank pulley bolt.. If its breaks free pour another quart over the valve train spin it a half dozen times squirting a little bit more oil in the cylinders and watching for a stuck valve..if you have one tap it with a hammer and try and free it up.

3) Try the starter..if she will spin at a decent speed pour in any remaining oil needed to top off your pan reinstall your injectors and prepare to bleed and start her...if you cant get enough speed out of the starter repeat hand turning and oiling as above or just the cylinders a small amount several times if necessary if your pan is full.

4) if she is a runner...Find that leak.. shut her down after she warms up and change the oil and filter..Start her again and run her through her paces.

Its more likely going to use a little more oil then it did if you do get it running..

You have nothing to loose at this point either the pistons seized or the bearings did...how badly will determine rather you have a runner anymore...you will know soon rather a rebuild is necessary or rather you can trust her...it will either make a lot on noise and sound like its going to self destruct , smoke like crazy or it wont.

Heres to the best of luck!

Oh..Ya.. dont be afraid to use a little either to get her running at this point from now on..

Doubble Oh Ya!...find that oil leak..

Marksman · 15-12-2009, 11:48

I don't know how old your motor is, but assumeing it already has some wear on it, has developed an oil leak, and now has squeeked due to lack of lubrication, I would not feel good about relying on it for much even if it does run after this. I would be very suspect of the bearings, cams or any other parts that need oil to do their job. Not to mention critical surfaces that may have become distorted from localized overheating. When I was young and foolish I would have coaxed it back to function and lived in denial about the risks of an ify engine. But now, I would be very uncomfortable puting my faith in a diesel that has been run out of oil. At 20+:1 compression a diesel develops cylinder pressures just turning over with no fuel that equal a gas engine running at full load. If main and rod bearings are scored from running without oil, they won't last long under operational loads and you are back to rebuild or replace anyway. If I'm wronge about this, someone please correct me.

Islandmike · 15-12-2009, 13:00

That is a real bummer... And without rubbing it in, just a suggestion to all. I never, never, start my engine without going through a short check list that includes checking the oil. Good luck on any repairs.