Engine reassembly gotchas? Westerbeke 46

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Gary H

Well... I've reassembled but I can't get it to start. In the past, I have had some difficulty with bleeding the fuel system, but I don't think that is the culprit.

Well that's a bummer...

Fuel-Air-Compression-Timing...

1. Are you getting high pressure fuel at your injectors, verified by cracking the lines?

2. Air - Nothing restricting intake or exhaust? (never heard why you pulled the head)

3.
a) Is your engine cranking over rapidly? (Slow crank = not easy to fire)
b) Does it sound like it has compression? (vs freely spinning?)
c) Did you verify valve clearances? (make sure you have a gap on all at some point in the rotation)

4. Did you mess with the injection pump (mounting) at all?

And 5...
a) Don't continually crank unless your raw water seacock is closed until she fires...
b) Have you tried using WD-40 like starting fluid?

[Gary H]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Well that's a bummer...

Fuel-Air-Compression-Timing...

1. Are you getting high pressure fuel at your injectors, verified by cracking the lines?

2. Air - Nothing restricting intake or exhaust? (never heard why you pulled the head)

3.
a) Is your engine cranking over rapidly? (Slow crank = not easy to fire)
b) Does it sound like it has compression? (vs freely spinning?)
c) Did you verify valve clearances? (make sure you have a gap on all at some point in the rotation)

4. Did you mess with the injection pump (mounting) at all?

And 5...
a) Don't continually crank unless your raw water seacock is closed until she fires...
b) Have you tried using WD-40 like starting fluid?

Fuel at injectors? Yes.
Restrictions? No.
Cranking normally, sounds like there's compression.
Set valve clearance at 0.25mm per service manual.
Did not remove the high pressure pump at all.
Seacock closed while cranking.
Tried some WD40 but no luck.

The head was inspected by and a local machine shop. They replaced the intake valves, machined the exhaust valves, and checked springs.

The injectors were overhauled by a local diesel shop and new nozzles installed. I installed them with new copper washers.

I am about to resort to using some starting fluid. Other than disassembling and rechecking the fuel line connections I'm out of ideas.

Thanks again for your help.

[Gary H]

SUCCESS!!!

She's purring better than I've ever seen.

Thanks again for the advice and couragement.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Gary H

SUCCESS!!!

She's purring better than I've ever seen.

Thanks again for the advice and couragement.

I'm betting it just took a long time to get the system primed?

[model 10]

Originally Posted by zboss

I'm betting it just took a long time to get the system primed?

He said he was going to try starting fluid.

[Gary H]

I went and bought a can of starter fluid but did not have to use it. It turns out that I hadn't been using the pre heat for long enough. After a 30 second pre heat (about 25 seconds longer than I had ever tried) she came to life.

I continue to amaze myself with the large gaps in my mechanical knowledge.

Tomorrow's agenda calls for an oil change and some sailing!

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Gary H

SUCCESS!!!

She's purring better than I've ever seen.

Thanks again for the advice and couragement.

Fantastic!

Best news I heard today...

Congrats all around, and mostly for believing you could do it!

The next 5 times will be a piece of cake. ....
; 0 )P

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[zboss]

hm... I have that same engine.

You should not need to use the preheat for that long. In fact, I think the manual says 30 seconds at the most (and that is when its less than 23F). If you use the preheat too much, the tips can fizzle and drop into the cylinder.

Have you checked your compression again?

I just double checked the manual is says that above 45 degrees F you should only need 10 seconds of preheat and that mirrors my experience. In fact, here in FL I barely preheat at all... maybe 3 to 5 seconds.

[Gary H]

Like I guessed, the need for the pre heat was a one time thing to get things started the first time after reassembly. Today she started easily with no pre heat like she always had.

Oil change complete with no sign of trouble. Of course it just started to rain. Sailing can wait until tomorrow.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by zboss

hm... I have that same engine.

You should not need to use the preheat for that long. In fact, I think the manual says 30 seconds at the most (and that is when its less than 23F). If you use the preheat too much, the tips can fizzle and drop into the cylinder.

Have you checked your compression again?

I just double checked the manual is says that above 45 degrees F you should only need 10 seconds of preheat and that mirrors my experience. In fact, here in FL I barely preheat at all... maybe 3 to 5 seconds.

Z... I let this go, cause I thought exactly what happened... (below)

Originally Posted by Gary H

Like I guessed, the need for the pre heat was a one time thing to get things started the first time after reassembly. Today she started easily with no pre heat like she always had.

Oil change complete with no sign of trouble. Of course it just started to rain. Sailing can wait until tomorrow.

You just had to give her a little attitude adjustment... remind her what her job is, and who's the bossman... She should purr like a kitten until you ignore her!

No help with the rain... sorry...