Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

[mrbarth]

Hello,

I would appreciate some help with my Universal M25XP inboard 23 PS Diesel.

It starts like charm on a weekend, even if not used for weeks.
It does the same "usually" if I want to restart it after being off for
say 2 to 3 hours. But sometimes this happens:

I turn the key, the alarm buzzer starts and the gas pump starts ticking.
I press the glow pluck heater button.
Depending on the temperature, I count to 10 or 20 or 30, then
I press the starter button.
-
Now either the starter turns immediately and then the engine starts,
or it does not turn at all and the frequency of the buzzer alarm drops
a bit, as long as the start button is pressed (looks like a voltage drop ?)
-
I release the start button, frequency goes up.
-
Until know the starter finally turned after I tried this 3 to 5 times,
with maybe some 3 to 10 second interval.

This is a sailboat (Catalina 30), with the instrument panel at the rudder,
so I can't really listen into the engine room, but when it happened the last time, my wife was near the engine and said she could hear the clicks of the
starter selenoid.

What can be the reason for this behavior ?

Thanks.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

It could be a bad/old/weak solenoid.The heat from running could be making it not connect.If you can hear it click it could be bad.
Start by cleaning ALL!!!! electrical connections.From key switch to the starter.
If that doesn't work then replace the solenoid.
If that works tell everyone a powerboater helped you!!! (kidding)
Luck Jerry

 

[mrainey889]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

Check the health of your battery...or, if money is not a huge deal and your battery/batteries is/are not brand new, replace it/them.

Frankly, I don't know squat about diesel powered sailboats. However, what you are describing is a classic dying battery in an automobile. The worn out battery cannot supply the current it once did, and this situation becomes worse when the the battery is hot...like when the engine compartment is hot from the engine running.

Just my personal opinion...consider what you paid for it.

Good luck!
Mike

 

[mrbarth]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

Thanks Jerry, I do that. Not sure if it is the selenoid clicking or the starter ?
Anyway, cleaning cables is always good

Oh, and I'm powerboating myself (Smile), Sailboat is just a childhood dream.


Thanks Mike,

Batteries are a bank of 3 Group 27, all exchanged end of last year including a new ProSport charger, and the problem stayed. Boat is on shore power if not under way.

 

[mrbarth]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

Jerry, I cleaned and sprayed as much as I could reach without pulling cable trunks out of the boat. I tool the panel out and cleaned the switches.

And it happened again today.

I started to install a remote volt meter at the helm, that I intend to connect to the starter contacts, to see if the voltage drops there.

I can't find a good diagram of the starter itself, except the in Torresen website, to find which contact is which, but I assume it's easy to find out.

Any other ideas ? Can I "rebuild" the starter ? are there any "brushes" like in my old VW that I can exchange before I start to talk to the wife about spending 1000$ on a new starter ?

Thanks

 

[J JACKSON]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

take the starter to a starter rebuild shop they should be able to rebuid it for around 100 dollars if there isnt one in your area pm me i will give the number of one here

 

[DJ]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

Diesels require AMPS to start, lots of them.

Clean EVERY connection. That means removing them and wire brushing them. The one you don't do is the culprit-guarenteed.

 

[mrbarth]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

Hi,

I'm sorry, I forgot to check (no time for the boat) and say thanks for the last advices .

I found a much cheaper starter source, so probably will just buy one, exchange it and keep the old as spare. And as soon as I find the time, I check if I have missed some contacts.

One thing I was told is not to use the threaded terminal with a wing nut
(as is on my boat), but exchange the cables to the ones fitting over the big round terminal. Will try that as well

Thanks again

 

[Bondo]

Re: Westerbeke diesel is an unreliable starter

I cleaned and sprayed as much as I could reach without pulling cable trunks out of the boat. I tool the panel out and cleaned the switches.

Ayuh,.....

I Doubt that's where your Problem is,.....

As DJ said,...
You've got to Remove, Sand, Clean, Reinstall,+ Grease Every Connection in the Wiring,....
Especially between the Batteries,+ the Starter itself.....
That's where your loosing the Voltage......
And,....
There's Nothing Wrong with using the threaded posts on the batteries,...
Just toss the Wingnuts,+ use SSteel Nuts that are tightened with a Wrench.....