Generator issues question

[patrinif 0]

Hi guys, i own 2008 270cr with a westerbeke 60hz, 3.0 bpmg generator raw water cooled, the issue i'm having is that it runs for 20 min (cold start, and with or without load) then shuts down, afterwards it maybe runs from 30 sec - 1 min. i can put my hand on the top of it and leave it there comfortably for about 15 sec.

The troubleshooting i've tried so far from the techical manual are:I have changed the oil pressure switch, exhaust temp switch, raw water pump impelle (although when the gen is on it is picking up water and throwing it overboard as normal), fuel filter, sparkplugs, oil filter and oil. I also checked the thermostat (it opens), and the oil pressure readings. The boat fuel tank is 3/4 full (i only use non-ethanol gas with valvetech in it). Could not check the fuel pressure (not sure how on this gen, but I do have a fuel pressure test gauge) and the overspeed switch also because I don’t know how as well.

One thing I did notice when I was changing the impeller was the magnetic pick up was loose, i tightned back in but i know that is finely adjusted.

A little about the boat i bought it used the generator had ~50 hrs in it, now it has 71 hrs. i use it in brackish/salt water.

if anyone has any ideas that can help me i would appreciate it.

thanks everyone

Sincerely

Francesco

[Artemus 0]

It sounds to me like it is taking 20 minutes or so to come up to full operating temperature, and then shutting down due to overheating. You did not mention that you checked the antifreeze level in the heat exchanger, or the coolent temperature sending unit. Either one or both of those could be the problem.

[patrinif 0]

thanks for the reply artemus, the gen was built back in either 08 or late 07 its raw water cooled, no fresh water heat exchanger, back then it was an option, now in the new ones is mandatory.

but i do agree with you that it might betaking 20 min to come up to temp and then overheating. thats what i thought from start. i called a generator techinician, he's going to put some solution to try and clean out the inside from the salt water (as far as i know it was never flushed since the boat was new)

ill post what he finds out here in case anyone else has the same issue.

[Artemus 0]

That sounds like a good idea. There may indeed a bunch a rust and corrosion on the inside, preventing the water from cooling it properly. Not sure what it would cost to add a heat exchanger, but it might worth considering. It also makes winterizing it very easy.

[kingdal 0]

Have you check the load switch. To many amps will shut it off too. Check the Gen side too not just the engine side. Nice boat. Keep boating

 

Eldon

[patrinif 0]

well i brought the gen tothe technician. they are going to check it out (it was a pain to get it out. the two bolts in the back were really hard to get to without an extension to the rachet.) but they are going to test it and after its fixed they'll load test it. these guys were one of the testers for the gen in my area for westerbeke when they first came out with the 3.0 bmpg. they told me when they ran it it was a lot louder than normal. so we'll see ill keep you guys posted

[patrinif 0]

Hi everyone, i know its been a while, but i just got my generator back (i know its been a very long time, issues with the shop.) ill go directly to what the mechanic had found and fixed.

 

As suspected it was a cooling issue. the shop took a while to find it. but in the end when they took the sump plate out they saw that there is a small channel in the sump plate itself that since the previous owner didn't take care of flushing the gen (to anyone reading this flushing a generator is different than the main boat engine if you plan on flushing the gen do your hw first you CANNOT put the hose directly you will ruin the generator completely) so the channel had completely blocked and the cooling water was going to the bypass hose hence the 20 min run. FYI westerbeke redesigned the sump plate. it used to be around $800 for a new one; the redesigned one is ~$1400 (i'm not the first one with the sump plate issue so westerbeke knows about it.)

 

Another finding was the carb was extremely dirty (the mechanic says it was clogged idk what he really meant i'm guessing gummed up so he cleaned it.

 

Now the gen is mostly fixed, all i have left is some hunting but with a medium load it goes away. The technician says we might need to replace the carb completely that ~$580 for a new carb. (parts only) Ill use it for the rest of the season and figure out later if i want to do that