Deprecated: Function set_magic_quotes_runtime() is deprecated in /var/www/vhosts/tartan37.com/httpdocs/t37forum/common.php on line 88 Tartan37.com • View topic - Westerbeke 50 went clunk !

Tartan37.com

Tartan 37 Owner's Forum - Ride the wind, but look good doing it!
The time is 28 Mar 2024 14:57

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 Posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 27 Apr 2018 08:14 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 16 May 2009 08:06
Posts: 236
Sounds like you are in for it. The first stop sounds like something seized. Maybe cooling down set it free temporarily or maybe when you restarted it fired on a couple of cylinders and stopped when it got to the seized cylinder (broken connecting rod?)? I remember when we dropped to oil pan on my last boat motor (had seized) and my friend pulled something out and said, “You’re in trouble when you find something in the oil pan big enough to get a part number from”! I guess you can try turning the crank with a socket. Keep us posted. With something over 6,000 hours on my W50 I know it’s in the cards for me at some point.


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 28 Apr 2018 03:16 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 09 Jul 2008 12:51
Posts: 251
Dave, I sent you an email... about the parts,,,,reply if you didn't get it..
Mike
s/v Anne Bonny
Gulf Shores, Al


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 30 Apr 2018 21:01 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 14 Jul 2012 20:36
Posts: 495
Location: Norfolk, Va
I just replaced my W50 with a Beta 35, it's a great match for the T37. Better torque curve at the lower RPMs. Not a fan of running a diesel engine over 2k. Plus with the Beta 35, you can keep same transmission and prop. Mine were new.

_________________
Hull #208, Puff Card
Southern Chesapeake Bay


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 01 May 2018 13:21 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 14 Jul 2012 20:36
Posts: 495
Location: Norfolk, Va
Old Westerbeke definitely need custom mounts or mod the engine bed plate. Newer Westerbekes are ok, that's what I believe to be true. If you like your prop just match the gear ratio of the Hurth, which is 2.14 and you will be making the same speed at the same RPM as the Westerbeke. I'm one who believes that a slower turning engine will last longer. Also you can order a new Hurth and keep the old gear as a spare.

You will may want to order/price the following options: custom mounts, high rise exhaust elbow, high output alternator, chlorinator fittings (hot water), flex coupling and the option C engine gage panel.

_________________
Hull #208, Puff Card
Southern Chesapeake Bay


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 02 May 2018 09:26 
Offline
Rail Meat

Joined: 10 May 2017 12:33
Posts: 13
Hi Dave, we just finished repowering with a Beta 38. Very happy with it so far. I'm happy to answer any questions you have. There were a lot of things that would make the process go smoothly that I learned the hard way. The Beta 35 and 38 have the same block but performance is slightly different. Good luck.

Brad
#227

_________________
Brad
Hull #227
s/v Luego


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 07 May 2018 07:48 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 09 Jul 2008 12:51
Posts: 251
Dave, are you absolutely sure it's the engine ? I had a similar experience when I got crap/sludge built up past my racor filter in the primary fuel filter. ... the engine was running fine then.... CLUNK, it died hard. I restarted it once but it didn't run long then it wouldn't restart. I never suspected that sludge could build up in the primary filter since I had the racor but it did. Pulling the filter was the last thing I did when I was trying to diagnosis the problem.

I too thought my engine was DEAD on several occasions (wishfull thinking) because I'd like to repower but somehow the old Westy has 9 lives,,, maybe more.


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 09 May 2018 10:34 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 14 Jul 2012 20:36
Posts: 495
Location: Norfolk, Va
Locked engine can be couple of things.
One is a hydro lock, like water in cylinder. Pull injectors and try to turn engine.
Seized motor can be loosen by dropping Marvel Mystery Oil into injector holes. Wait and give it a try.
The tranny or running gear can lock up a motor. Pull tranny try to turn motor.
The worst is a true crash.

_________________
Hull #208, Puff Card
Southern Chesapeake Bay


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 19 May 2018 00:39 
Offline
Rail Meat

Joined: 10 May 2017 12:33
Posts: 13
Hi Dave,

Sorry for the slow reply. I haven't figured out how to get emails when posts are replied to.

The W50 did come out fine with the alternator removed. I used a forklift with a long pipe/picker attached to the forks due to a building next to us that limited space. I read about someone inflating a basketball under the engine and i can't say enough about how much that helped. Just pan ahead for where the inflation point will be on the ball.

I hammered the exhaust manifold about 45 degrees but I don't think in needed done. The heat exchanger was not an issue. The transfer case came easily as attached.

I was recommended a 3 blade 17 inch at 13 degrees for the prop. The transmission I got with the engine was the standard TM60 but was geared at 2.83:1 I believe. It was just inside the minimum mounting angle that Beta allows without going to an angled transmission. It ended up at 14 degrees below horizontal. 15 is their max. I have a 12 degree 3 Blade 17 inch prop and it is underpitched for this setup. I can reach the max RPM of the engine easily and go beyond. I'm considering a Maxprop that I can adjust.

I did have to have custom brackets made. I had them made 1 inch lower than standard and 2 inches overall wider than standard since the Beta is narrower than the Westerbeke. I paid $500 for them to a local fabricator. I believe Beta will make them for about the same price but I didn't plan ahead. In hind sight, I would make them 1.5 inches lower as the engine needs to drop about that much to fit the mounts that Beta provided with the engine properly. The engine needs to sit about 1.5 inches below where the W50 was to line up with the shaft. I had to get some different motor mounts to get the shaft to line up.

I did order the high rise exhaust and the fittings for the water heater. I realized after it arrived that those are just barbed brass fittings that they charge $150 for. Not sure if they had to do anything to add those fittings.

I installed the dripless seal since we were out of the water and put a new shaft in. I think it's very doable to do the entire job in the water if you don't need to remove the shaft. There was plenty of room to work with fore and aft with the engine to get things line up properly. I did need to drill new hole for the mounts.

I got the 120 amp Balmar with the controller kit. It was a little confusing to wire as the manuals aren't very clear. It ended up working flawlessly and charges my 600Ah bank very quickly. I was considering adding solar panels but now I'm having second thoughts.

I'm still trying to figure out which RO system to go with. I'm thinking the Cruise RO system that can run off the Balmar 120 and my Xantrax 2000 inverter as a backup using my Honda eu2000i as my primary source. The balmar should not be stressed at all to run the Cruise RO system and still have power left to charge the bank.

We also ended up with the "BW" panel. It most closely resembles the original and I can't stand the thought of keeping track of a key. It's also waterproof. I think it was an extra $600.

I'll keep an eye on the forum until I figure out how to get notifications on replies. Glad to help at any point if I can.

Brad

_________________
Brad
Hull #227
s/v Luego


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 19 May 2018 23:20 
Offline
Rail Meat

Joined: 10 May 2017 12:33
Posts: 13
Hi Dave,

Let me know if you still have unanswered questions. On the bed to hold the engine, I built one out of 2x4's and made it at the same slope as the engine bed so it would slide nicely as I had to take it in and out several times to get the motor mounts to work. On the 2x4's, we had to lift a little to get it to slide and not stress the motor mounts. I tied a rope around the crank and lifted while my wife pushed or pulled. Once it's on the fiberglass bed you will have to prevent it from sliding on its own. I stuck screwdrivers in the holes to secure it and tied a rope from the crank pulley to the mast. I did have to drill new holes for the new engine. Pretty easy except for getting the nuts on the bottom side of the cradle. Not much room there.

I also recall that you can use the standard deep oil pan from beta. It saves a couple hundred bucks.

For alignment I pulled the shaft in so the metal surface of the coupling came up to the metal surface of the engine and used a set of feeler gauges to align it.

I put a new dripless seal in so I didn't have the issue with aligning that. Can you get a new carbon piece for the shaft seal so it makes a new seal with the stainless part when you fire it up?

I've not got about 15 hours on the engine and I'm completely in love with it. Much quieter and less vibration than the W50.

Let me know if you run into any more questions. I'll keep checking on this post.

_________________
Brad
Hull #227
s/v Luego


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Westerbeke 50 went clunk !
PostPosted: 30 May 2018 12:34 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 13 Feb 2011 21:19
Posts: 337
Location: Canyon Lake, TX
The faces on any mechanical seal have to be PRISTINE when put in service. Any foreign objects will cause wear, leading to leakage. Also, the compression has to be correct to keep the faces in contact. Forward gear will attempt to push the shaft forward away from the seal. Lastly, the shaft log and the shaft need to be in alignment to keep the faces flat to each other. Otherwise, you get leakage.

Done correctly, these seals should outlast you. When I was still punching a timeclock, we used this type of seal in lots of different services. Our Mean Time Between Failures was 55 months, running 24/7/365. That's more engine hours than I care to calculate. Snicker

Having said all that, I haven't sprung for the new seal myself yet. I'm still using the "It's not broke so why fix it?" mentality for this.

_________________
Wayne
Master and Commander of the Sailing Vessel Impetuous
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.
Subservient to no man except SWMBO
Any day without dock lines is a GOOD day!


 
 Profile Email  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 Posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Powered by phpBB © 2002, 2006 phpBB Group