Finals on Engine for Firing (Help?)

Maineiac · **Posted:** 22 Sep 2022 10:02

I have a Balmar 100A alternator w/external regulator. I even found my Balmar programming tool.

Does anyone have photos of (starter forward model W50) the connections to the starter, alternator and starter solenoid? I just don't want a wire in the wrong place. I seem to have a shunt preceeded by a 130A fuse (Blue Sea) coming off the positive terminal of my starter battery setup. I thought shunts tended to be on the negative side of the equation. The shunt was for the ammeter in the panel, which is switched out to voltmeter now. It's possible, after I think about it, that removing the ammeter was not necessary (per "Mainesail"'s recommendations). The cable comes (or goes) from the alternator to battery. Or is it vice versa. Dammit.

This is the hardest part for me. Engine should be fine, but luckily the Youngest does radio and telemetry installs in emergency vehicles, etc. Saved me hours frigging with the running lights. But he works 50 hours a week and I have to get out of here at some point after this hurrycane passes.

Lunacy198 · **Joined:** 11 Apr 2022 10:25 **Posts:** 21

I know you asked for images... I checked and don't have any but I did find the attached schematic that might help if you don't have it (which you probably do).

Good luck !

Maineiac · **Posted:** 23 Sep 2022 15:34

I've got photos from Jesse Falsone from last year but his starter is reversed and different. He did a fantastic job re-doing his panel and I'll use that but for right now I just want this thing to start. Had a hard time tracking down Rotella 30W - Hamilton says it is no longer available. Funny, found all I needed at Tractor Supply. I was all ready to dump in Rotella 15W40, which should work fine, but I like sticking with what spec says. "Type A" ATF fluid doesn't seem to exist and the store gave me a synthetic that is supposed to work in this application. My new Cummins ZF (Hurth) transmission uses 15W40. Period. I'll stick with ATF in this old Hurth for now.

Yeah, the youngest Kid seems to be able to reason through the morass of wires and colors. I've got the wiring diagrams. Took a minute to realize one is with keyed start and the other is button only. She'll fire, dammit. Got all the cabin lights and running lights operating, installing all new bilge pumps and lines. Picked up a Blue Sea ACR for the batteries. Water tanks won't be filled for the run down Rhode Island across the Gulf of Maine unless I get near a potable water source, so I'm going to yank all the fill & feed hoses off those to clear the bilge. Float, float, go forward go forward.

We're going to probably mainsheet to cockpit and that's it, board up all the way, scramble to reef. I'm not going to install the windlass until I get it home to St. Thomas.

Maineiac · **Posted:** 02 Oct 2022 10:49

It’s alive! Now figuring out the Balmar. Injector pump molesters installed one of the injector line feeds off the pump upside down when they rebuilt it. A bitch chasing fuel leaks until the Kid noticed it. I never would have seen it.

Maineiac · **Posted:** 03 Oct 2022 07:23

No leaks in fuel or fresh water system. Throwing water like a champ from raw water. I made a riser out of iron pipe fittings to the muffler. Out of the manifold, up 6", turn 90 and down 6 to a nipple and off into the muffler.
Seems to work great. New high loop anti siphon installed. Need to adjust the gear shift a little - folding prop threw at one point and surprised me.

Also need to adjust throttle. You can kill the engine by throttling back all the way. I think I'd rather have that set at low idle and kill with the pull switch.

Tach, oil pressure, water temp, voltage (took out the ammeter) and fuel gauge all new, all work spectacularly. Balmar is a different beast, throwing 14.4 V at the lead acid deep cycle battery. Not clear on programming that yet. Blue Sea ACR going in and maybe a Xantrex echocharge if I can figure it all out. I have multiple AGM's to add for house, but will go with lead acid deep cycle 1000 CCA and two lead acid deep cycles for now.

Damn engine runs smooth. Belts are good, but for the life of me I can't get them to line up perfectly.

Hand bilge pump, 500gph Rule auto spitter and 1500 Rule Gold in the bilge, high looped to starboard quarter outlets. Still need to do something with that cockpit grate bilge pump setup. When it rains, it just drains to the bilge. Dumb.

But it was 25F this morning and I have to cross the Gulf of Maine ASAP. A 400 mile shakedown. Should be entertaining.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

Good luck with the trip across the Gulf of Maine. I think there will be a good window yet, but things are going to close in. It is good you are doing your own work. I think that is important to folks who have complex systems and head offshore.

Maineiac · **Posted:** 05 Oct 2022 10:05

Nothing particularly complex about this "system." Pretty basic, throw in an ACR and some new batteries, redo the panel with new gauges, fuel gauge, new alarm, new blower (mostly for pulling heat off the engine if necessary).

What IS a pain is this W50. Man, if you don't sit and think before taking something apart - or better yet putting it back together - you end up doing it multiple times. Everything has to be done in a particular order or you won't get a wrench or screwdriver here or there. I won't comment on my expertise with removing/installing the manifold. Heat exchanger leaked with the old gaskets, so I had to pull it all off again and make up some 1/32" cork gaskets between it and the manifold. No leaks now.

I was disappointed that the injector molester "experts" put the high pressure pump back together wrong. The #3 cylinder stud was mounted upside down (backwards). Again, I never would have seen that. Good thing the Kid was looking over my shoulder.

I need a set of the right size copper washers for the banjo bolt, etc.

Oh, and Bill at Penbay Marine (he tried to make Winterport Marina work but the lease was too much) was killed in a car wreck down in Gardiner on 95 a week ago. His boatyard operation is in Orland (used to be up by Wardwells) on the left on the Bucksport Road (1A).

Maineiac · **Posted:** 06 Nov 2022 06:41

Velera wrote:

Good luck with the trip across the Gulf of Maine. I think there will be a good window yet, but things are going to close in. It is good you are doing your own work. I think that is important to folks who have complex systems and head offshore.

So much for the weather window closing in. I helped the old man put up a couple cord of oak yesterday and it was 75 degrees in Penobscot, ME. Could break records again today. Out of here on Friday to Boston, Jetblue home. Freighter coming from Holland is waylaid some by a monster low in the North Atlantic. Looks like the boat gets in on Thanksgiving Day to Charlotte Amalie Harbor. Now to find a lagoonie that isn't surrounded by turkey to help me move it up to Benner Bay.

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Finals on Engine for Firing (Help?)

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