Unit is 4-5 yrs old. Bought it recently on the cheap, under 300 hrs on hour meter. GAS, carburetor,7Kw, low profile unit, don't have the model number because I'm not at the boat right now. My mechanic called and said he has to bypass the oil pres switch for it to run, thinks there may be a knock. Unless the former owner bypassed the possibly defective switch and let it run low on oil how would it develop a knock with such low hours showing on the meter ? I bought it cheap enough that a tear down to fix the knock isn't a big issue. Hence why I was able to buy it on the cheap. Unit came out of a fresh water houseboat. The exterior paint and markings & scratches are all consistent with a unmolested unit. I suspect the knock developed and he wanted it to go away so it traded to a larger unit. Got no history. No clue who the houseboat owner was, I'm in Indiana, did a road trip, bought it in Arkansas. Any Westerbeke owners - mechanics thoughts ??
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Westerbeke 7 Kw oil pres switch
- Thread starter bobalong
- Start date
A few thoughts:
- It may have had a 5 year warranty - check that out!
- If they PO had bypassed the oil pressure shutdown, one would think it would still be bypassed?
- If the mechanic can make it run, why does he only "think there may be" a knock?
- Westerbekes are robust - it would be hard to kill one in 300 hours, but anything is possible.
- It may have had a 5 year warranty - check that out!
- If they PO had bypassed the oil pressure shutdown, one would think it would still be bypassed?
- If the mechanic can make it run, why does he only "think there may be" a knock?
- Westerbekes are robust - it would be hard to kill one in 300 hours, but anything is possible.
pdecat +1
-Oil pressure test is his next step. SLW, will check mfg date. Good point on oil pres bypass. Will have updates as my mechanic does tests & troubleshooting. Spoke to my mechanic few minutes ago, said he bypassed oil pres switch because it was easiest to reach just to get things running. So I don't have all the info to be accurate about what's up yet. Also need to check for metal shavings in oil & filter.
-Oil pressure test is his next step. SLW, will check mfg date. Good point on oil pres bypass. Will have updates as my mechanic does tests & troubleshooting. Spoke to my mechanic few minutes ago, said he bypassed oil pres switch because it was easiest to reach just to get things running. So I don't have all the info to be accurate about what's up yet. Also need to check for metal shavings in oil & filter.
More info - update. Unit is a 7.0 BCGC. about 250 hrs. 2003 mfg date. Turns out the oil pres switch was not defective . . . but was doing exactly what it was designed to do, no pressure=no start. Made a call to the guy I bought it from and he told me that he and another mechanic had run and inspected the unit prior to removing it and there was NO reason it shouldn't start and run flawlessly. In fact he called me several times with suggestions and reassured me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the unit when they laid it up in their warehouse two years ago.
So with that info in hand, we went have a new approach. Apparently the oil pump has lost prime and we have tried a few ways at forcing oil into the pump. First was to install a temporary oil pressure gauge . . . .no oil pres. And yes the oil sump shows full on the dipstick. Next was to remove the oil filter . . . .no oil. Possibly a defective filter ? NOPE, change filter, no better. Next we tried pressurizing with about 10 psi of air to force oil to the pump. . .little oil coming up the dipstick tube, but no oil to the pump. And then there is a check valve or something that could be stuck (not sure where that is but my mechanic said it was fine) Last try was using the air compressor along with starting the motor briefly. . . .no luck. So I still have a low hour westerbeke, that worked fine before being stored for 2 years, that can't get the oil pump primed. Last effort will be to remove the unit from the boat so we get to the oil pump but surely there is an easier way to resolve this without pulling the unit.
So with that info in hand, we went have a new approach. Apparently the oil pump has lost prime and we have tried a few ways at forcing oil into the pump. First was to install a temporary oil pressure gauge . . . .no oil pres. And yes the oil sump shows full on the dipstick. Next was to remove the oil filter . . . .no oil. Possibly a defective filter ? NOPE, change filter, no better. Next we tried pressurizing with about 10 psi of air to force oil to the pump. . .little oil coming up the dipstick tube, but no oil to the pump. And then there is a check valve or something that could be stuck (not sure where that is but my mechanic said it was fine) Last try was using the air compressor along with starting the motor briefly. . . .no luck. So I still have a low hour westerbeke, that worked fine before being stored for 2 years, that can't get the oil pump primed. Last effort will be to remove the unit from the boat so we get to the oil pump but surely there is an easier way to resolve this without pulling the unit.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2002
- RO Number
- 7269
- Messages
- 802
Just guessing here, but could the oil pump pickup tube have fallen off? I have never heard of an oil pump losing its prime.