Westerbeke Fuel shut off

I have a 7.7 kw westerbeke That I'm pretty sure needs a fuel shut off solenoid
I have to hold it in to start . It runs for a little while and then shuts off . It shuts off with the kill switch like it's supposed to but it won't pull in on it's on. I found one at Diesel Specialist . The part is $ 189.00. Does this sound like my problem and does this price seem about right ?

Have you pulled the cylinder out and cleaned and lubed it?

If it holds at all, that might be all that you need to do.

I pulled the rubber boot back and just piled it . I haven't taken the cylinder out and cleaned it yet but I will . Is the cylinder a magnet ? Thanks for the advice . It will stay in for a while on it's own maybe 20 minutes then it releases .

Mule

There are two electromagnets/coils and an internal switch. One to pull it in and one to hold it. the pull in goes bad when out of adjustment. The $200 price is about right. They cannot be repaired.

I oiled it not piled itCan't type either

Mule

When energized the cylinder is pulled in using a lot of amperage, but once it is in the switch is toggled and the cylinder is held in by another coil that does not use so much energy. When the switch is toggled the pull in coil is de-energized.

Your complaint seems to say the solenoid will not pull in. The pull in coil is often burned up when the solenoid is out of adjustment and is not allowed to pull in all the way. This never switches off the high amperage coil and burns it up.

Buy a new one and be sure to adjust it so that it pulls all the way in.

Same issue with my Onan MDKD, except once I held it over it started and stayed running, so you have a problem with both the "start" and "hold" functions. obthomas is right, you need a new one, and yours is about half the price of the Onan part.

Thanks. Can you actually see when it is pulled in all the way or that it is adjusted right ?

Mule

Adjustment instructions come with the new one. How do you think I learned this stuff?

obthomas said:

Mule

Adjustment instructions come with the new one. How do you think I learned this stuff?

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Ok thanks I will order new one .

obthomas said:

Mule

Adjustment instructions come with the new one. How do you think I learned this stuff?

Click to expand...

My part should be in tomorrow . They said there was only a service bulliten in the box but no instructions . I might need a little info on getting it set just right .

Pull in coil energized by preheat switch. Hold in coil energized by loop through the oil pressure sw, coolant temp sw and exh temp sw.

I think that is the way most are wired.

Does it pull in further when starting than when running or does it stay in the same spot when energized ?

Had same problem 8 years ago on my new (to me) boat with a 12.5KW Westerbeke. Cleaned, lubed solenoid shaft and fittings. Has not been a problem since!!! Certainly the first thing to check - fortunately my boat neighbor knew enough to advise me !!

Pack Mule said:

Does it pull in further when starting than when running or does it stay in the same spot when energized ?

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Does not pull in any further. Plunger must reach full travel and bottom out, linkage must have a little slop to allow this.

Pack Mule said:

My part should be in tomorrow . They said there was only a service bulliten in the box but no instructions . I might need a little info on getting it set just right .

Click to expand...

Look for the adjustment slots on the fuel solenoid bracket You must insure that the solenoid bottoms when it pulls the throttle lever and at the same time the throttle lever needs to run the engine at 1800 rpms. The engine needs to run at 1800 rpms so that you get 60 cycles per second electricity. If the solenoid does not bottom the solenoid will fail. It needs to bottom to switch off the pull in coil and start the hold in coil. The pull in coil cannot handle the amperage for long and must be switched off.

Not seeing any attachment. Thanks everyone !!!. My part will be in tomorrow . I hope to get it installed tomorrow night .

Pack Mule said:

Not seeing any attachment. Thanks everyone !!!. My part will be in tomorrow . I hope to get it installed tomorrow night .

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I couldn't get the attachment small enough to upload. Sorry.

That's ok thanks anyway . I think I should be able to get it now . Thanks for all the help .

I had a problem with my Westerbeeke not staying running I thought it was fuel, however it turned out to be a defective oil pressure sender. Unless it runs fine when you hold the fuel solenoid it could be something else. Then again you could have isolated the problem, you'll know soon enough.
Bill