Urgent help required

A few hours ago we left the marina heading for one of our favourite anchorages near a dog park and sheltered etc. it takes about 90mins. One the way I had a rush of blood and fired up the generator (Westerbeke ) to make sure it ran (which it did no problems)so that we could make breakfast etc when we arrived. Anchored up and went to start the generator,,,,nothing,,,,,no lights behind the instruments, no clicking from the engine room meaning a cold breakfast. YUK .. I`m heading down to the ER to hit it with a medium sized hammer but thought there might be a more cautious approach to troubleshooting. Any ideas welcome.

Thank

Is the starter battery alive? If so, is there a battery [isolation] switch, and if so is that switch turned to the "On" position?

++++++Anchored up and went to start the generator,,,,nothing,,,,,no lights behind the instruments, no clicking from the engine room meaning a cold breakfast. ++++++

Check the voltage of the battery. If to low that is what you will get, no action or clicks.
Be sure the switch is turned on of course.
But the no clicks and no panel lights tells me it is not likely a goofy starter motor.

It sounds as if it started up fine not long before you anchored. So look for something simple like a loose battery connection, switch turned off, blown fuse, etc.

Thanks everyone who jumped in so quickly in response to my urgent request for help.............as luck would have it I gave it one last try before getting my hands dirty with your suggestions and the bloody thing fired straight up - did that a couple of times as per normal. Now I`m thinking that the "ignition switch" needs a clean or replacement.

Dinner tonight looks hopeful.......

Thanks again

I had trouble with one of the toggles getting wonky. Forgot which one, might have been the stop switch. Found it by luck wiggling things around trying to troubleshoot the same problem as yours. Found a replacement of the same type momentary STDP I think on Amazon or ebay. Westerbeke wanted around 15 plus 30 shipping (and I live 1/2 hr away from their facility) no local pickup option.

mike66 said:

I had trouble with one of the toggles getting wonky. Forgot which one, might have been the stop switch. Found it by luck wiggling things around trying to troubleshoot the same problem as yours. Found a replacement of the same type momentary STDP I think on Amazon or ebay. Westerbeke wanted around 15 plus 30 shipping (and I live 1/2 hr away from their facility) no local pickup option.

Click to expand...

mine turned out to be the fuse holder on the generator control box, one of the spade connectors was not properly seated leading to intermittent identical symptoms. I must have inadvertently disturbed the connector when I swapped out the voltmeter 2 yrs. ago!

Was going to chime in to say check the switch first for something so sudden. Enjoy!

I would be more specific on your subject line to get more input.
Suggest "Cant make breakfast" or "Westerbeke wont start", your choice.

Brisyboy said:

Thanks everyone who jumped in so quickly in response to my urgent request for help.............as luck would have it I gave it one last try before getting my hands dirty with your suggestions and the bloody thing fired straight up - did that a couple of times as per normal. Now I`m thinking that the "ignition switch" needs a clean or replacement.

Dinner tonight looks hopeful.......

Thanks again

Click to expand...

I know I am late but that is often a symptom of poor connections of the cables to the battery posts.
DOn't ignore the ign. sw. of course but untill you have gone through ALL of the battery cable connections spend a bunch of time on that part.
Do NOT just look at them, Open them up and clean both the ID of the clamps, the battery posts and the cable terminal to battery clamp connections.

There are inexpensive tools for this job available at any decent auto parts place:
-- A battery brush to make the cleaning of both parts of the connection quick and easily done.
-- A battery clamp spreader to open the clamp a bit if it is to tight fitting.
-- A battery terminal puller so the use of screwdrivers is not needed which often lead to their own problem making.. Hammering and poor prying techniques can break the post seal.
--An d of course some wrenches for undoing the nuts.

I've had ignition switches do this especially if they sit for periods without use.

Slowmo said:

I've had ignition switches do this especially if they sit for periods without use.

Click to expand...

Me too.

Island Cessna said:

Me too.

Click to expand...

If the contacts are not brass and just some cheap metal certainly will happen.

I have a long running generator problem.
Here are some things to check.

Battery volts while cranking.
Oil pressure sender.
Oil pressure sensor.
Timer
Relay(s)
Temperature sensor
Fuel shut off solenoid

You may not have all of these.
In my case, I have replaced all of them and still have my problem.
The engine starts fine and immediately shuts off. Put 12 volts to the fuel solenoid and it stays open and the generator keeps running. Whatever is supposed to send 12 volts to the fuel solenoid is not doing that.
I also changed the starting switch so you should check that.

These diesel engines are very simple and dependable.
You have the engine, the generator and the company that packages them up to sell to us.
All of the interlocking "gadgets" they hang on them for sensing this and that and auto shutdown and on and on are complicated.
You have an intermittent problem which is the most fun.
Good luck.
TW

I had a similar issue a while back, and found out the switch for the generator on the battery control panel had taken a crap. Replaced the switch and was back in business.

I have a breaker from the generator out to the main panel.
Not sure about a switch. Will look.
Thanks TW

Get a bigger hammer!

The Westerbeke has a 'reset' button close to the control panel. Remember that you need to give the glow plugs a good ten seconds plus there is also need to use the glow plug switch for the fuel pump to build pressure..

Next plan if this does not work; there are several sensors tha need to be closed for the engine to run. One is an oil pressure switch, port side. There are two switches here and it's the lower one. You can use a piece of wire to closwe the curcuit, then try again.

If no go, do the same again with the sensor on the exhaust elbow. This is a temperature sensor which also needs to be closed.

Finally, there's this stuff they call cereal which with a little milk and sugar can actually be eaten cold.