Motters79

Fair comments guys. I'm not entirely sure if the hose I've used would technically satisfy the BSS peeps, but I'm happy that it is suitable for the fuel used. I also understand what your saying about rubber hose on plain pipe, but in reality in this specific situation it could never come off the pipe through vibration or other means. It is a nice snug fit on the copper and with the jubilee clip done up you couldn't pull it off if you tried so I am happy that the job I've done is safe and secure. The BSS guy I use is also not a 'jobs worth' so I'm pretty sure he'll pass it. If not, then it's not beyond me to redo it when the time comes, but I seriously doubt I will have to. Please don't crucify me 😂

Yes assuming it was your lift pump that failed, which if it died in the same manner as mine then theres a good chance it is. It's not too difficult a job. On my original pump they had cut the flared ends off and used compression fittings but I didnt wanna do that as i'd have to use a hacksaw and risk getting the swarf up inside the pump so I trimmed the copper pipe work back a bit (using a proper pipe cutter) and just used 8mm rubber pipe and jubilees as you can see from the pics. The pump itself come off easy enough if you can get to it ok. I had to remove the lower 10mm bolt by feel as access is difficult on my boat. Hopefully you'll have a new gasket with yours. Mine didn't do I had to make one but luckily already had some gasket paper. Good luck with it!

Well if diesel can leak in if still plumbed in, then surely with the diesel ports unconnected then oil could leak out assuming the diaphragm is split. I just don't fancy the idea of a redundant failed part continuing to operate and possibly, ultimately, disintegrating. Anyway I've replaced it now like for like and the engine is back in action 🥳🥳🥳 Indeed it is! Got one from a local boat yard and fitted it today. All is well once more! Just about to have a celebratory shower with the resulting hot water 🥳😂

Well it's just another thing to worry about. It's already 23 years old and has failed. If I disconnected it oil could leak out of it and if I leave it plumbed in fuel could leak into my engine oil, so I think I'll just put a new mechanical pump on and it should be good for another 23 years 🤞🏻I like to be optimistic 😂

I think I'll just replace the mechanical pump. It's obvs knackered, dont want it disintegrating and causing wider damage to the engine.

That's an idea but could the old pump be or become an obstacle to flow?

I managed to push some clear rubber tube over the end of the pipe from the tank and can easily draw fuel up the pipe by sucking on it so there's no blockage in the pipes. Im in no doubt now that it's the pump that's failed.

So today I had a bright idea and put some diesel in a small jar which I then submerged the pumps pick up port into whilst operating the lever and it sucked up nothing. So I am concluding from this that the pump is the point of failure. I'm now considering whether it might be better rather than replace the mechanical pump (it'll be a pig to get off and same fitting new one) to just fit an electric pump in its place? If I did that does anyone know what it's flow rate would need be or if it is indeed that crucial?

I'm thinking the same. If it is a blockage establishing where it is is gonna be a pain in the arse!

Yeah it is well below the bottom of the tank. If I were to blow back through it that would definitely break the syphon. I'm guessing that the pipe and fittings are 8mm? I'm wondering if I should try and rig up and alternative fuel supply to the pump and see if it will suck that up? Would establish whether pump is knackered and if not then I know the pipe from tank has a blockage.

Good point I should've tried that but I'm assuming not on the basis that nothing was coming out of the bleed nut which isn't far away even when cranking with the starter.

Ok so I disconnected the feed pipe to the fuel pump and turned on the fuel tap and diesel did come out allbeit fairly slowly, like a drip per second kind or rate. My main suspect is now definitely the pump itself. May aswell order one and change it and hopefully I'll be back in business 🤞🏻 The 2 10mm bolts that secure it are a bugger to get a spanner on mind you. I can only just about manage a quarter turn on them before having to reposition spanner due to all the surrounding bits and pieces. Can't get a socket on them at all as they are too close to the body of the pump itself.

My fuel tank is the very stern of the boat that's been enclosed by a steel bulkhead. The pipes come up out of the deck at the very back of the tank into 90 degree connectors one of which includes fuel cock they then go back through the deck and down the front of the tank then across the basplate where the join flexible pipes at the edge of the swim. Hard to know if the fuel would autosyphon if I open the tap with the filter undone. I'd have thought it would naturally flow out of the bleed nut if it was inclined to do so. The fuel cock may actually serve to stop the fuel flowing back into the tank , Actually the end of the pipe where it connects to the fuel pump is well below the bottom of the tank so it shouldn't drain back and should want to syphon. I guess the pump itself would be an obstacle to it syphoning up out of the bleed nut by itself hence the need to manually operate it.

Thats good a good point. It does indeed feel like I am just pushing against a spring which is also why I'm suspecting the pump is knackered. I'll give engine a quick spin and see if it makes any difference...after I've eaten my cheese on toast that is!

Right just loostened the bleed nut on the filter top and operated lift pump manually and there is very little fuel coming out and then only after 10 or so pumps. According to memory it usually flows a lot more when I've changed filer before. Blocked filter maybe? Ok, I've changed the filter and now there is nothing coming out of bleed nut. Yes I opened the fuel cock after changing AND I prefilled the new filter. I've manually operated pump maybe 50/60 times and nothing is coming through. Broken pump?

Can anyone tell me what this is? A fuel drain cock?

No I haven't tried that yet but will if it doesn't start today now things have warmed up a bit. My Beta is the older version and doesn't have the priming button on top of filter housing, just the mechanical lift pump and a bleed screw on top of filter. I can hear my stop solenoid clicking in and out so it can't be that that is stuck closed.

I tried warming up a few things including fuel filter with a blowtorch but that's easier said than done without risking accidently burning/melting various wires and pipes in such and awkward confined space. No success there anyway. I also pumped some fuel out from the bottom of my tank to check for water. To my surprise the fuel even from right at the very bottom was surprisingly clean and no trace of water despite the boat being 23 years old. The fuel in my sample jar hasn't sat that long but there's no sign so far, just crystal clear red diesel. My next plan is to wait till the weekend when the weather has warmed up well above 0 and try again. If still no fire up then I'll change the fuel filter to eliminate that and beyond that I'm guessing maybe the fuel lift pump could have failed? I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all suggestions so far 👍🏻

Also very logical, maybe even more so 🤷 Am about to go and warm things up with a blowtorch... Wish me luck 🤞🏻

Sounds like good logic! Where will I find this Multipin connector?

In September I put about 40litres in and then topped up again in November but it only took about 10 litres then. I don't buy fuel that often as I don't burn a huge amount so will usually be a mix of fuels bought winter and summer. Would September diesel from a fuel boat likely be the summer stuff? Previous purchase before that was around March, so would've been winter stuff probably . I've never had this (or any other engine problems) in 6 years CCing. I normally try and keep tank full as possible in the winter though I have dropped the ball a bit there this year. I've probably got 3/4 of a tank at the moment.

A frosty good morning to you people of The Cut! This morning my Beta 43 started up as normal and ran sweetly for 10 minutes at about 1000 rpm but then the revs started to rapidly drop as if a large electrical load had been switched on (it hadn't). It kept slowing and then shuddered to a halt over the course of half a minute maybe. Now won't start although it does try to fire. Could this be the dreaded water in my fuel tank that has finally reached the pick up pipe? I've not investigated yet but any suggestions would be welcomed. It does seem like a fuel starvation issue to me. I'm about to don my thermals to go and have a first look under the engine cover. Why does this have to happen when it's been minus 5 over night??? 🥶😫

Thanks Tony. I'll look at that. Could be the isolater switch as that is very old. It's a bit baffling as the battery is new and in good nick, battery connections are good and when it does start it cranks fast and strong. When it doesn't the instrument panel is dead and literally nowt happens.

The engine is a T80, Mitsubishi I think. Starter battery is only a year old and is charged by solar via a split relay. Battery connections are all good and tight.

Thanks Jen. I've just added some pictures.