[split-charge relay]

Thanks for that, I am sure you will be right about it being an ignition inhibit relay. I had searched the internet for any information on the 33RA and found something that said it was being used for split charging. I therefore thought that was the usual thing for it to be used. My relay (with two others) is on a bracket attached to the engine and the cables immediately enter a wiring loom, so it looks like a standard set-up for this engine (Lister 3Cyl/water cooled). I have had another look at it today and cleaned the connections, but I will get a replacement relay in case it happens again.

Hi Rojo

The Lister in my first boat, an ex hire boat, had the relays on a bracket as you describe. They had mostly been bypassed by the hire company who owned her.

One of the relay casings contained electronic components and was probably a start inhibit. The other two appeared to be fairly standard relays, most probably slave (remote switching) relays for the starter solenoid and heater plugs (the larger one would probably be for the heaters).

The relays allow all the high current switching to occur close to the starter and heaters: the ignition switch only sees the light current loads of the relay operating coils.

There are of course other ways to start the engine if the relay fails. You will need a short length of wire and a practical demonstration from a mechanic. (I know they used to do this with a screwdriver - but the terminals aren't always in the right place)

Eeyore

[Westerbeke engines]

Hi Steve, it's your mother here....

 

I'm not sure which driveplates you are talking about. There is a driveplate between the engine and the gearbox. Crudely put that has two metal plates, one attached to the engine and one to the gearbox, joined together by bits of rubber that take out vibration. Doesn't make any difference if the gearbox is in gear or not.

 

In the gearbox are two clutches each consisting of a stack of drive plates, one clutch for forward and one for reverse. When you put the gearbox into gear a hydraulic piston locks one or other of these clutches up and the gearbox drives. Again, the prop makes no difference to this - the gearbox is either in or out of gear.

 

Does that help?

 

Richard

Hi Richard

 

Its the one between the engine and gearbox (the one on the back of the gearbox is a cheap and cheerful R & D cream coloured disc. This has been checked and is in line) .

 

The plates I'm thinking of are I think refered to as "2 or 3 stage" , I'm sure I had a (very expensive) centaflex one on a previous boat. I think the term "lockup" was used somewhere in its description.

 

As you say its just a flexible coupling, probably not much I can improve in that area.

 

It looks like I'll learn to live with it.

 

Steve

[Westerbeke engines]

Thanks Eeyore,

 

Was the gearbox and propellor supplied with the engine? An alternative view on the idling speed is that the gearbox/prop combination is too highly geared for this engine and hull combination.

 

Richard

 

(Thinks - it isn't easy replying to someone when I keep having an image of an E H Shepherd character in my head! Wonder what his first name is)

 

Hi Richard

 

gearbox is PRM150 2.09:1 as supplied with engine.

Prop is 16 dia x 10 pitch as per the original instalation. (which was correct for the 31hp 3cylinder engine)

Hull is 44 foot narrowboat.

 

I realise that the boat is under under propped, and will probably remain so if I don't want to be shouted at from moored boats.

 

John Orentas' comments on idling speed are the same as I am getting from contacts in the plant and machinery field (most of whom are supprised that it will idle at all below 1000 rpm); am I misiterpreting the purpose of the heavier flywheel fitted to this and most other marinised industrial engines?

 

A recent thought is: do some drive plates "lockup" once the box is in gear? If so could too small a prop lead to chattering because there is insufficient load to lock it up properly?

 

It would be nice to settle this engine down a little, and all advice is most welcome.

 

Eeyore (Okay you can call me Steve, but I'll then have an image of my mother in mind when I read your post!)

[Westerbeke engines]

Hi Ee.

 

I really can't see that you have much of a problem, 960 rpm is not an unusual tick-over speed and if it really bothers you, a bit of experimentation with different engine mount 'weights' would doubtless improve matters.. You seem to be a bit hung up on the 'Marinisation' thing.. Given that your engine was designed as an industrial unit there was precious little for the mariniser to do other than fiddling about with the cooling system and fitting a gearbox.

 

I think you should objectively work out just what is wrong with your engine unit, I suggest you are simply comparing it with past experience of another unit which you consider to be the norm.

 

Thanks John

[Westerbeke engines]

Hi Eeyore,

 

I'm sorry, what is the reason that you have to be gloomy? Your original post says that you have an unusual engine based on a Mitsubishi. What problems is it causing you?

 

Richard

 

Hi Richard

The 4 cylinder 44hp engine I have fitted is a replacement for a 3 cylinder 31hp I originaly purchased. Unfortunety the first engine only lasted approx 30 hours in use, having lost its coolant twice and finaly destroying an engine mount. That and the current installation have been inspected and approved on behalf of the supplier. I understand that the 3 cylinder model was withdrawn after my experiences.

The quoted idle speed for the 4 cylinder engine is 800 - 1000 rpm, mine is currently at 960 (out of gear). This is as slow as I can get it without ecessive chatter from the transmission, I expect it will have to be raised even higher to eliminate the noise.

The supplier has substituted an R&D drive plate for the original spring type favoured by the US market, and has also sent a warranty engineer out to resolve an issue with the mountings. This has made the engine a little easier to live with.

The idling speed is my main concern, its now so high that I need to stay with the prop size recommended for the smaller engine to prevent excessive speed at idle. I don't think I would recieve much further support from the supplier as the engine is (just) within the specified rev range. The Mitsubishi engine is not the smoothest or quietest, but I thought it would be less intrusive than my original engine - a BMC 1.5.

Perhaps I have too high an expectation of this instalation? I can deal with it If someone with experience in these maters tells me its normal!

Eeyore

[Westerbeke engines]

Hi,

 

The only time I have come across these engines was in the American lifeboats we had on one rig, made by Whittaker.

 

The engines were a delight ran for ever, no problems there.

 

Dave R

 

Thanks Dave

I am becoming "wise after the event"!

The application you describe is similar to the only UK user I have had contact with. Deep water, into gear and away; no idling or low revs work.

Perhaps these engines are just not set up for canal boat usage.

Eeyore

[Westerbeke engines]

Hi

I have a Westerbeke engine fitted to my narrowboat, and was wondering if anyone else has any experience of these engines.

They are Mitsubishi based and marinised in the USA.

The UK supplier has provided consistant support through a single point of contact, but has been unable to say if these engines have been fitted to any other canal boats.

The engine first came to my attention when my boss returned from the St Ives IWA show: and knowing that I was looking for a new engine presented me with a handfull of leaflets.

His words continue to haunt me - "I've not heard of these, but its a Mitsubishi, you cann't go wrong with a mitsubishi"

The Mitsubishi base engine is a proven engine and used by at least 3 EU based (including 1 in the UK) marinisers; but the weak US Dollar made this one attractive.

My name originaly comes from the fact that I often looked gloomy for no reason, but I have a reason now!

Eeyore