BLOODY VETUS

[mrsmelly]

Hello All

I have been spoilt with years of never goes wrong Beta engines. I now have a Vetus which is ok usualy but of late I have a problem I will describe. The engine starts first time hot or cold no problem no smoke doesnt use oil etc only done 1700 hours so just about run in. I was pootling along a couple of weeks ago at normal cruising revs ( 1500 ) ont river when I had to get out of the way quick of a Serious boat so went up to 2000 normally this is no problem at all but this time after a few seconds engine died as though fuel starved ? Back to 1500 goes forever also when started to die a bit of white smoke was present ? Will go all day smooth as silk at 1500. Also on tickover will run smooth as silk at 2000 plus revs without problem, my problem is under load.

Looked quickly at fuel filters doesnt seem to be any crud or water ?

Is it fuel pump ? Shit in the diesel and if it is why is it silky when not in gear and also webasto runs trouble free ?

I darent go on rivers at moment for obvious reasons and oop ere that is a big problem.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[Robbo]

Mine had the same issue, and it was a air leak at the main fuel filter, although at idle it was near stalling every now and again, but just off idle it was fine.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Robbo

[Guest]

I have seen numerous reports of the Vetus stalling owing to crud in the little fuel filter WITHIN the fuel pump. Undo at the back half a turn where the earth wire is attached, and the little perisher is in there. I would not be one bit surprised if this was the problem. See yellow arrow in pic

 

 

Edited December 21, 2011 by Guest

[dor]

Agree with the Cat. Most people are unaware of the little pump filter, so it never gets changed. I've not had the problem myself, but heard from others with a Vetus about this little filter causing troubles. How the crud gets there after passing through two other filters is a mystery to me, but it appears it does happen.

 

I can't see it doing much harm just leaving it out, at least to see if it solves the problem.

[mrsmelly]

I have seen numerous reports of the Vetus stalling owing to crud in the little fuel filter WITHIN the fuel pump. Undo at the back half a turn where the earth wire is attached, and the little perisher is in there. I would not be one bit surprised if this was the problem. See yellow arrow in pic

 

 

 

Blimey a filter in there !! Thanks I will go take a look in an hour or so but I am not usualy that lucky ( Been married twice ) itll probably be something much more expensive than that........fingers crossed you are right

[mrsmelly]

I have seen numerous reports of the Vetus stalling owing to crud in the little fuel filter WITHIN the fuel pump. Undo at the back half a turn where the earth wire is attached, and the little perisher is in there. I would not be one bit surprised if this was the problem. See yellow arrow in pic

 

 

 

Blimey a filter in there !! Thanks I will go take a look in an hour or so but I am not usualy that lucky ( Been married twice ) itll probably be something much more expensive than that........fingers crossed you are right

[Proper Job]

HAVE YOU GOT FUEL IN THE TANK?

 

WHAT DOES THE FUEL GAUGE SAY?

 

 

 

sorry about shouting but he's getting on a bit now

[Guest]

HAVE YOU GOT FUEL IN THE TANK?

 

WHAT DOES THE FUEL GAUGE SAY?

 

 

 

sorry about shouting but he's getting on a bit now

Aren't we all? Don't apologise for "shouting" block capitals should be compulsory on forums for old gits; saves me hunting for my readers.

[mrsmelly]

HAVE YOU GOT FUEL IN THE TANK?

 

WHAT DOES THE FUEL GAUGE SAY?

 

 

 

sorry about shouting but he's getting on a bit now

 

:P :P

[Proper Job]

:P :P

 

[mrsmelly]

Aren't we all? Don't apologise for "shouting" block capitals should be compulsory on forums for old gits; saves me hunting for my readers.

 

Fraid its not the little filter........shame cos that would have been a very quick easy fix, but Im never that lucky.........round 2 ??

 

Whats the little removable magnet thingy stuck on the inside of the end cap all about ?

Edited December 21, 2011 by mrsmelly

[Guest]

Fraid its not the little filter........shame cos that would have been a very quick easy fix, but Im never that lucky.........round 2 ??

 

Whats the little removable magnet thingy stuck on the inside of the end cap all about ?

Still sounding like a fuel issue. All other filters tight,bleed screws tight, hose clamps tight and flexible s sound etc? And one that I know caused somebody problems; the breather on the fuel tank often on top of the mooring rope dolly. The gauze can become blocked with spiders webs and crud, causing a vacuum in the tank. You could try running with the filler cap off for a short time to prove that. Blcoked exhaust outlet is another strange one.

 

Can you hear the fuel pump running OK? Was wondering if it had stopped, was getting some fuel via gravity, but not enough? Just a thought.

 

I would check everything for tightness first though.

[Grebe]

Not quite your problem but our Vetus 2.06 used to die altogether or occasionally just 'cough' a bit. We went through all the usual things, dirty fuel, crud in tank, dirty filters, dodgy lift pump before we discovered that it was the engine shut-down relay firing off on its own.

 

The first time it happened I replaced the relay for £100, second time the relay is no more and a big red push-button operates the shut-down solenoid directly. Mick Seivwright at Middlewich provided me with a revised circuit drawing to eliminate the shut-down relay but I've never got round to it.

[bargemast]

Fraid its not the little filter........shame cos that would have been a very quick easy fix, but Im never that lucky.........round 2 ??

 

Whats the little removable magnet thingy stuck on the inside of the end cap all about ?

 

 

It's probably too much hassle, but you could give it a try with a separed fuel supply, like a jerrycan and some temporary fuel lines, as your problem does sound like a lack of fuel arriving.

 

Success with the fault tracing.

 

Peter.

[Guest]

It's probably too much hassle, but you could give it a try with a separed fuel supply, like a jerrycan and some temporary fuel lines, as your problem does sound like a lack of fuel arriving.

 

Success with the fault tracing.

 

Peter.

That sounds like a good idea. If the setup is like mine, then there is a flexible from the big (expensive) silver WS180 filter, and it would be a doddle to unfasten this and drop it in a gallon can of diesel. That would prove if fault was before or after there. There is always the filter on the side of the engine too (the yellow one.)

Edited December 21, 2011 by Guest

[Naughty Cal]

It sounds very much like a fuel issue. The engine wont be working as hard out of gear hence the apparent dissapearance of the problem. Change all of the filters and the air filter and give it another good run in gear.

 

Have you refueled recently and was it a trusted source where you filled up?

[mrsmelly]

I have seen numerous reports of the Vetus stalling owing to crud in the little fuel filter WITHIN the fuel pump. Undo at the back half a turn where the earth wire is attached, and the little perisher is in there. I would not be one bit surprised if this was the problem. See yellow arrow in pic

 

 

 

 

 

I think I have sorted it. Went back for a fiddle as suggested and most of the fuel pipes were very tight on their various unions/joins whatever but there is a small pipe running from a union at the top right of catweasles engine picture that dissappears under the air filter to the injectors and this seemed tight but was easy to move so I pulled it off and some small air bubbles came out of the union thingy then clear fuel, no air. This was a very small amount of air but when I restarted engine it now runs flat out in gear well above 2000 without a hitch I have tried it up and down the rev range and all seems well...could it have been such a small thing ? and how did the bit of air get there and presumably stay there ?

[Smelly]

Our Isuzu plays a very similar tune when the WS180 filter is starting to get a bit old; then again it did the same during the early stages of bug infestation as well...

 

Very appropriate linky

[Guest]

 

I think I have sorted it. Went back for a fiddle as suggested and most of the fuel pipes were very tight on their various unions/joins whatever but there is a small pipe running from a union at the top right of catweasles engine picture that dissappears under the air filter to the injectors and this seemed tight but was easy to move so I pulled it off and some small air bubbles came out of the union thingy then clear fuel, no air. This was a very small amount of air but when I restarted engine it now runs flat out in gear well above 2000 without a hitch I have tried it up and down the rev range and all seems well...could it have been such a small thing ? and how did the bit of air get there and presumably stay there ?

 

Hope it is OK now

 

My mate is a tractor mechanic,and he claims the tiniest amount of air will stop a diesel in its tracks.

[mrsmelly]

Hope it is OK now

 

My mate is a tractor mechanic,and he claims the tiniest amount of air will stop a diesel in its tracks.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

It sounds very much like a fuel issue. The engine wont be working as hard out of gear hence the apparent dissapearance of the problem. Change all of the filters and the air filter and give it another good run in gear.

 

Have you refueled recently and was it a trusted source where you filled up?

 

Hi Phylis

 

I think I will soon be changing filters anyway but as for diesel I have used the same place for the last few months but dont realy know it that well. There are very few places oop ere for diesel so I am hoping he has a good turnover but cannot be sure

[ditchcrawler]

Blimey a filter in there !! Thanks I will go take a look in an hour or so but I am not usualy that lucky ( Been married twice ) itll probably be something much more expensive than that........fingers crossed you are right

What can be more expensive than being married twice ?

[Geoff Taylor]

Hi, The return hose via the injector spill offs where you found the air bubbles should continually flow back to the fuel tank eliminating any air in the system, it is possible that it is piped back to the filters therefore trapping the air in the system, I have seen this done on many static industrial engines. I have also come across tiny filters screwed inside fuel banjo bolts on mechanical fuel pumps and the one going into the injector pump as per photo.

Mitsubishi and other japanese engines are masters of this practice and if you are unaware of the problem it can lead to early insanity!!.

Hopefully you have eliminated your problem,checking the banjo bolts may be a double check.

 

Have a good Christmas

 

Regards

Geoff

[FadeToScarlet]

What can be more expensive than being married twice ?

 

Being married 3 times?

[mrsmelly]

Hi, The return hose via the injector spill offs where you found the air bubbles should continually flow back to the fuel tank eliminating any air in the system, it is possible that it is piped back to the filters therefore trapping the air in the system, I have seen this done on many static industrial engines. I have also come across tiny filters screwed inside fuel banjo bolts on mechanical fuel pumps and the one going into the injector pump as per photo.

Mitsubishi and other japanese engines are masters of this practice and if you are unaware of the problem it can lead to early insanity!!.

Hopefully you have eliminated your problem,checking the banjo bolts may be a double check.

 

Have a good Christmas

 

Regards

Geoff

 

Hi geoff

 

Thanks. I have sorted the beast and it now runs sweet as a nut up and down the rev range BUT I took it out onto the river today just nicely onto red boards and coped well, got into Castleford flood lock and tried to get out and the bloody gearbox/drive plate has gone bang Appy bleedin christmas from vetus.........stuck now for a few days, NEVER buy an engine painted yellow......

[The Pipe]

Hi geoff

 

Thanks. I have sorted the beast and it now runs sweet as a nut up and down the rev range BUT I took it out onto the river today just nicely onto red boards and coped well, got into Castleford flood lock and tried to get out and the bloody gearbox/drive plate has gone bang Appy bleedin christmas from vetus.........stuck now for a few days, NEVER buy an engine painted yellow......

Next thing to go will be those silly engine mounts at the gearbox.

I suppose you did not need that but be warned anyway.