Beta 1903S Crankshaft Oil Seal

[aread2]

Has anyone changed one of these themselves? What size puller did you use for the pulley?

 

I'm trying to decide if I can tackle it myself. We've got the usual twin alternators plus Travelpower (2008 aluminium poly-v pulleys). Last time I paid somebody to do it but I'm reasonably competent and would love to save the money. The chap who did it last time said he needed to shorten his puller as the engine is in a cocoon and access to the front end is tight.

[Bobbybass]

I can't help with the puller..but once the pulley is off the oil seal is simple.

You can just prize the old one out with a (not too sharp) scredriver.

Soak the new one in some oil for 24 hours before fitting.

Gently tap the new one in making sure it goes in square. You can use a socket to carefully tap it home.

Absolute cleanliness though..clean off the cranshaft end and make sure you don't catch any grit under it.

 

VERY IMPORTANT REQUEST.

 

There is another thread running here about Beta 43 woodruff key with a member called Bunny.

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=67445

 

Before you remove your alluminium pulley setup etc...right now in fact...can you take hold of the pulleys and check that they do not 'waggle slightly'..?

There has been a long standing Beta problem regarding the older style iron pulley..and we were hoping that the new ally pullies solved that....so we really need your feedback.

 

Maybe....your oil seal failures were just 'old age'...but if your pulley assembly is working loose and vibrating ..that can lead to failure of the crankshaft oil seal.

What tends to happen is that the alternator pulley etc works loose and then all the belts and other pullies run 'eccentricly'. That means that you 'tend' to get oil coming out of the seal..more in one direct than the other. If you just have a drip..maybe its just worn out..but if you have spraying in one direction..then you may have a loose pulley or pullies not running exactly in line with the belts.

 

If your last engineer did his job properly..he should have torqued that large crankshaft nut to about 110 ftlb..(see manual)

 

He should also have replaced that crankshaft nut with a new one.

 

That means locking the engine..that can be a problem on some Beta 43.

There is no way you should be able to undo the cranksahft nut...and replace it without locking the engine.

 

Now it may be...that Beta have modified it to allow you to simply lock it through a hole in the flywheel casing..but if not..you may have to remove the gearbox from the flywheel...as on the older Beta 43 you had to insert a tool into the face of the flywheel.

It may be that your chap locked the engine by removing the starter, but if he didn't, there is no way you will get the correct (and it is required !) torque on that crank nut.

 

I know this sounds a bit more than you anticipating...but this is the correct precedure...so worth knowing what you need for the job. You will need more than simply removing the crank nut....and then the pulley.

DO NOT be tempted to not lock the engine...and just do the nut up as tight as you can..as you will be in for another oil seal later on...and possible damage to the alternator pulley fitting if it comes loose.

If you have 'waggled it' and it is loose...you WILL need a new alternator pulley.

 

As I have said....if you expose the crank nut...and can simply undo it without locking the engine..then you have a larger problem than you first thought...as this should be impossible.

It should be so tight that even holding the alternator pulley will not allow its removal..

 

If you could let me and Bunny know if your ally pulley setup is vibrating..I would be grateful.

 

Bob

Edited June 13, 2014 by Bobbybass

[Bunny]

Yes please would be very interested in how you are getting along as we did have very little oil showing in the same area , not massive leakage and not really noticeable till you got the pulleys off. Thanks Bunny.

[aread2]

All the belts off; waggled it and it's not loose. No sign of any play at all.

[aread2]

All sorted. By the excellent Gand Junction Boat Services at Gayton Junction. The Travelpower alternator was moving on its mount, causing the pulleys to misalign and the drive belt to jump off the back of the crankshaft pulley, into the next belt. Now the mount has been stiffened, the belt stays in place. Beta themselves appeared to be unfamiliar with the Travelpower mounting arrangement at the top of the engine, specifically used for the super silent version of the engine even though there's a picture of it on their web site. All's well that ends well, except for my wallet.

[Bobbybass]

All sorted. By the excellent Gand Junction Boat Services at Gayton Junction. The Travelpower alternator was moving on its mount, causing the pulleys to misalign and the drive belt to jump off the back of the crankshaft pulley, into the next belt. Now the mount has been stiffened, the belt stays in place. Beta themselves appeared to be unfamiliar with the Travelpower mounting arrangement at the top of the engine, specifically used for the super silent version of the engine even though there's a picture of it on their web site. All's well that ends well, except for my wallet.

 

I think the standard arrangment is for the Travelpower to be at the bottom right (from front) of the engine...but in some cases where there is a single alternator..they did mount it at the top...?

 

When I had my little 'problems' they seemed pretty vague about the mounting points..although helpful.

They did have a bad legal argument with my neighbour...and it cost them over £3000 for a short engine to be fitted....so maybe they like to be a little 'cagey'.

 

Photos :

 

http://www.betamarine.co.uk/inland/il_alternator_options.html

[aread2]

The super silent solution has its alternators in a completely different arrangement.

 

Photo:

http://www.betamarine.co.uk/inland/Beta_SuperSilent/supersilent_inland.html

 

You can see the silver Travelpower at the top left of the engine where the engine alt is under the standard arrangement.

 

The engine alt is at the bottom left where the domestic alt normally is and the Domestic alt is at the top right.

 

I wonder if this is related to air flow inside the acoustic housing, or a matter making it all fit inside the more restricted space.

[pearley]

Is this problem of loose pulleys only related to engines with Travelpower fitted?

[Bobbybass]

The super silent solution has its alternators in a completely different arrangement.

 

Photo:

http://www.betamarine.co.uk/inland/Beta_SuperSilent/supersilent_inland.html

 

You can see the silver Travelpower at the top left of the engine where the engine alt is under the standard arrangement.

 

The engine alt is at the bottom left where the domestic alt normally is and the Domestic alt is at the top right.

 

I wonder if this is related to air flow inside the acoustic housing, or a matter making it all fit inside the more restricted space.

 

Hmmm..I see what you mean...

 

I have never understood the point of having an 'engine alternator' in this type of setup..?

 

If you have a Travelpower..you can simply run your battery charger from the 240 volt....instead of adding extra 'drag' to the engine..having 3 drive belt/ alternator assemblies...

 

I expect someone will soon explain why I am wrong....