Engine losing power

[pophops]

Out on the Shroppie at the moment for the last cruise of the year. The problem spoiling our enjoyment is with the engine. 3 times over the last 2 days it has suddenly dropped revs and almost stopped even given full blast on the throttle. After a minute or so it slowly starts to respond to the throttle and is soon back to normal. What should I be looking for as a possible cause. We don't fancy being marooned in rural Shropshire, beautiful as it is at this time of year. Should mention it's a Vetus 4.1.

[Guest]

My money is on the little filter inside the Vetus electric fuel pump. Many do not know it is there and it becomes blocked.

The end is removed off the pump with a 17mm (I think) spanner similar to a bayonet cap light bulb holder.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/161004157670?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

 

See arrow in pic:

 

Edited September 9, 2014 by Guest

[Foxtrot]

If you keep it at full throttle, does it eventually come back to life, or is it only when you let off the throttle, then back on again after a little bit that it comes back?

[Guest]

Out on the Shroppie at the moment for the last cruise of the year. The problem spoiling our enjoyment is with the engine. 3 times over the last 2 days it has suddenly dropped revs and almost stopped even given full blast on the throttle. After a minute or so it slowly starts to respond to the throttle and is soon back to normal. What should I be looking for as a possible cause. We don't fancy being marooned in rural Shropshire, beautiful as it is at this time of year. Should mention it's a Vetus 4.1.

Fuel starvation.

 

Check your filters.

[BenC]

My old lister engine did this on the Thames some years ago. Suddenly all power goes, then you are heading where ever you care heading with no control. We would have to wait and after a minute or so the engine would blow out a lot of smoke and gain power again. Never did get to the bottom of it. Doggy fuel, diesel bug, it after a stressful trip of the K and A cleared its self. Hope you get to the bottom of it, its not much fun!

[jtposs11]

We had this problem with our Beta 38 recently we fixed it by passing the fuel filter on the engine it turned out we needed a new filter housing unit as where you prime it was letting air in. Not had an issue since not sure about the setup on a vetus.

 

Best Regards,

James

[pophops]

If you keep it at full throttle, does it eventually come back to life, or is it only when you let off the throttle, then back on again after a little bit that it comes back?

Seems to need time off the throttle before it starts to respond.

[kevinl]

Some sort of fuel blockage/starvation issue from the sound of it, as well as checking the lines and filters you could check the fuel tank air vent if it gets blocked you can get a partial vacuum in the fuel tank causing it.

K

[Guest]

I agree it sounds like a filter blockage. Guy we met recently had this very same issue with a Vetus on the Staffy and it turned out to be the fuel pump filter. RCR guy claimed he had been to several Vetus with this issue.

[MtB]

Seems to need time off the throttle before it starts to respond.

 

Fuel starvation. As other have already said.

 

 

MtB

[IDS]

When you get the little cartridge filter out of the lift pump, if its black and slimy then its Bug. On ours a replacement filter would last a few hours before the problem recurred. You can get quite adept at changing thesefilters then back on the move in the space of a few mins ! Gets you to somewhere where the problem can be sorted if you have enough filters.

[Chalky]

I'd also second the blocked filter suggestion. When we got diesel bug it was exactly what happened to ours. I changed both filters and the problem went away. I then proceeded to dose the fuel system liberally with biocide.

[Foxtrot]

When you get the little cartridge filter out of the lift pump, if its black and slimy then its Bug. On ours a replacement filter would last a few hours before the problem recurred. You can get quite adept at changing thesefilters then back on the move in the space of a few mins ! Gets you to somewhere where the problem can be sorted if you have enough filters.

 

What is Bug? I've never come across this before.

[Guest]

 

What is Bug? I've never come across this before.

It is nasty black slime that "grows" in diesel usually where it is contaminated with water. Loads on googlge about it.

 

eg : http://www.dieselbugbusters.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Guest

[Arthur Brown]

Diesel bug is a bio slime that grows at a water/diesel interface. It clogs pipes and filters. Treat it with one of a few biocides on the market at a chandler's near you. Cure it by carefully extracting all the water from the bottom of the tank, (commercially called fuel polishing ).

 

It's usually black.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Arthur Brown

[Chalky]

When we had it the coarse filter above the water separator was blocked solid with a jelly like substance.

[homer2911]

Out on the Shroppie at the moment for the last cruise of the year. The problem spoiling our enjoyment is with the engine. 3 times over the last 2 days it has suddenly dropped revs and almost stopped even given full blast on the throttle. After a minute or so it slowly starts to respond to the throttle and is soon back to normal. What should I be looking for as a possible cause. We don't fancy being marooned in rural Shropshire, beautiful as it is at this time of year. Should mention it's a Vetus 4.1.

 

It's fuel, isn't it? I had similar problems for a time with my Lister LPWS4. I cleared it a few times by disconnecting the line from the tank to my pre-filter and blowing up the pipe. Finally knocked it on the head by pumping out the tank, removing the diesel fill fitting, and wet/dry vacuuming through a narrow bore copper pipe, reaching into all the corners. Filtered the fuel through a pair of the wife's tights (she still doesn't know I nicked them) before refilling the tank. Haven't looked back in two seasons.

[pophops]

Thanks for replies. All OK at the moment so we are limping slowly in the direction of home as I don't have spare filters aboard (I know). We had recently refilled with diesel and maybe had a bad batch. I won't say where in case it's nothing do with our problem.

[junior]

We are also getting close to 'leaves on the line' season, which last year brought a rise in 'engine loosing power' threads both here and Facebook (from me included).