[C38] Westerbeke Parts

Fri Aug 5 17:26:40 EDT 2011

Max what they think happened is the button stayed depressed and after the engine started they didn’t notice that the starter was still turning

From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Max Soto
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 10:33 AM
To: tdtron at earthlink.net; Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: Re: [C38] Westerbeke Parts

It's weird!!

 despite the fire, he has a four year old engine... And the starter wasn't even close to the fire... It shouldn't have fail... Not the starter, nor the solenoid, at least, for the next few years.... But can  Murphy's law never fails..... My best wishes to Larry and his crew!!  

Sent from my iPod

On Aug 5, 2011, at 9:54, "tdtron at earthlink.net" <tdtron at earthlink.net> wrote:

	I don't know if anyone can relay this to Larry or not but here are some of my musings......

	Starting a diesel without a working electric starter is always a problem but other than using a rope start, there is another idea that may work.

	Since we don't know if Larry's starter or solenoid is faulty, it is hard to diagnose an armchair remedy but if the villain is the solenoid, it could be shorted by a pliers or battery jumper to bypass the solenoid and feeding current directly to the starter.

	The room is tight around the engine and this idea has some safety issues but so does being at sea without an engine.

	If Larry has a jumper cable on board, he could disconnect an auxiliary battery, rig up the jumper cables either across the solenoid posts or from the positive side of the auxiliary battery to the switched side of the solenoid and then just touch the negative battery cable to the battery to crank the engine.  This is a single battery option and will not heat the glow plugs so the starter battery will have to be used also so both the starter and glow plug circuits can be used together to crank the engine.

	If the starter is the villain, there probably isn't much hope without removal of the starter, HOWEVER, if the starter is just stuck in a bad spot with an corroded armature or marginal brushes, sometimes a good hit with a hammer or wrench on the starter while someone else is turning the starter key will do the trick to get the starter going at least one more time. This would be the first thing I would try because this method will sometimes work regardless of whether the problem is the solenoid or the starter since both are mounted together and both components will feel the impact shock of the striking object.

	Tom Troncalli

		----- Original Message ----- 

		From: Richard West <mailto:rw at idea-asylum.com>  

		To: Catalina 38 Listserve <mailto:listserve at catalina38.org> 

		Sent: 8/5/2011 10:55:29 AM 

		Subject: Re: [C38] Westerbeke Parts

		Steve, 

		It is possible to start our engines with an improvised pull-starter.  A line can be wrapped around the front pulley.  With the compression release, a big pull, and a good measure of luck, it might just start.  It's been done with larger engines than ours.

		While not exactly on point, check this out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YaG8XaL-xU  I don't know about removing the belt, I've never seen that done before.

		Rich, Legacy, #360

		On Fri, Aug 5, 2011 at 6:50 AM, <dmills3 at comcast.net> wrote:

		Steve, what are the symptoms Larry is reporting about the starter? Is it the switch or push button (if he has one) that is the problem?

		Dan #108

________________________________

		From: "Steve Smolinske" <SSmolinske at rainierrubber.com>
		To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
		Cc: "tj summers" <tj_summers at msn.com>
		Sent: Friday, August 5, 2011 2:07:02 AM
		Subject: [C38] Westerbeke Parts

		Does anyone have the contact information Tom T. gave us a year or so ago for the company where we can buy discounted universal/kubota parts?   

		FYI for everyone, Larry is having difficulties on his return from Hawaii,  700 miles out their starter motor burned up and they have been unable to use the engine for charging or propulsion.  They are saving the batteries (he has 440 amps house and a start battery) for water maker and satelitte phone charging.   They have about 1600 miles to go, are heading to Monteray Bay and have a fantastic team of people at home routing and providing course and weather information to them during daily check ins.   They have isolated the 440 amps into two banks so as to extend the power, saving the second half for water making later in the voyage, they are rationing current water at 2 liters pers day per person.  They are making two gallons of water a day, filling two containers and saving their 12 gallons of emergency water and thier tank for when and if they use up their power.   Their batteries as of yesterday were at 12.7v  so my fuzzy math assuming 10-15 amps to run the water maker per hour gives them over a week longer than they need to complete the estimated 15 day return, before using the water in their tanks and emergency reserve.  The start battery has been isolated for exclusive use of charging the sat phone  (assuming a 12v with 110 amps and the phone uses 1.5amps to charge and when fully charged provides something like 8 hours of talk time, no problems there).   Food and water do not seem to be a problem and they are making progress through the portion of hte high they currently find themselves in, all reports seem to point to them getting out of the high tomorrow.   The ground based team has secured moorage and a tow when they get close enough to Moss Landing and they are also working on securing the spare parts needed to replace the starter when they land so that a fresh crew can continue the trip to Long Beach.   

		No need to worry as Larry is a good skipper and his team at home is top notch, but none the less I know those working to get him home would still appreciate your prayers and thoughts for their safe trip.  If anyone has any suggestions that you feel might be helpful pass them along to me and Ill pass them along to the support team.  Thanks everyone.   

		Steve

		#312 Peregrine

		Seattle

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