Follow-up on fuel filter change and fuel lift pump on Universal 35B engine

[hwd]

Just a note to follow-up on my earlier posts regarding problems with starting my engine after changing the primary and secondary filters.  I received excellent advice regarding this issue, and appreciate all the help and comments from this message board.  I called Joe Joyce at Westerbecke and he suggested that the most likely components associated with the problem I described (i.e.: no low oil pressure signal, solenoid "clicks", but no fuel flow after turning ignition key to pre-heat position) could be either the resister, or circuit breaker associated with the electric lift pump, or the pump itself, all of which are on the bracket located on the aft, starboard side of the engine and easily accessible in the aft cabin engine compartment.  After turning the ignition key to the "on" position (not preheat) I went below and checked the wires from the engine harness to these components.  When I moved the positive lead wire (female spade connection) from the lift pump, the low oil pressure alarm came on immediately.  When I went back up and turned the switch to the pre-heat position, I could hear the lift pump clicking.  When the start button was pressed the engine primed and started right up.  The problem was a loose connection of the positive lead from the lift pump to the engine harness - a pretty simple solution.

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Sometimes the simple problems are the hardest to troubleshoot. Congratulations on finding it and more so for perusing it to the end. It's a great feeling isn't it?

Mike

[kwaltersmi]

Thanks for the update. I'll be changing the fuel filters on our M25XPB next weekend and am glad to hear confirmation that the pre-heat function does indeed prime/bleed the system after a filter change, just like the M25XPB/M35B operator's manual states.