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16

Main Message Board / Rebuilding a Sherwood raw water pump

« on: September 03, 2012, 06:08:54 PM »

Guys, Susan and D. Gill : I just took apart a G908 Sherwood pump (like is on the M35BC engine) and rebuilt it. Not that difficult!!

It took me about 2 hours, but then I was in unknown territory.  Now that I have done it; I could do it on the boat in maybe in 1 hr (for those that like to suffer) or take it home on the workbench and do it easily in < 15 minutes.

I found that you don't have to destroy the oil seal to replace the water seal and you don't need to make a special tool, which makes things easier than with the Oberdoffer. 

I'm sure others have rebuilt theirs, so I surely am not the first.   A few thoughts

17

Main Message Board / ALERT!

« on: August 24, 2012, 09:16:37 AM »

My inside information - is that Jim Cantore has been given travel orders to Tampa!!

18

Main Message Board / Clever Pump

« on: July 01, 2012, 01:04:23 PM »

It's been advertised on TV and in the Heartland America (800)229-2901.  It beats hauling a shop vac to the boat!

It's a liquid transfer pump, looks like a 24" stick and powered by 2 "D" batteries.  It will pump (1 1/2 gpm) out the fridge, the bilge, the head and diesel from a 5 gal jug.

I found this $19.99 pump so handy that I also bought one for home use.  A thought 

19

Main Message Board / Raw water and fresh water strainer assembly

« on: May 27, 2012, 02:54:17 PM »

I forgot the topic it was in, but a C34 owner asked about replacement parts.  
Here's the data I have

NPT 3/4 threads :

Model # 3350-0040 clear bowl
20ss screen  3800-0029 fine  (for fresh water )
50ss screen  3800-0025 course  (for raw water intake)
gasket  1700-0091

The company is  -- HYPRO Corp, 375 Fifth Ave NW New Brighton MN 55112  (612)633-9300.
                            I got my parts from Atlantic Pump in Richmond Va (804)233-7177

Hope this helps and please put this data in Wi Ki.   Ron

20

Main Message Board / Important Placards

« on: February 28, 2012, 05:24:26 PM »

Guys : I've found that if your important placards(decals) for the head operation/restriction, can be easily replaced. 

Worn or faded - just contact your head manufacturer and they will send you new ones.  I even got a new one for my propane box.  It's a safety concern, so ask!!   

A thought

21

Main Message Board / Mobile 1

« on: October 24, 2011, 05:27:09 PM »

I recently went to buy Mobile 1 for my M25XPBs winter oil change.  I was surprised to find that all weights of Mobile 1 did not have a "C" rating anymore ??

So I called Mobile Corp and found out that ALL Mobile 1 "C" ratings were removed from the bottles.  Mobile told me that Mobile 1 was still rated for CF and below and that the "F" was an old rating for old engines and that's why they took it off of the bottles!!??!!
Still didn't make much sense to me, but that's the way it is! - you can still use Mobile 1 10W-30 or 10W-40 in your Universal engines.

Incase you are interested, the difference in the "C" for compression and the "S" for spark ratings have to do with the additives in that particular oil to help suspend the particulates in the diesel or gasoline oil !

A VERY important thing is to use the same oil brand as differant oil companies use differant additives and you do not what differant additives to clash!!

A few thoughts. 

22

Main Message Board / The feel of Utter Defeat -- WIRING HARNESS

« on: October 18, 2011, 06:39:50 PM »

I've been trying to get C34/C36/C30 owners to install the wiring harness upgrade since about 1992.

I've professed this just after I heard Jerry Douglas talk about it at Sail Expo and well before 99% of you had C34 ownership or even thoughts of ownership !!  
Early on there was NO mention of fire!  -  which is a real concern.

I've just received a personal message from a MB poster that mentioned, " I didn't see the AMPmeter even wiggle"! That statement made me sit up and wonder where this owner has been????  
It's all over the Critical Upgrades, in numerous posts on this M Board and in MANY Mainsheet articles.  

If you have read the Mainsheet tech notes you'll see that I'm not in favor of all of the "wiring harness upgrade" as spelled out by Catalina or Seaward.  I am in favor of the rerouting of the alternator charge going to the batteries and eliminating the 8 pin trailor connectors.  I do NOT agree with the engine or engine instrument wiring going to the 8 pin connectors (see my Mainsheet engine replacement article), but instead hard wire direct to the engine and the engine panel.  
Why, I've removed/reinstalled the old engine twice and installed a new engine, ALWAYS disconnecting the wires from the engine itself and NOT the connectors.

If any C34 owners reading this that still have a 1986/1987/1988 with an ammmeter, your boat is at risk!!  
If you are an owner of a 1988/1989/1990/1991/1992 and do NOT have a wire going from the alternator output direct to the + stud on the starter solenoid you are also at risk.  Also Look for the 8 pin "trailer connector" wrapped up in black tape in the port rear of the engine.

Readers, Please take this seriously and inspect your C34s and read the critical updated and look at the extensive writeup on the Wiring Harness Update on our site and at Seaward!!

I give up!!  


  

23

Main Message Board / Staying Pluged in to shore power - for what it's worth !?!

« on: June 05, 2011, 02:37:56 PM »

A friend had installed 4 new Trojan golf cart batteries last fall.  He left the fridge ON and left the boat last Sunday.  When he arrived back this past Friday he found the battery monitor was down 404 Amp Hrs !!
There was a big T-storm with much lightening went thru the area on last Wednesday and apparently a power surge tripped the power breaker to all of the dock power receptacles.

The beer was warm and some sundry items had to be thrown out - they smelled.  For what it's worth!!!

24

Main Message Board / Screen on the Fuel Pick-up Tube

« on: April 28, 2011, 06:30:08 PM »

Guys ; A week or so ago I made a post on this topic that seems to have disappeared, but anyway it's a Critical item to check !

There are only a few absolute critical items to check on a C34 :
1. Wiring Harness - if not changed you can have a FIRE on board!!
2. Old Style Alternator Bracket - if you have an M25(21hp) engine with the old style alternator bracket (over the top), that bracket will break, puncturing the oil filter RUINING the engine and alternator !!
3. Screen in the Fuel Pick-up Tube - eventually that screen will become clogged and the engine will STOP from fuel starvation !!

I keep bringing these up because year after year because I keep seeing pictures of boats on this message board that show that critical items 1 & 2 have NOT been done and have to be pointed out to the owner!!

In the case of the pick -up tube screen, there will never be a picture for any of us to point out to that owner and it isn't an obvious thing for a mechanic to check.  After a mechanic has spent a few hours @ $$$/hr on why the engine isn't getting any fuel, he will finally check for that screen $$ later!!

Here's the problem that I described back in the early 1990's:
Catalina procured their fuel tanks from a manufacturer that put screens in the pick -up tubes for mainly gasoline applications.
That tubular VERY VERY fine mesh screen fits inside the 3/8" fuel hose.  It is crimped at the end and sealed with a fuel resistant sealant. Then that screen is inserted in to the fuel hose leaving only a half inch or less of surface screen exposed to filter the the diesel. 
As we all know microscopic water particles in the diesel fuel tend to grow algae in diesel.

The bottom line is to remove the screen and let your Racor filter do it's job, because the screen will get clogged with that algae and the engine will quit at the most inopportune time - guaranteed!!

25

Main Message Board / Old style M25 engine alternator bracket

« on: February 06, 2011, 02:12:15 PM »

Someone asked how you can tell if you have the old or the new improved bracket?

The answer is simple and easy to spot - the old bracket that's prone to failure has the adjusting arm over the top of the alternator.
The new bracket assembly has the adjusting arm under the alternator.

The service bulletin put out by Universal Engines applied to all of the M25 engines (1986 C34s) and some of the early M25XP engines (early 1987 C34s).   

26

Main Message Board / Severe Weather

« on: December 26, 2010, 05:21:43 PM »

Guys : Today, the Weather Channel sent Jim Cantorie to Philadelphia to cover the East coast snow storm.  
The NFL saw Jim entering town and called off the Eagles game!    

If you ever see Jim entering your county, brace yourself or get out of town - because IT'S a Comming!!  An observation !!

27

Main Message Board / M35BC & M25XPB "hidden" engine fuel filter

« on: October 27, 2010, 03:14:22 PM »

While researching the question that Andre asked about "the fuel filter on my M35BC engine"  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5965.0.html I found a surprise - they added another filter.
  
In the "past few years" Westerbeke added another fuel filter just before the aux fuel pump (lift pump).  It's between the fuel tank and the fuel pump on the engine.  It is part# 48076 and is NOT shown in any of the parts listing (Parts manual) !!
  
There is a label on it that reads "Westerbeke P/N 48076   80 micron fuel pump   Protection Filter  
Gasoline & Diesel Engines   Change Filter Annually"

Interesting.  Just wanted to let you all know.    

28

Main Message Board / Raw Water Pumps

« on: October 24, 2010, 06:19:53 PM »

There has been some traffic about the merits of certain water pumps over other brands.  I want to point out to everyone that eventually all water pumps will leak.

The seals tend to wear out and/or the shaft gets a wear pattern.  Either of these conditions or both will cause a leak.  I believe that the Oberdoffer is a good pump as is the Sherwood pump.  
One of the big advantages of the Oberdoffer is that parts can be purchased at discount vrs. the Sherwood that controls part prices like Yanmar.

All raw water pump have "weep holes" to let you know that it could be leaking.  All RW pumps have two internal seals.  One seal keeps the water in the pump and the other seal keeps the oil in the engine (with the weep holes in between).

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these two pumps.  (I might mention that there was also a third pump by the Johnson Co that was put on some of the early M25 engines). Some Sherwood, but mostly the Oberdoffer pumps were on the M25XP engines with the 3 " HX.

The Oberdoffer pump has all non corrosive metal parts and is easier to service (impeller/shaft change) on the engine, but must be removed to change seals.  
The Sherwood has a corrosive center section and must be removed to have the seals changed, but is easier to change seals, once removed.  The impeller can be changed on the engine, but the bolt heads are on the engine side ?!?

There has been some posts about changing the Sherwood pump out for an Oberdoffer.  I saw Joe Joyce (Westerbeke Service Manager) at the Annapolis boat show and mentioned this topic to him.  We agreed that the Oberdoffer could be modified to fit, but he said the Oberdoffer pumped 50% less water !!
If you look at both pumps it's obvious that the pump cavity of the Sherwood is larger and its impeller has almost twice as many blades.  

The bottom line is that I'd be cautious before changing out pumps.  
The higher engine temperature (less raw cooling water) may not show up immediately while the hoses/HX are clean, but I'm sure that the increased temperature will eventually show up.  

A few thoughts before changing pumps on your M35BC & M25XPB engines.  

29

Main Message Board / Fuel Pump & Glow Plug Circuity is differant !!

« on: October 15, 2010, 05:59:16 PM »

Guys : The M25 & M25XP have completely different (separate) circuitry for the aux electric fuel pump (lift pump) & oil pressure switch than the M25XPB, M35A and M35BC engines.

Not too sure if OSHA got involved, but I suspect it!
 
I first got questions from a 1993 M35A (30hp) owner.  His engine was made by Universal (Westerbeke) after it was taken over from Oshkosh in the early 1990's. He noted that the lift pump was wired into the "spring loaded" glow plug post on the key switch.  My first answer was that Poco at the factory, put the connection on the wrong post!
 
Then the question of the double pole on the oil pressure switch came up !??!  
I've written this up before, but here it comes again:
With the ciricuitry of the double pole oil pressure switch - here's what happens.  The key switch is turned ON, no fuel pump is activated until the key switch is turned to the spring loaded position which also activates the glow plugs.  The glow plugs heat (warning not to exceed approx. 20 seconds or they'll burn up!!) and the lift pump pumps fuel to the injection pump.  When you release the key from the spring loaded position the fuel pump cuts off and will only start back up after the starter is hit, the engine is running and there is oil pressure.

The entire idea behind this circuitry is so that when the engine loses oil pressure, the lift pump will cut off causing the engine to to stop.
The only problem is that the C34 has a fuel tank that is higher than the engine and the gravity flow of fuel will keep the engine running.  That's why there are 2 (+) connections on the oil pressure switch!!

Owners have to realize that there are 4 different engines in the C34 production and a fifth if you repower with an M25XPB like I did.

 A few thoughts

30

Main Message Board / M35BC engine - Broken Alternator Bracket

« on: October 10, 2010, 06:13:48 PM »

I'm wondering how many of you guys that have the M35BC engine have experienced a broken alternator bracket?  The piece that holds the alternator to the engine.  NOT the adjusting arm.
  
I am Especially interested in those of you that are using other than the OEM alternator like a Balmar/Powerline/etc.