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As always, I can count on getting a lot of great advice in this forum. 
I was thinking of calling in a mechanic, but seeing some of the responses here, I feel like I still have a lot options that I can do myself to isolate and find the true fault.  My work list for this weekend is growing and some of the things I'm planning to do is:
- verify the engine is actually getting as hot as the sender is indicating
- remove the thermostat and let the pump flow coolant regardless of temperature
- Verify belt tension  (I have a new belt at the ready and just got the "third hand" tensioner to make the job a bit easier)
- brace myself for learning how difficult (or easy) it is to swap out the fresh water coolant pump.    

Kevin,

The pump is actually relatively easy to replace.  The studs (4) are captive and 4 nuts up front.
You may have a harder time getting the Tsat cap off due to bolt corrosion.  While you have it off, consider drilling and tapping the stbd side to accept the upgrade high-temperature alarm switch (1/8" NPT thread.)

RE: Slippage, what belt are you replacing it with?  I recommend the Dayco Top Cog Gold Heavy Duty --- it's the best beot for heat dissipation and no slippage.

Ken K

Ken: 
The outlet is a standard exterior outlet, not the outlet that you see on the dock to plug into.  It's just a standard
115vac GFI outlet.
Larry

Larry,

OK I missed that prior post above.

So...... either the GFI receptacle is likely too sensitive, or you have leakage on the boat (does it pop with your main panel breaker off?)

Ken

I cannot get the four screws off the endcap with an impact driver an PB Blaster.  Don't want to use heat since it will ruin the paint.  Thinking I will have to drill the screws out but concerned with being off center and ruining the treads in the boom and endcap.  Has anyone had to drill the encap screws to remove?  What size bit or other advice not to "screw" up.

Are you using an impact driver or a hammer and impact driver?
Might try tightening to the point of snapping them off, then carefully grind flat w/ a dremel.
Can you get a vice grip on the heads to looser or snap them off? 
Then you can more precisely drill them out after removal.

Luckily mine backed right out - 30 year old fresh water boat tho.

Ken K

Again, the GFI that is tripping -
Is it a breaker on the shore receptacle circuit? 
Or a separate in-line plug-in GFI that is yours?

So you eliminated the extension cord. 

Then the leakage is either the GFI (if it's the yard's breaker).  Or if it's your GFI and you tested/verified it elsewhere -- the leakage at the boat inlet, or somewhere thereafter. 

With the main breaker off, does she trip?  If so, it's seems to be between the breaker and inlet.

Are there GFI breakers at the slips? If so, are they working/tested?  How do you know?

Presuming there is GFI at the slip --
Not having "a problem" during the season -- doesn't necessarily mean that there wasn't some leakage -- it just means the breaker never blew. 
It could be bad, or it could simply be less sensitive than the one that's popping now.


Ken K

Kevin,

If you do need a new coolant pump, the Kubota p/n is 15534-73030 about 90 boat bucks, vs the 400-plus-boat-buck Westerbeke pump.  The gasket is p/n 15676-73430.

Ken K

My only thought is this...  butyl is not an adhesive.  Since the marelon fitting is just attached with a nut on the other side, the thought is maybe I needed something of an adhesive.  Deck fittings that are thru-bolted, where butyl is used, are secure with their hardware by default.  Just thinking that the nut holding the marelon fitting needed more help from an adhesive.  I'm a fan of butyl, just not sure if this was a proper application. 

Ok fair enough question.

But first -- you're saying that both a deck fitting and a cockpit drain are "nutted."  So they are both both mechanically affixed, therefore adhesive is unnecessary.

Consider this - your plexi windows are held in place with a pretty stout adhesive -- Dow 795 -- which probably has more adhesion than what you might need for a mechanically-held cockpit drain.  Fair enough?

Dow 795 has an adhesion of about 45 psi.
Life Seal has an adhesion of 290 psi.

Do you think that, with the mechanical bond already provided, you need a sealant that holds more than 6 times better than what holds the windows on?

Life Caulk isn't compatible with many plastics, though I doubt it would attack Marleon (glass reinforced polypropylene.

Butyl rubber isn't primarily an adhesive, but that doesn't mean it has no adhesive properties.  Most car windshields used to be held by no mechanical fasteners -- only butyl rubber tape.  (More and more are being affixed at the factory with polyurethane.)

See RC's admittedly unscientific test of butyl tape's "holding power" ie- a deck cleat lifted above the surface or his "knife test."

However, as one very astute member says "Your boat, your choice!"


Ken K

[at all]

<<run well with the exhaust blocked.>>

Ooops,

I meant to say run at all with the exhaust blocked!!!

ken

Bingo.   Just pulled hump hose and exhaust riser is blocked right in front of the place where raw water injects. 

Time to pull the 6 year old riser and either clean or get a new one.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Kurt

Bingo.   Just pulled hump hose and exhaust riser is blocked right in front of the place where raw water injects. 

Time to pull the 6 year old riser and either clean or get a new one.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Kurt

Ahhh ha.  Cool (soon)!
So plenty of water flow, as you said.  I'm surprised that the engine would run well with the exhaust blocked.

if the riser is bad (6 years??) you might want to consider the Westerbeke water cooled-riser that I'm doing for two C30 owners.  It's a "project" but worth it in the end.

[attachimg=#]

Ken

Ken:
The GFI IS the shore power.  It trips when I plug into the boat.
Fuzzy

Ohhhh Ok, I thought one of the GFis on the boat were tripping.
So it this the GFI breaker on the shore power circuit, or a separate GFI that you have plugged into the receptacle?
I'm confused here.  Fill in the missing pieces.


Ken

I do have Mainesail's butyl tape.  Bought two rolls.   I'm just thinking for marelon, maybe I should use Life caulk or Life seal sealants instead?

Share your reasoning?

KK

Kevin- Great advice from Ken. If there is any uncertainty about the thermostat- remove it from the system. That will guarantee flow through the housing if the pump is working (you can replace it later with a new unit if that was the problem). This may or may not help, but simplifying the system when diagnosing a problem can be useful for ruling out components. You can do the same with the water heater- simply replace the connections at the engine with a short section of hose, if the problem goes away, the trouble is in that loop. How much coolant did you lose? Where did it end up (the bilge I presume)?   

Great idea to eliminate the Tshat completely!

Let me clarify about the WH though.  That loop doesn't affect the engine cooling much, especially if the water is already hot.   
That loop allows coolant to circulate thru the block (to prevent hot spots,) as well as the holes in the Tstat flange (that lets coolant circulate thru the exhaust manifold) while the Tstat is closed.  The WH hoses take the place of the water-pump to thermostat-bypass hose (indicated on the schematic) that are present on the Kubota tractors and the M25s.  That hose was eliminated with the C34/XPs.  It's just an easy way to check for coolant flow produced bu the pump.  After the Tstat opens, the WH loop could be pinched off and it won't affect engine temp.  Before the Tstat opens, of course, pinching it will could create disastrous hot spots in the engine block.

I presume she's truly overheating due to the 'steam' and coolant loss.  But JIC, I uploaded the troubleshooting steps for the sender/gauge to the TechWiki on this page:
http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tachometer_Malfunction_Q%26A

Ken K




Ken K

Thanks Ron and Ken.  That is on the next steps list.  Did some more symptom checking though today. 

Boat idles to 3100 fine.  Reverse at dock 2400 max and fuel in exhaust as before.  Removed k&n airfilter - no impact to symptoms.  Screwdriver to ear on the 3 injectors and they all sound the same.  Noticed air filter was black with what appears to be oil or fuel.  Was red not too long ago.  Now thinking exhaust may be restricted causing too much back pressure as another potential cause?  Elbow is only 6 years old - muffler and exhaust hose original.  But cooling water seems to come out the back fine.  Or does fuel in an air filter also arise with any cause of unburnt fuel including injectors?  Maybe I am grasping at straws. 

Kurt

Where does your crankcase breather hose run to?   To the air intake -- is that the source of gunky KN?
Is the oil ok, level normal - ie, no fuel diluting it (leaking injector pump pushing fuel to the crankcase)?

Ken

I have run the engine up to 2500 RPM and it will quickly reach +200F before shutting down.
I have run the engine to get it hot enough for the thermostat to open up and allow the coolant pump to circulate coolant.  However, I never see what appears to be a flow of coolant in the manifold when the pump should be circulating coolant. 

And you said that you pulled and verified that the Tstat is opening at ~160F?

in my experience, when I rev the engine, the full coolant will draw down in the exhaust manifold, and well up (and may overflow) when the rpm drops.  I don't know that I have actually seen a 'flow" per se.

To verify that the coolant pump is ok, you could check for flow in the:

Water heater lines (should be flow with Tstat closed or open.)
Return from the Hx to the coolant pump (Tstat open only.)
Hose from the Tstat housing to the exhaust manifold inlet elbow (T stat open only.)

I attached the flow schematic, if that helps.

[attachimg=#]

Ken

Buy one of those tester plugs that tells you if all the wiring is in the proper sequence.  I think they are only around $5 or so and you can get them in the electrical section of any hardware store.

Could be a false positive.
They only tell you if you have reversed polarity - which won't necessarily trip a GFI (unless you have a reversed neutral/ground.)

KK

Plumbers Putty would be last thing I would consider.  If you have Maine Sail's butyl tape, just use it.

I don't know, Stu.  There;s plenty of things I could rate below that!  Sillycone, bubble gum, liquid nails, 5200, 4200, 4000....... 

KK