Messages

Michael,

On the M-35B engine diagrams and in the actual wiring the fuel pump will not operate with the engine not running unless you have the switch in the glow plug position. Once the engine is running, and you have oil pressure, the fuel pump should operate.  When you switch to the glow plug position you should hear the pump clicking.

John

Tony,

Possibly since the fuel pump does not operate until the oil pressure comes up, they want you to hold the glow plug on to keep the pump running while starting.

I have been following the ideas on this board and not running the glow plug when I hit the start button.  Many times in the summer I don't even use the glow plug and the engine fires right up.

John

A couple of thoughts on the hard starting.

Be sure the fuel line connections to the fuel tank are perfectly sealed so no air could leak into the system and break the siphon action on the suction side of the fuel pump.

Also on the M-35B wiring at least, the fuel pump is only on when the glow plug is energized or when the key is in the running position with oil pressure.  If there is no oil pressure (or if the wire on the pressure sender is not connected) the fuel pump will not function.  You can jumper 12 volts to the fuel pump to see if it works at all.  I also use a jumper to run the fuel pump to fill the filters after changing them out.


More on Hali's issues:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3347.0.html

Stu

John

Another way to check the volume of the tank is to take the tank out and pour hot water over it.  Then you can feel the level by temperature.  It will stay hot above the level and be cooler below it.

We took a 6 week cruise on our 34 and then lived aboard for four months in the winter cooking every day and still had propane.  I have an adaptor that goes from the small propane tank we use for our Magma grill to the hose for the propane.  That way if we do run out we can still operate the stove until we can get to a place to refill the main unit.

John

One possible reason for the 160 rather than the 180 in the marine applications is the lower temperature would reduce the amount of mineral precipitation in the heat exchanger.

On our Mark II I have been able to access the HE zinc by removing the upper ladder (stairs) and after propping the hatch open I can reach the zinc using a 9/16" box wrench from the main cabin.  I am not at home now so am unable to tell you what length the zinc is.  Ron's suggestion with the pencil should work fine for getting the size. I have been changing the zinc every 3 months or so with no problems other than the residue from the disintegrated zincs partially blocking the flow in the HE after a few years.

On Sea Shell I have been removing the jib but leave the furling main tightly tucked in the mast.  However, I also tie a line around the mast through the clew to keep it in place.  Then I secure the main furling line through the line clutch, wrap it around the winch and tie it off to be sure there is no chance of the line getting loose.  To minimize chances of anything getting loose I also cleat of the traveler lines.  One slight concern with leaving the main in the mast is it gives you a higher center of gravity than without the sail in place.  Like Mike I also remove anything I can, but leave the framework for the Bimini in place but tied off.  

One side issue is to cover the exhaust with duct tape.  The boat pictured in the Boat US article is one of our neighbors and even though he was tied off well, he had water forced back into his engine and had to have it rebuilt.  I have always taped the exhaust but leave a small hole for ventilation.  With Dennis we had the eyewall come through our canal with 100 mph winds on our stern.  To help remember to remove the tape I put a piece of tape on the key.

Our canal is only 80' wide but with docks and boathouses extending out into it is much less.  When securing for Ivan, Dennis and the various other storms I have been using 5 lines on each side and bow and stern anchors set out for and aft.  With narrow canals consider the stretch of the line you use.  They will stretch a lot and you may find yourself hitting the shore or other boats.  If not using nylon lines or going too large in line size you loose the shock absorbing benefits.  I also try to have each line tied to something different so if one tree or piling gives way or the line chafes through or breaks you have the others as backup.

Lets all hope for an mild hurricane season for a change.

John

On our 2003 34 MK II the fuel pump only goes on when the glow plug is activated or there is oil pressure.  I does not go on when the key is turned to the on position and the engine is not running or with no oil pressure.  I chased this out earlier this year and this  is the way it shows on the schematic also.  When I need to run the fuel pump, as when filling fuel filters, I just jumper over to the fuel pump positive line from the starter solenoid positive post.

Mike,

With the fine quality water we have here I would guess Breezer would become a stalagmite!

Jeff.  We also have had problems with the latches.  So far four have broken.  Our dealer replaced two under warranty but now I need to get some more.  Catalina sells them for around $25 each.  Sure would like to find an alternate source or more importantly a different design as the ones on the boat are of a weak design. Hopefully some one else here has a better answer.

This is the service bulletin from Westerbeke that should explain the filter and also raise some more questions.

SERVICE BULLETIN #238
DATE: 28 FEBRUARY 2003
MODEL: ALL MODELS-DIESEL PROPULSION ANDGENERATORS AND GASOLINE
GENERATORS
SUBJECT: FUEL PUMP INLET FIL TER PN#048076
FILTER IS BEING ATTACHED TO THE INLET OF "ALL" FUEL PUMPS ON BOTH DIESEL
PROPULSION AND GENERATORS AND GASOLINE GENERATOR MODELS BEGINNING THE
LATTER PART OF MARCH 2003. (MANUFACTURING DATE CODE E303)
THIS IS BEING DONE TO ENSURE THAT THE FUEL ENTERING THE FUEL PUMP IS BEING
PROPERLY FILTERED TO PROTECT THE FUEL PUMP FROM CONTAMINATION.
THE INLET OPENING OF THE FILTER IS THE SAME AS THE INLET OPENING IN THE FUEL
PUMP (1/8 X 27 NPTF). THIS SHOULD POSE NO PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING FUEL LINE
CONNECTIONS.
THIS FILTER "MUST" BE USED. IF THE FILTER IS REMOVED WARRANTY ON THE FUEL
PUMP IS VOID.
THE FILTER SHOULD BE REPLACED ON A NEWLY COMMISSIONED UNIT AFTER THE FIRST
50 HOURS OF OPERATION. THEN EVERY 250 HOUR, ANUALLY OR AS NEEDED.
WESTERBEKE CORPORATION STILL RECOMMENDS THE INSTALLATION OF A PRIMARY
FILTER/WATER SEPARATOR BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE ENGINE. THE FILTER
USED IN THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE A MICRON RATING SMALLER THAN 10 MICRONS.

As a follow up on removing the wood housing at the rear of the engine on the MKII's here is some additional information.  Today I finally got the time and inspiration to get serious and get it off.  There a small amount of glue on the upper brackets and also on the piece where the hinged top cover was mounted.  It took a bit of "careful" hammer work to get everything loose.  Now I know there are only 6 screws that need to be removed and they are fairly easy to get to and  remove the housing in one piece.  Catalina had told me there was no glue there but our dealer said he thought they may have put some glue there and he was right.

When I removed the old lettering we had on our C-25 for 15 years I noticed the lettering had protected the gelcoat under the lettering and caused an apparent raising of the gelcoat.  It wasn't raised but some the unprotected gelcoat had eroded slightly giving the appearance of being raised or incomplete removal of the lettering.

Bill,

Our 2003 came with a Maxwell 800 and it works fine.  Even with the winch I normally motor up until we are just over the anchor and then use the winch.  If at all possible I do not use the winch to pull us against the wind or current.

Mike's article got me inspired to work on my heat exchanger since I am not getting the cooling we had in the past.  However, on the MK II's the access to the heat exchanger is almost impossible without removing the wood cabinet in the aft cabin.  I have taken every screw I can find off but it still appears to be firmly mounted to the bulkhead.  As far as I can tell there are no screws going back into the cabinet from the engine room.  Does anyone know if the cabinet is also glued or where some hidden screws might be.  Once the cabinet is removed there is easy access.  The other day I looked at a friends 87 or 88 year model and I can see how the earlier models had much better access.  The strainer, hoses, and pumps are all either clean or new and I have a good flow of water so it looks like I need to clean the heat exchanger.