Late last season I was slowly losing coolant and I suspected it was the gaskets in the "old style" exhaust manifold giving way. I pulled off the exhaust manifold yesterday and sure enough there is some coolant sitting in cylinder 3 area. Tomorrow I will order the new style one piece exhaust manifold....... My Question: Should I remove the head and clean out any coolant that might be in there ( which means ordering a new head gasket too)
Thanks , Happy Easter ... hippity hop hippity hop
Larry Austin
CD30MKII
LAYLA
Westerbeke 21A old style exhaust manifold---coolant loss
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Shanna Paxton
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 17:54
- Location: CD 30 MK II "WANDERLUST" Hull #17
Located in Saint Michaels, MD
Westerbeke exhaust manifold
Larry,
I feel your pain as I am most of the way through the replacing my exhaust manifold with a new one (with a lot of help from another CDer). I luckily did not have any coolant in the cylinder area, but my now retired mechanic said that if there was coolant in the cylinder than I would need to clean the injectors. He mentioned some other stuff (something about turning the engine over by hand and looking at the cylinders to make sure they all came up), but I am an exercise physiologist not a mechanic and it went over my head.
I have gotten a bunch of advise from Boyd Bundy a fellow MKII owner and he may be able to give you some more insite. His e-mail is boyd@wbta.cc
Good luck and happy sailing.
I feel your pain as I am most of the way through the replacing my exhaust manifold with a new one (with a lot of help from another CDer). I luckily did not have any coolant in the cylinder area, but my now retired mechanic said that if there was coolant in the cylinder than I would need to clean the injectors. He mentioned some other stuff (something about turning the engine over by hand and looking at the cylinders to make sure they all came up), but I am an exercise physiologist not a mechanic and it went over my head.
I have gotten a bunch of advise from Boyd Bundy a fellow MKII owner and he may be able to give you some more insite. His e-mail is boyd@wbta.cc
Good luck and happy sailing.
Shanna Paxton
CD 30 MK II Hull#17
CD 30 MK II Hull#17
-
Bill Goldsmith
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 7th, '05, 08:47
- Location: CD 32
WAKE UP CALL FOR W21a OWNERS--replace orig exhaust manifold!
I did not reply to Larry as I do not really have any advice about what to do once you already have a coolant leak from the exhaust manifold. I believe Cathy Monaghan went through this and had to have the engine rebuilt. I think Dick Feffer also had the same issue.
However, when I heard about all these manifold problems I called Westerbeke--they STRONGLY recommend that any W21a with the original manifold have the maniifold replaced ASAP. The reason is that the manifold was designed with endcaps and gaskets so that the exhaust could be led either direction (i.e. for generator or saildrive use). However, *when* the gaskets fail then coolant will leak into the dry part and into the cylinders.
The redesigned manifold is cast as one piece and also eliminates the wierd adapter setup to attach to the block. The new unit just bolts right to the block. The most difficult part of the job will be the tight access in most engine rooms and the likely need for a new exhaust elbow and hose. I took the opportunity to rebuid the exhaust system between the manifold and the muffler with all new parts--alot easier than trying to re-use the old elbow and pipe.
The W21a is a workhorse--mine has 2800 hours and is going strong--this is a worthwhile cost to ensure that the engine will keep going without unecessary major repairs.
However, when I heard about all these manifold problems I called Westerbeke--they STRONGLY recommend that any W21a with the original manifold have the maniifold replaced ASAP. The reason is that the manifold was designed with endcaps and gaskets so that the exhaust could be led either direction (i.e. for generator or saildrive use). However, *when* the gaskets fail then coolant will leak into the dry part and into the cylinders.
The redesigned manifold is cast as one piece and also eliminates the wierd adapter setup to attach to the block. The new unit just bolts right to the block. The most difficult part of the job will be the tight access in most engine rooms and the likely need for a new exhaust elbow and hose. I took the opportunity to rebuid the exhaust system between the manifold and the muffler with all new parts--alot easier than trying to re-use the old elbow and pipe.
The W21a is a workhorse--mine has 2800 hours and is going strong--this is a worthwhile cost to ensure that the engine will keep going without unecessary major repairs.
Westerbeke 21a exhaust manifold replaced
Hi Guys...thanks for replys...
I just finished up installing the new style exhaust manifold ( part# 37171..cost $295 for the kit from Hansen Marine). What a differerance! The engine is so much quiter and smoother. I did not remover the head. I turned the engine over by hand after I removed the old exhaust manifold and she blew out some coolant...I did drop and clean out the oil pan,( new oil pan gasket) replaced the right rear motor mount that I could never get to because of the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe. oh yeah...I also replaced the cruddy old exhaust pipe with new (use black pipe) pipe. You will need 2- 90 degree elbows, 1- 5" piece and 1-4" piece of pipe. all precut and threaded at Home Depot. Use 1 1/2" pipe. The new exhaust manifold kit exhaust port is a compression fit but does come with a adpter to hook up threader pipe. I also replaced all the coolant hoses. The engine started right up, blew some crud out the rear and just started purring ....nice and quite and smooth... We are ready for Charles Island!!
Larry
CD30MKII
LAYLA
I just finished up installing the new style exhaust manifold ( part# 37171..cost $295 for the kit from Hansen Marine). What a differerance! The engine is so much quiter and smoother. I did not remover the head. I turned the engine over by hand after I removed the old exhaust manifold and she blew out some coolant...I did drop and clean out the oil pan,( new oil pan gasket) replaced the right rear motor mount that I could never get to because of the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe. oh yeah...I also replaced the cruddy old exhaust pipe with new (use black pipe) pipe. You will need 2- 90 degree elbows, 1- 5" piece and 1-4" piece of pipe. all precut and threaded at Home Depot. Use 1 1/2" pipe. The new exhaust manifold kit exhaust port is a compression fit but does come with a adpter to hook up threader pipe. I also replaced all the coolant hoses. The engine started right up, blew some crud out the rear and just started purring ....nice and quite and smooth... We are ready for Charles Island!!
Larry
CD30MKII
LAYLA