Guidance on bleeding fuel line needed

[Chris Reinke]

My mind is slowly going....so I could use some assistance from anyone that can recall the bleeding procedure on a westerbeke M30. My father is mid-cruise from Cape Cod to up the Hudson River. As he was passing the lower part of Manhattan a few hours ago the motor suddenly began to sputter and suffer from a loss of RPM/power. He is able to maintain about 900 rpm's, but any more will cause shutters and gasps. I assume the problem is fuel related and suggest he try to make his way to the lower Hudson and anchor. I do have a spare fuel filter on the boat, but just cant recall off the top of my head where the bleeder valve is located (top of filter housing, at the injectors, etc.).

Does anyone recall? I need to call him via cell and provide the details on how to do it. I have done it a few times myself, but without looking at it my mind is coming up blank.

[bottomscraper]

I assume the Westerbeke M30 is the same as the Universal M30. Instructions and manuals for the Universal M30 are online here:

http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/unive ... ystem.html

[Chris Reinke]

Thanks Rich - I could not recall where the bleeder valve was located...at filter or at injectors....figures it gets both.

[Mark Yashinsky]

I think I see father's Jeep in the parking lot of the Club, but not your father, nor Innisfail.

[marv brinn]

I had the great experience of bleeding bage with a yanmar8
I did not change the banjo washers( they are used to seal the lines to the the pump hsg) as a result I could not keep the engine running for more than a minute. Once they were changed she ran fine..

[Chris Reinke]

Mark - We sailed from Bridgeport, around NYC and up the Hudson on Monday. We arrived around 2:00am to find our slip occupied so we are over near "Puffin". We should be back in our slip by the weekend.

I am still having a problem getting the engine up to top RPM's. I replaced the fuel filter and the water separator filter. I ran the electric fuel pump for about 10 minutes, but the water separator and fuel filters never filled with fuel. I am now assuming that I got debris in my tank the last time I filled up which is causing a partial blockage of my fuel hose. I filled at a marina where the fuel hose was a large diameter (for the big fuel guzzling power folks) and I think the velocity of the fuel into my little tank may have kicked up some tank sediment.

Any other suggestions or ideas are always welcome. Sailing the Hudson during the fall if FANTASTIC and I don't want to miss a single day.

[marilou]

I installed a primer bulb (like the ones used on outboard motor tanks) on the supply line at the fuel tank. It is very helpfull to fill the filters and lines, and also as an emergency temporary pump.

I have a Westerbeke 13, which is self bleeding.

[Jim Davis]

Just a thought. My mechanic warned me that they deteriorate with diesel. I asked how fast and he agreed that if it is replaced every couple years it should be ok. The rubber becomes stiff and begins to come apart on the inside before any failure is visible on the outside.

My solution is to change it every two years, they are cheap enough and really make bleeding simple.

[Chris Reinke]

Marilou - Thanks for the idea.
Jim - Thanks for the words of wisdom

Shouldn't the fuel pump be sufficient to pull the air out of the supply hose and separator? I guess my assumption is that a fuel pump will also pump air and create a vacuum which gets displaced with fuel. Under normal circumstances will the fuel pump fill the separator and fuel filter after several minutes?

[marilou]

You would think so, but I found that the primer bulb works. I do not know how long it takes the fuel pump to purge the system, but the primer bulb makes it much quicker to diagnose the problem. The water seperator filter holds fuel, as do the 2 or more filters you might have.

I just went thru the same problem, after running out of fuel (gauge off 1/4, waiting for fuel prices to drop ). The primer bulb got the engine running.

I have used this every time I opened my fuel system - changing fillters, tank, etc.

The bulbs actually last a long time. Being that it is not exposed to sunlight, I believe it lasts longer than if it was used on an outboard. I need to replace mine, it is over 10 years old, but it worked today. For about $10, it is one of my best add ons.

[Oswego John]

Yes, fuel priming bulbs usually do the job.

Years ago, they first came on the market with the use of remote fuel tanks, mostly used for outboard motors. The rubber bulbs worked fine for straight gas used for 4 stroke engines When oil was mixed with the gas for 2 strokers, the bulbs started to fail more quickly. Oil is the arch enemy to rubber. Remember, Diesel fuel is pure oil.

Shortly after, they started to make the bulbs out of neoprene or some another synthetic variation. This change in material seemed to increase the life of the primer bulb.

As marilou stated, when exposed to sunlight and weather, it can shorten the useful life of the bulb. With time and use, fine cracks tend to appear which cause leaks and failure.

The primer bulbs have come a long way in efficiency since they were first introduced on the boating scene. Just try to avoid ones made of rubber.

Good luck,
O J

[Jim Davis]

Chris

In most cases the pump on the engine will do the job. The bulb just does it faster, easier and can be put in a more accessible place.

Marilou, OJ

The bulbs he was referring to are current construction. The diesel actually seem to dissolve the inside of the bulb and adds to the crud the filter picks up. It isn't hardening of the bulb as on exposed outboards, but inside where you only see it collected in the filter.

[John D.]

Put the pump hose into the deck fuel filler, with something to make it airtight. You also need to temporarily close off the tank vent.