Engines1

Maintenance is key with any product.  Reviewing the operator’s manual and following through with periodic maintenance will help you get the life and performance out of any product you own.  Why do so many people neglect this simple operation?The picture shows the flame arrestor screen on a gasoline generator.  The Operator’s Manual provides suggestions to remove and clean this screen every 50 hours and is detailed in the manual in the Maintenance Schedule Checklist.  Every checkpoint provides a security and precursor to failure.  By checking the list and performing the functions you could prevent catastrophic failure and huge expenses.  The photo shows an air inlet screen/flame arrestor from a gas generator.  The cleaning required would cost an owner about $6.00 and a few minutes.  Not cleaning this screen may cost the owner $7000.00 or more.  Why?  Because this small part was neglected, the restriction started a chain of failures which resulted in total generator engine failure.  Consequential failures began long ago and started with the clogged screen.  This led to a failure with the PCV valve.  This allowed oil vapor to get introduced into the intake manifold.  Oil vapor caused erroneous or false reading sent from the O2 sensores.  This same oil vapor eventually clogged or severely restricted the MAP sensor which further deteriorated the information sent to the engine control module.  The engine control module is responsible for adjustments made on the fly whith timing, fuel delivery and response time.  After many hours of run time and neglect the engine finally failed.

Oil was pulled past the rings and entered into the combustion chamber where it was burned producing a heavy smoke from the exhaust.  The spark plugs soon fouled in all four cylinders.  The pistons had raw oil laying on top as seen by a bore scope.  The valves also had a heavy soot covering them preventing the engine from breathing properly.

By the way, the technician was called in because the generator would not stay running.  This was due to low oil level in the crankcase causing loss of oil pressure. So, get the operator’s manual.  Keep it handy.  Refer to the manual often.  This is cheap money and time to spend in order to avoid huge expenses.

Manuals are available at little or no cost to you.  Send us an email with your name, Westerbeke model, and engine serial number and we will send you, via email, the manual for your product if available.  Send your email to: info@engines1.com.

Engines1
3504 Shipwright St.
Portsmouth, VA 23703
800-548-6252
www.engines1.com
info@engines1.com