Engine Removal N30U

Engine & Transmission Category
1

My engine over heats and I would like to remove it and have professionals with all the equipment go over it. I would rather rebuild than replace if it is financially reasonable.

She overheats and runs at about 200+. After a while the engine seems to tighten up, she will no longer idle at 1,000. If attempted she will stall. A restart is difficult, she seems difficult to turn over. I don’t need a lecture about damage that can be done running hot.

I have done the following:

 1) Checked the strainer
 2) Replaced the impeller
 3) Replaced the heat exchanger
 4) Replaced the thermostat
 5) Drained and blew out the block
 6) Changed from 50/50 to 70/30 H20/AF

The riser is cool

I have lost the entire season because of this.
The Southpaw is a 1985 N30U #300 with a Westerbeke 33 and a "V-Drive.

     1) Has anyone ever removed this engine?
     2) What was the basic procedure?

Thanks in advance

Fran Cichowski  N30U #300 Noank, Ct
     904 772 4712
     captfran1@gmail.com
2

Sounds like the injectors need testing next followed (if the problem still not solved) the pump.

Good luck and hopefully you will not have to remove the entire engine.

3

I know your posting is about removing the engine and I’m sorry that I have no experience with that make or model. But I noticed an omission in your list of things you’ve tried. If you’ve got a heat exchanger, then you’ve got fresh water cooling. That means you have a water pump for the sea water side of the system and a separate water pump for the fresh water side of the system. You know the sea water pump is working if water comes spitting out with the exhaust. But have you checked the fresh water pump? I’m not sure how you do it on your engine, but I bet someone here does.

And my apologies if you already checked it but just forgot to mention it.

4

Fran
Did you have your oil analyzed before changing viscosity? I’m not saying it’s the oil per se but the reply contains a lot of information about the health and wear of the engine. How many hours does it have on it? you didn’t say. I have a friend that replaced his W27 with a Beta 25 on his N30U and said he never looked back. It paired with the Westerbeke Vdrive also.
Brian

5

Is the exhaust plugged? Run a plumbing snake down the length of the exhaust and see.

RonB.

6

Ron B,

Water and exhaust comes thru pipe so I assume it is not plugged
The riser is cool so I assume there is sufficient flow to keep it that way.

Notice there are two assumptions there
SO
I could look closer at those issues.

Thanks,
Fran

7

Mizzenman,

Thanks for that suggestion, I would never have suspected that injectors could cause overheating.
She starts and runs fine
I checked on line and discovered that, as you suggest, they certainly could cause overheating.
Imagine that
The ace mechanic in our yard said there was nothing else to be checked
I had given them a blank check to fix problem and $900 later that is best explanation he could come up with
I was just to believe that was the way my engine ran, SO THERE.
I will check those

Thanks

8

Brian,

The fresh water pump has nothing to break.
It is basically a fan to circulate the coolant.
It has bearings and seals.
If it spins and the seals don’t show leaks it is OK
I checked the Temp on both sides of the F/W pump, it is moving water.

Thanks,
Fran

9

Brian,

I never changed the oil viscosity.
I changed the water concentration in the coolant.
It is the water that transfers heat.
More water per gallon of coolant will move more heat.

I have been looking at Beta for years.
Every time I get angry at the Iron lump I own I dream of a Beta.
Southpaw is my third aux sailboat.
My first, now for sale, is a Cal 34-3, I’ve owned her since 1989.
I wanted a Beta half a dozen times for her.
My second, A Tartan 40 SS design, we sailed 7 years from Maine to St Barts
I wanted a Beta 4 times for her.
In all cases after lots of aggravation and money and time, it finished up cheaper just to fix em.

This year at the Newport boat show I had a long talk with the Beta guys.
Yep the 25 is very high on my list.
Could you please put me in touch with your “Never Look Back” buddy?
He has all the information I need for the final decision

10

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11

My beta 40 install on my Amor 40. Super happy with it. Bought another one for another project… little westie is running fine in the nonsuch, for now!

12

While you state “ Water and exhaust comes thru pipe so I assume it is not plugged”, my question would be the quantity of water.

If you have a fitting between the raw water intake and the strainer that allows you to attach a garden hose to easily winterize the engine, check the fitting to make sure there is no build up in the fitting. This was the case on mine and a number of other Nonsuch in the area and once cleaned out the temperature stopped spiking and dropped to normal. It was obviously putting out a lot more water from the exhaust.

This may not cure all your issues but it is an easy thing to check.

Jim Stanley
N30U Annie II. (No. 378 1987)
Chester, Nova Scotia