While changing the oil on my W13 i noticed a threaded brass stud protruding from the engine just forward of and below where the filter screws onto the block. it is pretty small - maybe about 1/16’. Looking around a bit more I discovered a nut lying in the bilge, and a black wire with a connector hanging loose in the general area. Does anyone have an idea of what this might be?
On a similar note; the oil pressure alarm on my engine has never worked although the pressure gauge in the instrument panel does. Where is the pressure alarm located on the engine, and how do I ascertain if it is working?
Is there a way to test if the water temperature alarm is working other than turning off the seacock to the cooling water intake to see if an alarm sounds before the engine seizes?
Hooray for all the joys of figuring out a new boat!
Does the nut fit the stud?? Is it brass? Is the connector the same size as the stud? When you find the sender for the oil pressure alarm, ground that terminal to the block with the key turned on and the engine not running – the alarm should come on. Same thing with the temp alarm. Anyone that runs an engine and relies on periodically checking the temp or oil pressure gauge, without an audible alarm, is looking for big trouble.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
I put the nut away somewhere with the idea that I might eventually come across the place it belonged. Now, of course, I can’t seem to find it. As memory serves it was the right size to fit on the mystery stud, and it was laying in the bilge in about the right place. It was definitely brass. The black wire has a “O” connector soldered onto its’ end. The connector looks way to big for the stud. I tried turning on the ignition key and touching the connector to the stud, and as far as I could tell, nothing happened. I guess I can try tracing the wire and see where it goes. That connector is on the engine block for a reason. I have the engine wiring diagram for the boat, but it just shows all the connections - not where they are actually attached to the engine.
Shouldn’t the low oil pressure alarm come on with the key turned on and the engine not running anyway? On my last boat with a Yanmar the low oil pressure alarm came on as soon as you turned the key, and stayed on until the engine fired up and oil started circulating.
I have a NS 26, 1981 vintage, with the w 13 engine. The oil pressure sending unit is in the location you described, just under the filter. The dip stick hole is near there too. The connection to the sender is a push on type of connector that slides onto a stud on the sender. Being so close to the dipstick, the wire frequently gets knocked off when checking the oil, or changing the filter, thus no alarm at all.. You are correct in assuming that the alarm should go off as soon as the key is turned on and the engine not running. Same is true when shutting the engine off, (if shut down by shutting off fuel supply) The alarm rings as soon as the engine stops, and continues until the key is turned off.
If you can get the size/thread if that nut, I’ll search around my engine to see where such a nut lives that could fall in that location. A wire w a “big” O connector sounds like it might be a grounding connection, to some place on the engine?? How big is the wire? A picture is worth 1K words…
I will try for some pictures the next time I am at the boat. Despite the large connector the wire itself is quite small - looks like the same size as runs to the cabin lights etc.
This is my first season with the boat, so I am busy now trying to get the winterizing done and some sort of cover built before the snow and cold weather sets in.
The best piece of advice that I can give you (and Joe V. would heartily agree) is to NEVER change the oil - any oil. It is simply a Mugg’s game - just leads to more troubles.
Just keep pourin’ the new stuff in !!!
Cheers from your neighbour,
Ernie A. in Toronto (and how’s that kitchen going, anyhow ???)
It’s been SUCH a week for general BEE ESS that I thought I’d just add my coffee-cup’s worth. I confess that I certainly do religiously change my oils because I know that it is the greatest gift that I can bestow on my engine.
Here are two photos of the engine I took today. One shows the mystery connector located below the oil filter and the other another connection I am not sure about located above the oil filter. Hope someone can tell me what these things do.
I tend to agree with Thor. However, the big round black thing is actually the sender for the oil pressure “gauge”, as opposed to a “switch”for the low oil pressure alarm. The other looks like it’s mounted into an oil gallery but since it appears to be flat and black I’m not sure what it is. A freeze out plugs, 35 or 45mm would be silver in color and most likely painted red when the block was sprayed.
Ralph: Do you have an alarm system or just the gauges??
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
I have never heard an alarm sound on the boat which is something I would expect to hear every time I start the engine or shut it down as long as the key is turned on. My wiring diagram shows an alarm circuit but it is connected to the rest of the diagram by a dashed line. I wonder if this means it is an optional feature. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me as I would expect audible alarms to be standard and gauges to be an extra feature.
The wiring diagram does show separate sensors for the alarm section and the gauges.
Where would the alarm buzzer be physically located? I could check and see if it is there if I knew where to look.
While delivering a 35 ft sailboat. I had the unhappy responsibility of calling the owner to tell him his engine just seized up due to the drain plug suddenly falling out which caused a loss of oil pressure. If it had an alarm, I would have had time to shut it down. It is why I always preach on the need for having an audible alarm and not relying on a gauge! That cost the owner $12 ,000. My alarm is located right next to the companionway ladder.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Sweet Westerbeke $5.00 Autozone $2… I am guessing the Westerbeke one is marine grade…
The engine schema show it is in the general area above the oil filter. It the wire is grounded to the frost plug I am not sure it would be a very good ground. Since they are 25MM on all this line of engines measure it.
