Westerbeke 21 Rear Leak

Newsgroups Archive Prior to 2025
1

I have what appears to be an engine oil leak at the rear of the engine.

Has anyone replaced the rear engine crank seal?

It looks like it means removing the transmission, damper plate, crank wheel before getting to the seal. Maybe the aft plate as well… hard to say from the parts diagrams.

Other than the access is is ok but not great it does not look like a hugely complex job. I’d replace the damper plate at the same time.

http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/catalogs/catalog_group.php?owner=mdd&page_ident=32139-202-203&model=W%2013/18/21/27/33%204.4/6/7.7/8/11/12.5%20KW%20Generators&manufacturer=Westerbeke&title=18-21-27-33%20Cylinder%20Block&quant_position=&catalog=32139&printparts=&printservice=&printoperators=&comment1=

2

Have not worked on a W21 but I believe you must remove the oil pan and rear main bearing cap. Motor removal from the engine beds is likely required.

Ward Woodruff

N33 #8 Margery
Niantic Bay, CT

3

Hi,

When we had our 21 Westerbeke, it had a slow leak at the rear engine seal. It did not get worse but later when replacing the transmission the damper plate and the seal were replaced as well. This was done on the hard but the engine did not have to be moved.

Rob Powers
Respite 26C #50
Sidney BC

4

So it looks like it’s the valve cover… but what insanity finding parts

Westerbeke wanted $300 US for two small rubber washers that resemble a tap washer.

Mitsubishi Japan , delivered same part… $14 Canadian

5

I had to repair my sail drive in June which self distracted off Watch Hill, RI going to the starting line of a race. I have a Beta 30 w/saildrive. I had a mechanic friend help me do the work, and we disassembled the engine from the sail drive, and luckily got the needed parts to rebuild the damaged sail drive parts. The Beta 30 people wanted to sell me a new sail drive ($7K) which wouldn’t be ready by November 2023. However, my mechanic friend was able to obtain loose parts from a spare new sail drive he knew about and we got the job done. There are major problems getting parts for engines, and I recommend that you figure out the parts and order them ASAP, and don’t do the job by yourself because it takes 2 to move/rig the engine into the cabin, and feed tools and parts to the mechanic. The engine can be easily worked on in the cabin if you don’t want to rig it out of the boat, and the work was completed relatively quickly (like 3 nights after work 3 hrs/night).

Joe Carroll, Madaket, Nonsuch 30 Classic #56

6

In the case of the Mitsubishi parts they are surprisingly affordable as they are used in 100’s of applications. One rule of thumb, if it takes a metric bolt it’s Mitsubishi, if it needs SAE it’s Westerbeke.