Changing Coolant; Drive Belt Adjustment - Westerbeke 4.5 BCG Operator's Manual

COOLING SYSTEM
CHANGING COOLANT
The engine's cooiant must be changed according to
the
MAJNlENANCE SCHEDULE. If the coolant is allowed to
become contaminated, it can lead to overheating problems.
A
CAUTION:
Proper cooling
syst9111
maintenance
is
critical; a substantial number of engine failures can be
traced bat:k to coo/Ing syst,em corrosion.
Drain. the e11gine coolant by removing the
~
plug on the
engine block and opening the manifold pressure cap. Flush
the system with fresh water, then reinstall the drain and start
the refill process.
NOTE:
The
drain petcock on the heat exchanger should also
be used
to
help drain engine coolant. ·
A
WARNJNG:
.Bewate of the hot engine coolant.
Wear protective gloves.
Refilling the Coolant
After replacing the engine block drain plug, close the heat
exchanger~s-c_oolant petcock. Then run
the
engine at idle and
slowly pour clean, premixed coolant into the manifold.
Monitor the coolant in the manjfold and add
as
needed. Fill
the manifold to the filler neck and install the manifold
pressure cap.
Remove the cap on the coolant recovery tank and fill with
coolant mix to halfway between LOW and MAX and replace
the cap. Run the engine
and
observe the coolant expansion
flow into the recovery tank.
After checking for leaks, stop the engine and allow
it
to cool.
Coolant should draw back into the cooling system
as
the
engine cools down. Add coolant to the recovery tank if
needed and check the coolant in the manifold. Gean up any
spilled coolant.
DRIVE BELT ADJUSTMENT
For your safety, Weste:rbeke generator models come equipped
with belt
guards
that cover over the belt(s) on the front of the
engine. ("Out of sight -out of mind." The belt guard is NOT
installed for that purpose.) Operators
are
advised that proper
inspection, service, and maintenance is required.
Drive beltS must be properly tensioned. Loose drive belts
will not provide proper alternator charging and will eventu-
ally damage the alternator. Drive belts that are
too
tight will
pull the alternator out of alignment and/or cause the alterna-
tor to wear ont prematurely. Excessive drive belt tension can
also cause rapid wear of the belt and reduce the service life
of
th~~
water pump's bearing. A slack belt or the pres-
ence of oil on· the belt can cause belt slipping, resulting in
high
operating temperatures.
The· drive belt
is
properly adjusted if the belt
can
be deflected
no less than
3/8
inch (lOmm) and no more than 1/2 inch
(12mm) as the belt is depressed with the thumb at the mid-
point between the
two
pulleys on the
longest span of the belt.
. A spare belt or belts should always be carried on board.
A
WARNING: NeWll attempt
to
t:heck or ad/usttbe
dtlre belt's tension while the engine Is la apBtBllan.
GOVERNOR
FRESHWATER
· PUMP PULLEY
Adjusting
Ben
Tension
L Remove the belt guard.
FRONT CRANKSl-JAFT PULLEY
2. Loosen the alternator adjusting strap bolt and the base
mounting bolt.
3. With the belt loose, inspect for
wear,
cracks, and ftayed
edges.
4. Pivot the altematOr on the
base
mounting bolt to the left
or right
as
required, to loosen or tighten.
5. Tighten the base mounting bolt and
the
adjusting strap
bolt.
6. Operate the generator for about 5 minutes then·shut down
and recheck the belt tension.
7. Replace the guard.
Engines & Generaters
16