Self starting Diesel ?

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Tom Spohn

Tom Spohn

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Jun 7, 2004
383
Schock 35 Seattle
I have a real mystery here. I asked a local welder to visit my boat in the marina and give me an estimate on repairing some damage to the bow pulpit. He called me with the estimate and mentioned that he knocked on the door of the boat since the engine was running, to see if I was on board. I wasn't. Later I visited the boat and found my diesel engine running--just idling away nice as ever. The key was not in the ignition; the throttle was in idle; it was out of gear. The boat was locked and the key was inside where I left it. I pushed in the fuel cutoff and it stopped normally. This is a Perkins/Perama M30 engine that will run without the key in the ignition, but it needs some glow plug which is activated by the key and some throttle advance to start it. Does anyone have any idea of how this engine started itself? This is no joke. Help!
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,336
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Wiring harness is a first choice

Some Catalina Westerbeke engines have been known to start that way all by themselves. The wiring harness from the engine to the cockpit panel is the culprit. Give the connections at each end a thorough check.
 
NYSail

NYSail

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Jan 6, 2006
3,178
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
Strange indeed

I once had an MGB that started itself and crashed through our fence and ended up in my fathers rose garden......had to rip all the wires out to make it stop. Apparently it was a crossed wire in the ignition system that caused the sart-up. I always shut my fuel lines down before I leave the boat so nothing freeky like that happens again... Good luck! Greg
 
M

Mike

Warm beer

I heard Lucas also made fridges and that's why the British drink warm beer. Actually my 70 Midget was very reliable unlike my wife's Spitfire.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,336
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
MGB starting?

I thought with the Lucas starters, they never did. :)
 
Tim Welsh

Tim Welsh

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Jun 4, 2004
167
- - Conway, Lake Ouachita, Arkansas
If the next time you go down and the sails are up

call an exorcist just kidding Tim Welsh H34 S/V Cabo Wabo
 
Tim R.

Tim R.

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May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
My spitfire

Was very reliable...once I replaced the entire wiring harness! Great cars but the electronics were a nightmare. I remember them having 3 30 amp fuses. Kinda scarey. Carbs could be fusy but only if you neglected them. I used to have a blast racing my '69 at Bridgehampton before the track was destroyed to build condos or a golf course or something even more idiotic! Tim R.
 
B

Big Joe

It's a sailor ghost

I don't know if it applies in your case but there was a post not long ago on the same issue. It came out that the starter was arcing across two of it's posts because of corrosion. And the owner kept finding his boat was starting on it's own. Good Luck, Regards, Big Joe
 
Paul Akers

Paul Akers

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Dec 3, 2003
2,101
Hunter Legend 37 Portsmouth, RI
Leave the Selector Switch Off

In the meantime, leave your selector switch off to prevent this, but be sure not to leave your battery charger running.
 
RAD

RAD

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Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
Tim R..

Fond memorys of Bridgehampton,Islip and National speedways :)
 
R

Rob19574

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Feb 4, 2005
524
Catalina C-30 Mattituck, NY
Battery Switch

Tom, Strange indeed and I bet the advice from the guys here will probaly solve the problem. In the meantime though, make sure you have your battery switch selected to the off postion to prevent another accidental starting. Its better its starts verses it not-starting :) Rob
 
Tom Spohn

Tom Spohn

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Jun 7, 2004
383
Schock 35 Seattle
Starter

Stu, Big Joe, Paul, Rob, Thanks for the ideas. It seems to me that the starter had to have engaged to fire it up. The engine starts very easily and usually fires on the first turn of the starter. I will check for connections, and arcing. Thanks for the ideas.
 
J

John5961

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Jun 27, 2005
143
Hunter 27_75-84 Atlanta
Lucas

Chris stole my comment I had several british motorcycles when I was young and dumber than I am now. Each and every one tried it's best to do me in by shorting out the lights in the middle of the night (usually while tooling along at 60+ mph....) Damn brits :)
 
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