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Calling Beta Engine Owners

T

terry_thatcher

Terence Thatcher
Guys: I am looking for detailed Info from those of you who have installed Beta 38,43, and 50 engines. I spent some time talking to Jay Green who had strange issues with his Beta 38 and its transmission He installed a Beta electric lift pump before his Racor filter under the sink which caused air in the fuel and engine stoppage. He could not fix it and finally put in a day tank. He also has already had to rebuild his TMC60 transmission. It leaks (they all do he says) and it burned up..

So, those of you who have installed electric lift pumps: any problems? How are the pumps plumbed with respect to filters. Steve, have you fixed your issue of pump placement? I understand the 43 and 50 don't need the electric pump.

Anyone having transmission problems with the TMC60? Leaks? Failures?

Thanks.
 
To Beta owners who have been having fuel delivery problems: I just talked to the West Coast distributor. He told me that the 38 should be able to pull from a tank like ours once the engine is primed. But he expected you would have a hard time priming without an electric pump. He also suggested that you may be having problems if you did not install the fuel return line correctly. It either has to go in to the tank through a tube to the bottom of the tank, like the pick up tube, or the return line must dip below the bottom of the tank in a loop and then rise again to enter the tank. If you did not do that, air can enter the system. I will continue investigating and pass on whatever I learn. Don't know if I trust them yet. When I told him that Stanley from North Carolina was telling everyone to install electric pumps and run them constantly during engine operation, he said, as nicely as he could, that Stanley didn't know what he was talking about.
 
I re power last year with Beta 38 with TMC60 gear ratio 2.5. I have original 16X11 prop. Right now I have 250 hrs on engine. My fuel setup: f tank, shut off valve, fuel filter, electric pump, engine fuel pump, engine f. filter, engine. My f filter and pump are in the kitchen cabinet. I'm using Facet F-40163, 1.5 -2.5 PSI pump. Engine starts every time. What I found that if is not used for while it stops after few seconds of run, when started again never repeats this pattern. I think this is because I'm draining engine thru return line. I'm thinking to route loop on return line above the engine to have some fuel in return line. Did anybody try this ? My cruising rpm: 2200- 2400 speed between 5 an 6.5 knts ( my boat is heavy ) fuel consumption around 0.65 gal/hr.
I think my boat is slightly "uderprop". Did anybody try another prop ( different pitch/ diameter or Max Prop) with this engine and the same transmission ratio ?
I re power myself, what I found during installation that on Beta supplied footings nuts that hold the studs where not tide and when tiding and turning alignment nuts you can turn studs, which is of course changing your vertical alignment. tide them before installation. Another thing which is easy to do, is to replace cutlass bearing. You can pull the shaft in the engine compartment, no need to drop the rudder.
 
Yurek, thanks for this.

With a 2.5 reduction, you surely are underpropped, especially in diameter. But 16 is pretty much the limit in diameter. On the stopping, I can't explain that. But, read the manual. There is supposed to be loop of fuel return line dropping below the bottom of the fuel tank. That enables the engine to "self-prime," I was told. If you have not done that, it may explain the problem.
 
Oops, another question: Is the filter you use a Racor 500? So, the electric pump has to pull from the bottom of the tank (maybe 9-10") and then pull up to the top of the Racor, maybe another 9 or 10". Is that right?
 
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