Generator blowing bubbles

[Otrtrucker1960]

My generator is blowing bubbles out of the sea water inlet. No exhaust is coming out of the exhaust outlet on the side of the boat.
I recently changed the generator out, because the old one was worn out and did not start. I had been cranking on the old one numerous times, to no avail.
The new generator wants to run, but will not start. Injectors have been bled. Filters changed.
If I have flooded the muffler, how do I get it cleared, so the generator will run? I suspect that excessive back pressure is what is causing it to not run.

 

[Arc]

Stop everything. You see air coming out the water intake? Who did this installation?

 

[High Wire]

Is the engine rotating backwards? There should be an arrow.
Can you pull the exhaust hose off the elbow, assuming it’s above water level?

 

[Lepke]

The muffler should have a drain plug or valve. I use a valve closed by exhaust pressure that opens when the engine is stopped.

 

[Larry M]

You may have hydro-locked the engine. Shut off the raw water intake and pull an injector. Look into the cylinder. If there’s water, get help asap.

 

[kchace]

It seems like the exhaust is blocked

 

[Otrtrucker1960]

Group reply

Thank you all. I found the problem. I used a big shop vac to simulate exhaust flow. Nothing was passing from the mixer elbow to the outlet on the side of the hull. I broke the exhaust system into sections and tested for flow. I discovered that the aluminum elbow at the inlet to the muffler was clogged with corrosion and salt crystals.
I bought the boat a year ago. It had sat in the slip for over six years. Before that, it was used extensively in salt water.
I cleaned out the elbow, and reassembled the exhaust, after vacuuming out the system. Went through the starting sequence. It fired up and ran like a champ!

 

[sunchaser]

Is this blockage responsible for the failure of the previous genset?

 

[Greg QS]

a prudent new genset install should come with all new intake and exhaust systems. IMO

 

[Otrtrucker1960]

I bought the genset used. The owner had removed it from his sailboat, and had it serviced by Western Branch Diesel.

 

[Otrtrucker1960]

The old generator was worn out. Almost no compression. And the valves all needed replacing as well. The first layer of metal on the valve faces was worn away.

 

[High Wire]

Thanks for closing the loop.

 

[Larry M]

Wow! Glad it was such an easy fix. I bet you’re sleeping better?