Beta 14 no secondary fuel filter - how to bleed air?

BabaYaga

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The bleed screw pointed out in posts #18 and 19 is, if I’m not mistaken, the bleed screw on the injection pump.
My guess is that you will not have a bleed screw on the secondary filter head. I think it was only introduced when the filter was relocated to the front of the engine, at a more elevated level.
 

DangerousPirate

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photo showing bleed screw on my BETA 14.

Thank you very much, will bleed the engine tomorrow and Hope thats all I need to do. (But should be it honestly)
Think bleed screw visible photo 2 post 9, top middle behind throttle cable.

I reckon you have the same space as me for changing the filter. You do it largely by feel!

Can't even get my hand down there so hm. I think I have ti lift the engine out to change it lol. But should be alright.

Can you cut an access hole in a bulkhead near the filter? It can have a simple small hatch cover, or a door, to close it off normally.

Otherwise (or perhaps anyway) have a word with Beta, and see if they can provide fittings from the later version of the same engine (which has the filter mounted at the front of the engine) to assist you in relocating yours.
No quarterberths on this boat (Nicholson 30) right next(around) it is (are) the lockers from the cockpit. I COULD do a head over dive in cramped space in the slightly rolly mooring! That sounds like fun. Or, alternatively, I will just wait until I am in a marina again and have time and then just call beta marina, that's a good idea.


Thanks everyone for the outstanding help again! I was so sure there is no filter and I also didn't know I can bleed air through the injector. Learned a bit more once again. :)

Will report tomorrow if it worked.
 

Spirit (of Glenans)

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Okay, I investigated a little and looked at that, I took a picture.
I see where it all leads, below MAYBE is a filter (cant access it due to no room) but I definitely see no bleeding screw.

The bleeding screw from the injection pump would work, too, or not? Not sure. Don't want to mess around with the injection just to try stuff. If yes can you put a pointer for me so I can be 100%? Then I'd just bleed the air through there and buy a secondary filter later when I have time for that.
Isn't that it, there, right in the middle of the picture, beside the evacuation pump. It has two hose connections and is a cylinder mounted horizontally?
 

donm

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Can you cut an access hole in a bulkhead near the filter? It can have a simple small hatch cover, or a door, to close it off normally.

Otherwise (or perhaps anyway) have a word with Beta, and see if they can provide fittings from the later version of the same engine (which has the filter mounted at the front of the engine) to assist you in relocating yours.
Beta will sell you a kit to site the filter at the front of the engine so that you can replace it without scraped knuckles and spilling diesel into the bilges! I did mine a few years ago - it’s an easy fit
 

DangerousPirate

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Okay, little update. I opened the screws and use the little lever at the bottom pump and pump and pump but no diesel comes out? I pumped for 5 minutes at a point. Are you guys sure this is the right spot?

Okay, it IS the right spot. But the little lever was stuck internally or something. I dropped a wrench on it andcit banged it and now it works?
 
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DangerousPirate

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You may also find (on another occasion) that the pump doesn't work with the crankshaft in certain positions (it depends on a cam under the pump). If it's not pumping turn the engine a little using the starter motor, or a spanner on the pulley on the crank end.
Will look at that once I got spare parts. The screw broke off. I Didn't even tighten it very hard, guess it was broken before already. Screw head broke off in such an awkward manner that some of the body is still stuck, and when the engine runs (or tries to) all the diesel squirts out. Just my luck with engines. Small job immobilized me. ?‍♂️

At least I got to write beta marine for spares at the end.
 

donm

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Another worthwhile mod is to put an outboard squeeze priming bulb in the line permanently just before the fuel pump. That way you can quickly bleed the system and will not affect the engine operation . But make sure you put the bulb pointing the right way - it usually has an arrow showing the direction of flow!
 

DangerousPirate

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Another worthwhile mod is to put an outboard squeeze priming bulb in the line permanently just before the fuel pump. That way you can quickly bleed the system and will not affect the engine operation . But make sure you put the bulb pointing the right way - it usually has an arrow showing the direction of flow!
That's a worthy installation and a very good idea. Probably better than the little lever pump.
 
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