3 cylinder Beta K45466 engine: oil pressure light and alarm.

[NealB]

Asking for a friend.

He's done a very tidy, workmanlike, job of installing a new 3 cylinder Beta engine in his lovely Liz 33.

On Saturday, we bled the fuel system, and, after just a few seconds on the starter, it fired up beautifully.

Hmmmmmm .........Great stuff ................but, at idle, the oil pressure light comes on, and the buzzer sounds.

It's got this panel: Control Panel - C Deluxe

With the control lever in neutral, the light and alarm go off at around 2000 rpm (when the throttle is opened slowly).

When the throttle is then slowly closed, both come back on at around 1100 rpm.

If I remember correctly, the oil pressure gauge shows around 25 PSI at idle.

The oil level is about midway between the min. and max. holes on the dipstick.

He's going to call the dealer today, but I just wondered if anyone here has some words of wisdom they'd be willing to share, please?

A faulty sender or pressure relief valve, maybe?

 

[earlybird]

Assuming correct oil, 25psi at idle sounds reasonable to me, so relief valve should be OK. 2000 rpm to quell the alarm seems high. Points to a possible sender problem IMO. Beta 'phone advice is very helpful in my experience. This presumably is with the oil not yet at full running temperture.

 

[NealB]

25psi at idle sounds reasonable to me, so relief valve should be OK. 2000 rpm to quell the alarm seems high. Points to a possible sender problem IMO. Beta 'phone advice is very helpful in my experience.

Thank you ..... good to hear.

Edit (after earlybird's edit):

- yes, it's the right oil: 15w40, I think it was (but the owner knows a thing or two about engines, and double-checked it himself)

- yes, the engine was only run for a few minutes at a time, and not under load, so wouldn't be at anywhere near full operating temperature.

 

[earlybird]

For reference, from the Kubota workshop manual for 05 engines, on which the 3 cylinder Beta 25 is based:-
Oil pressure at idle, 7psi. At rated speed 28-44psi, min 21.3psi.
Presumably with warm oil.
HTH.

 

[graham]

Check the red line on the gauge is in the right place. You can adjust the redline with a small allen key in the back of the gauge.

It should be set on about 0.5 bar (about 7 psi)

Sounds like yours could be set too high.

 

[NealB]

Check the red line on the gauge is in the right place. You can adjust the redline with a small allen key in the back of the gauge.

It should be set on about 0.5 bar (about 7 psi)

Sounds like yours could be set too high.

Thank you!

So the position of the red line determines when the warning light, and the alarm, are switched on: is that right?

I must admit that I hadn't, really, noticed the 'red line', so I don't know what psi it's set at on my pal's panel.

In my complete ignorance, I assumed the red line was just a very vague visual guide.

 

[Supertramp]

Check the red line on the gauge is in the right place. You can adjust the redline with a small allen key in the back of the gauge.

It should be set on about 0.5 bar (about 7 psi)

Sounds like yours could be set too high.

Thanks for this.

That explains why the oil warning light and buzzer at my inside helm goes off after the outside control panel one (with no gauge) .

 

[Shanty]

If moving the red line does't solve the problem, phone Beta Marine direct. I know from personal experience that they are incredibly helpful, all the more so if this engine is still under warranty.

 

[graham]

Beta used different makes of gauges at different times.

With "Murphy " brand gauges look at the back for a little brass allen screw set into a hole.

This adjusts the position of the red line .When the needle drops below the red line the buzzer should sound.from memory you need a 1.5 or 2 mm allen key.
.

 

[NealB]

Great stuff ..... thanks for the replies, folks!

My mate has spoken to the dealer, who confirms the 'move the red line' fix.

So obvious ..... now I know!

 

[NealB]

I've just heard that graham's 'move the red line' fix, has worked: thanks graham.

It seems a bit odd, to me, that it's not mentioned in the manual.

Anyway ...... a nice, quick, simple, fix,and the engine looks, and sounds, good.

Oh yeah ..... and I've learned something!

 

[earlybird]

New to me too. So the light, as well as the buzzer is switched by the gauge?

 

[NealB]

New to me too. So the light, as well as the buzzer is switched by the gauge?

I guess the same sender turns both on or off at the same time.

Placing an easily adjusted sender in the gauge seems like a neat idea to me: may even be very common on modern engines, perhaps?

I guess the red line on the temperature gauge can also be adjusted for the overheating warning light and buzzer?