| Author |
Message |
    
Michael Bronsink
New member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007 - 10:28 am: | 
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Greetings to all,
I have recently purchased a boat with a Palmer BH-25 engine. I have also purchased the Palmer BH series maintenance booklet from the Heritage Engine Collection people for reference. The boat has been run only in fresh water so I hope to have no issues there. I have not yet had it running but have done the following. The water pump grease cup was totally plugged with dried grease so after removing the pump, cleaning it out, and inspecting the gears, I reassembled, using the original gasket with a little sealer, assuming the gasket thickness is critical. (.005)
My next step was to remove the Zenith 87 series carburetor. I found it to be in fair condition. However, the drain plug in the bowl was frozen with the driver slot ground away. I have replaced it with a petcock valve. The Main jet is another issue. The main jet adjusting valve has apparently been replaced with a pipe plug, thus no adjustment. The jet itself is marked as a 40 but checked with a pin gauge is actually a 43. The idle jet is marked 14 but checks out as 27. I also have no idea where to set the float level as I have not been able to locate a rebuild kit for this carburetor.
After reading around on the fuel system with this type motor, I am considering changing over to a low pressure electric fuel pump.
My BH-25 serial number is 3705257, and the gear box cover has the "Palmer BH25" cover with the following casting ID on the side, "GH W-8170".
I have been trying to get some definitive answers on these issues with little feedback so any information will be appreciated.
Thanks for your time.
Mike Bronsink |
J.B. Castagnos
Senior Member
Username: jb_castagnos
Post Number: 299
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, October 21, 2007 - 08:15 pm: |
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An eletric fuel pump should be wired to only run when the engine is running. A flooding carb can stall an engine and then fill the bilge with fuel. On larger engines this is done with an oil pressure switch or through the alternator. If you engine has a starter generator it could be done through there, with a relay. These systems use a bypass to supply power to the pump when cranking. |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, October 22, 2007 - 08:20 pm: |
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Thanks for the information. Is there an electrical schematic available for this type of hook up with a starter generator? |
Richard A. Day Jr.
Senior Member
Username: richardday
Post Number: 529
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - 08:48 am: |
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Michail, There are wiring diagrams in the BH/PW-27 handbook. The casting mark on the reverse gear BH W 8170 is simply a Palmer part number. BHW stands for Model BH W. W, meaning when the water pump was changed to a Palmer made water pump there had to be a slight change in the Port side of the reverse gear housing to permit clearance for the bronze water pump. Your engine was made in 1957 according to the serial number. I would like to add it to the annual listing of Palmer serial numbers I publish. I ask people not to put the listing on the internet as there are too many people mining the internet for names and addresses for who knows what purpose. So far no one has violated that request. If you wish to be added please send me an e-mail. If you don't wish to be added I will simply add the serial number as a known Palmer BHW with no name or address unless you object to even that limated listing. |
J.B. Castagnos
Senior Member
Username: jb_castagnos
Post Number: 301
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - 08:37 pm: |
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I would try using a Bosch type relay, these are available on Ebay with the connector for a reasonable price. Connect terminal 85 from the relay to the armature terminal of the generator. Terminal 86 to ground. Terminal 30 through a fuse to the battery positive. Terminal 87 to the fuel pump. The 85 & 86 terminals energize the relay coil,if my thinking is correct, when cranking the armature will have battery voltage for starting. This will turn the relay on and start the pump. Once started the armature should have enough voltage to keep the relay in, the pump will continue running. Once the engine is stopped it will no longer have voltage on the armature and the pump should quit. A momentary on switch wired between battery positive and the pump could be used for priming and could be held in in case of a generator failure. |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - 07:40 pm: |
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Thank you for the information and advise. I will keep copies of these postings and incorporate them into my boat/engine plans.
Mike B. |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 6
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, August 04, 2008 - 12:05 am: |
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Looking for some help. I have been trying to get my BH 25 to run at some sort of idle. It wants to go to full throttle unless I constantly work both the throttle and choke. Apparently it's a fuel problem somewhere. I've completely disassembled and cleaned both fuel pump and carburator. The carburator does not have a main jet adjusting screw, only a plug. The idle adjustment screw is unable to currently make any difference at this point. I'm thinking that it's time to try the electric fuel pump. Any thoughts or other suggestions as to what I might try? |
Roger DiRuscio
Senior Member
Username: solarrog
Post Number: 309
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 04, 2008 - 12:11 am: |
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sounds like a vacuum leak, But you didn't say if you checked the main bearings and seals or the intake gaskets. Is there any problems in these areas ??? |
Richard A. Day Jr.
Senior Member
Username: richardday
Post Number: 647
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 04, 2008 - 12:50 pm: |
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Michael, The needle valve assembly for the 87 and 61 series are mechanically interchangeable. Simply take the series 61, no. 56 needle valve assembly and screw it into the 87 using the valve seat (jet) 32 in the 87 series carburetor. My guess is someone ringed the adjustable needle valve or lost it and just stuck a hex plug in its. place. Hope this helps. |
J.B. Castagnos
Senior Member
Username: jb_castagnos
Post Number: 386
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Monday, August 04, 2008 - 09:03 pm: |
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Roger, the Baby Husky is a 4 cycle, so the crankcase condition won't affect it, vacuum leaks in the intake would. I would take the carb apart and inspect the idle circuit. The idle circuit picks up fuel from the bowl, usually goes through a low speed jet, then to the idle mixture screw, and into the throat above the throttle plate. An aerosol can of carb cleaner will do a good job of tracing the path and cleaning it at the same time. If it's an updraft, the path usually goes through the bowl gasket, a side draft is usually drilled into the body. There should be a plug where the paths change direction, a leak here could cause a lean condition. The idle mixture screw is on the engine side of the throttle plate and will not affect high speed mixture, I would start with it about 2 turns open. |
Spence Kerrigan
Member
Username: kerrigan
Post Number: 5
Registered: 06-2008
| | Posted on Monday, August 04, 2008 - 10:37 pm: |
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Michael,
Send me your email address and I'll send you some Zenith drawings containing details related to the Model 87 carburetor, including jet sizes, float level settings and changes made to this model from 1950 to 1972. Zenith no longer supply this model but may have some parts.
Spence |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 7
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, August 09, 2008 - 10:57 pm: |
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Spence, Thanks very much for the Zenith information. It was just what I needed to get my carb back in shape. I ordered the parts I needed and got them the next day. I appreciate all the leg work and your willingness to share it. I thought I was going to be all set with carb work finished but unfortunatley I found water in my oil just as I was about to get the boat in the water. I figured I might as well start with taking the head off and see if anything was obviously wrong. Lucky me, It turned out to be only a bad head gasket. Now my problem is to find one as soon as possible. It looks like Gaskets to Go will take several weeks and I'm hoping to have my boat in the water for my vacation beginning next friday. Any suggestions as to where I might find one sooner?
Thanks again Spence. |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 8
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 11:06 am: |
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Hello all, Looking for a Palmer BH head gasket as soon as possible. If you have one you might sell please let me know. Thanks a lot. |
Spence Kerrigan
Member
Username: kerrigan
Post Number: 6
Registered: 06-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 12:02 pm: |
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Mike,
I have a copper clad head gasket for a Palmer BH-25. Contact me by email at [email protected] |
Michael Bronsink
Member
Username: timekeeper
Post Number: 9
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2008 - 07:24 pm: |
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Greetings to all,
I want to thank Richard Day and Spence Kerrigan for their quick help and response to my BH head gasket need at the last minute before our vacation. Needless to say I was really hoping to take our boat with us. Thanks for making it happen.
I'll give a little back ground to the problem I had. As I have previously explained, I had little success getting my BH to idle in any reliable manner. I appreciate all the different suggestions of things to look for. As it turns out, just before our vacation, I found water in the engine oil. I then found that the aft corner head bolt was apparently over torqued to the point that the bolt was broken mostly through. When I attemped to remove it, it broke very easily leaving the threaded end in the cylinder. The bolt piece backed out quite easily and there was no damage to the cylinder threads or the head. I'll try to send a couple pictures of the head gasket itself showing where I believe the water was getting into the cylinder at the point where the head bolt had been broken. The gasket also had been blown at one of the oval cylinder passages. Possibly another location where water might have leaked through or lost compression?. I also decided to recheck the carburetor for any obstructions in the idle passageways. I found all the passageways clear, however I did find that the float level was much too high.
After reassembling the carburetor and replacing the bad head gasket I once again launched the boat. The engine easily started and ran quite well. It was idling just as I had hoped it would. Amazing.
The engine is still running well today. When I torqued the head down (all new head bolts), I used the PW setting of 32 Foot Pounds. I hope this is correct and wonder if I might need to retorque later.
Well thats it in a nut shell. Thanks again OME members for your help and suggestions. I hope to someday return the favor. |
Spence Kerrigan
Member
Username: kerrigan
Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, September 19, 2009 - 07:20 pm: |
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Open this link to see photos of the BH-25 I have listed on Craig's list
http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/1362291687.html |
