Cold starting Yanmars

[dralex]

Now the weather is getting colder, my Yanmar 2GM20 is getting slower to kick over. The starter motor gives plenty of welly and turns the engine well. There are is no preheating system. On the older Yanmars, you have to put the throttle to full when starting from cold. I've heard that Quick start should only ever be used when in dire straits.

Any top tips for quick efficient starting and is is possible to fit some form of preheating system?

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Evadne]

Other than the full throttle bit, in cold weather I turn my 1GM over by hand a few times with the decompression lever lifted, to stir the oil up a bit. It makes it easier for the starter motor to turn it over.

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[Robin]

Whatever you do NEVER use Quickstart, that is the beginning of an expensive rebuild, absolute emergency use only.

We have a 4 cylinder Yanmar which does have heaters but I have never used them, the engines are direct injection and should start readily without heaters unlike an indirect injection one.

One thing though is that we ALWAYS start the engine with the throttle at tickover setting and did the same on various engines over many years and found them much easier to start, might be worth a try. In an emergency you can try heating the air filter (assuming it is metal) over the gas stove, if you warm the intake air it will help. I did this on a chartered boat one time when the heaters failed through a faulty key switch.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[dralex]

Thanks- will try idle start.

Just out of interest, why does Quickstart cause damage? I've used it once on a cold St Peter Prt morning with a dud battery.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[Talbot]

quickstart contains ether which in engines not designed for it can breakdown the lubrication to the cylinders during that initial start periiod, thus causing ecessive wear.

I have come across an old diesel (possibly enfield) that had a buillt in start using ether which was pumped into the carbuartion side from a purpose built device. These were a tad difficult to start at the best of times, and this must have been the only way the manufacturer could get them to spark into life.

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[Robin]

As Talbot says it is based on Ether and this fires so readily (which is why it is used) that it can even fire on the exhaust stroke with an open exhaust valve. This is soon followed by a burnt valve/seat and loss of compression which causes poor starting and needing more Quickstart which in turn causes...... Also as Talbot says it will remove the oil film in the cylinder and the £50 notes from your wallet!



<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[Trevethan]

My lister doesn't have glowplugs either, but there is a cold start setting on the engine. a small lever which I think over fuells when starting in cold weather.

I have a calorifier fitted and find cranking on the immersion for an hour warm the block, and help starting

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[steve28]

I always start on 3/4 throttle, as recomended by yanmar themselfs. Once its going then back down to tickover.
Always works never had problems and can hand start in the same way decompressing one cylinder first.

steve

Ps as the others say never use easy anything on an engine.

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[cindersailor]

I have a 1GM which even after replacement of a bent con-rod and new rings is reluctant to cold start, it needs a rebore really I think. However, in the meantime I have fitted a glow plug into the air cleaner which I switch on for 30 seconds or so before a cold start. Works a treat! Note that this may not be compatable with the original air-filter element, my engine never had one and I have just fitted a gauze to discourage inquisitive spiders. I did consider modifying a 12V hairdryer to attach to the air filter housing, but the glowplug works fine.

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[boatmike]

See my answer to "steve gorst" above re easystart.
Question: Does your fuel pump not have a cold start setting?
On old engines the fuel pump sometimes has a cold start button on the side that you had to press in to start from cold. All old Volvos had one and many owners dont know it's there. It should be a sprung button that you push in on about 1/4 throttle which resets after the engine has fired and is returned to slow running. Have not worked on many old Yanmars so don't know if you have one, but if you do it is the answer.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by boatmike on 09/11/2004 15:22 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[salamicollie]

The old (YS series) and small (GM Series) yanmars have no cold start position. It push the throttle to 2/3 or 3/4 and crank.

I have found that a quick crank with the throttle closed and decompressed helps to warm the bores and was the only way of starting the old boats YSB on a cool day!

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[Oldhand]

Yanmar GM series cold starting posts are an annual event at this time of year. It is a "feature" of these engines to be slow cold starters. Just make sure you have a healthy battery. Some manual "tickling" of the fuel lift pump lever before starting improves things if any air is getting into the fuel system, i.e if the engine fuel filter is wet on the bottom which is a common problem.

Strangely, Yanmar fit a glow plug for cold starting the JH series of engines which start instantly without using the glow plug in any temperature the UK South Coast can offer!

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[boatmike]

Yes this often helps but not because you are warming the bores, it's because you are injecting exess fuel into the chamber that will not ignite untill you drop the valve. This was always the trick with Volvos too, spin the engine ip to max revs with the valve lifters on and drop each valve in turn. On a single cylinder of course you only have one. Hurrah for modern engines with glow plugs eh!

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[Robin]

Yep, we have a 4JHE never needs glow plug assist even in freezing conditions after 3 months unused.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[dralex]

Thanks for all the replies- the engine will start reliably when cold when the throttle is at 2/3- full, but just takes more winding up- I'll definately bear in mind having a juicy battery and also try decompressed cranking on very cold days.

Cheers

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[alahol2]

Maybe something like <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.troppo.co.uk> Follow the Tightwad Sailor

 

[Evadne]

I knew someone who fittd an oil heater to his car, and it always started easily every morning. It was fine as long as he remembered to unplug it before driving off. A fuel heater sounds a bit more refined and portable.

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[rickwat]

I have a 3GM which is perfect in warmer weather but unless the 2 x 100Ah batts were well charged and used on the "BOTH" setting on the switch in cold weather would drain the batts before starting. I doubled both banks so even with moderate charge can give a good spin when on BOTH position. You could be chasing your own tail if you try to get too technical.

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[Robin]

This is why a proper dedicated engine start battery is so much better. You can effectually double the domestic battery capacity by simply adding one dedicated cranking battery for the engine, leaving the original 2 for ship's use. That way the engine is started using a battery which is close to 100% charged rather than 1 or 2 which are not. With a 1/2/both switched system you will always need to reserve one battery for engine starting. Starting actually takes very little AH out of the battery normally and this will be quickly replaced by the alternator, a proper engine start battery will have high cranking amps (CCA) and will be quite small and inexpensive, just like in a small diesel car.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[paulrossall]

Robin I agree with your scheme and have same on my boat. I cannot understand why we have so much debate about batteries. Surely a dedicated engine battery and then as many domestics as needed is the safest and most reliable way to go. A proper car battery for starting the engine will give a better starting performance than a ny leisure-type battery because the car battery is designed to start an engine. IMHO.Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>" there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".