engine problems

[john.s]

i have a 3 litre volvo penta that ran sweet last september but when i have tried to start it this july it seems to be seized solid ,
i have put oil down the bores , had a socket on the crank nut but it will not turn
any ideas , or in the worse case sinario how much is a short engine ? and does anyone know if the 3 litre penta was biult soley as a marine engine ?


thanks and regards john

 

[moonraker 36]

i'm guessing it's the 3l petrol.
did you try to turn over with all the spark plug's removed?
wont turn over either way? (stuck open valve but it would turn a small amount one way).
water got down the inlet?
stuck piston ring?

 

[burgundyben]

Stuck starter motor?

 

[Bilgediver]

i have a 3 litre volvo penta that ran sweet last september but when i have tried to start it this july it seems to be seized solid ,
i have put oil down the bores , had a socket on the crank nut but it will not turn
any ideas , or in the worse case sinario how much is a short engine ? and does anyone know if the 3 litre penta was biult soley as a marine engine ?


thanks and regards john

It is also a car engine I believe and does not like sitting over the winter with water in the bores! I suspect water got into no 6 bore or more from the exhaust last time run and the piston seized. Search here as many threads on how to unsieze. Be a head off job I expect.

 

[john.s]

Stuck starter motor?

have taken the starter motor off so i could try and move the starting ring , removed plugs and poured kerosene into bores
had a socket on the crank nut
looking like a head off job
thanks for the replys guys
john

 

[spannerman]

Its based on the ancient GM 3 ltr motor, same as Mercruiser use, its been around for decades so a short block will be no problem.
I just had a cyl head go on my 5.7 V8, new head from Mercruiser £900 here in rip off Norway, so I went to a guy I know who specialises in american cars and got a recon head for £250, so the big bits can be got cheaply.

 

[john.s]

Its based on the ancient GM 3 ltr motor, same as Mercruiser use, its been around for decades so a short block will be no problem.
I just had a cyl head go on my 5.7 V8, new head from Mercruiser £900 here in rip off Norway, so I went to a guy I know who specialises in american cars and got a recon head for £250, so the big bits can be got cheaply.

thanks for the reply and as the saying goes " what a difference a day makes"
a guy who has a garage next to my workshop asked how i was doing and i told him what a **** couple of days i have had , told him about how my engine would not turn over
he disapeared then came back with a can of aerosol .........hmmm
PTFE spray and does it work !
no more siezed engine and you can get this stuff as an oil treatment too
so things are not as grim as i thought and now i can do some fishing .
thanks for all your help guys

 

[Bilgediver]

thanks for the reply and as the saying goes " what a difference a day makes"
a guy who has a garage next to my workshop asked how i was doing and i told him what a **** couple of days i have had , told him about how my engine would not turn over
he disapeared then came back with a can of aerosol .........hmmm
PTFE spray and does it work !
no more siezed engine and you can get this stuff as an oil treatment too
so things are not as grim as i thought and now i can do some fishing .
thanks for all your help guys

There is a possibility some or all of the rings are stuck on one of the pistons so take things easily and keep an eye on crank case pressure till your sure all is OK

 

[davedpc]

My mates boat once had a leg service and forgot to replace the oil. We trolled down the river 2 miles before it sized solid. We thought the engine had sized solid.The marina engineer wanted us to leave the boat with him to check later in the week. We were able to get everyone on the bow which lifted the outdrive dipstick above the water for us to check from the dingy. We were then able to inform the yard of their error which got him a brand new leg. It was the local Volvsplutter agent that caused the ballsup.

 

[john.s]

There is a possibility some or all of the rings are stuck on one of the pistons so take things easily and keep an eye on crank case pressure till your sure all is OK

will the rings free with steady use if they are stuck ? , or do i pour more PTFE down the bores ?
john

 

[Bilgediver]

will the rings free with steady use if they are stuck ? , or do i pour more PTFE down the bores ?
john

I have no used PTFE so cannot comment however if slight corrosion and other things they may free with use or a bit of help from pouring light hot oil into the bores after a run and leaving a day or two. I would expect the problem to have been the bores nearest the exhaust elbow , Checking the plugs after a run will be a good indicator of conditions plus checking crankcase pressure. I suspect the oil you put in before had been at work by the time the PTFE went in.

The run you made may well have freed everything off.

Spin the engine with plugs out before trying to start to avoid hydro lock

 

[john.s]

I have no used PTFE so cannot comment however if slight corrosion and other things they may free with use or a bit of help from pouring light hot oil into the bores after a run and leaving a day or two. I would expect the problem to have been the bores nearest the exhaust elbow , Checking the plugs after a run will be a good indicator of conditions plus checking crankcase pressure. I suspect the oil you put in before had been at work by the time the PTFE went in.

The run you made may well have freed everything off.

Spin the engine with plugs out before trying to start to avoid hydro lock

i have spun the engine several times with the plugs removed also i will spray PTFE into the bores after everytime i use the boat
i use it every ten days for about 5 days and my season is from sept to feb also can you get PTFE two stroke oil , if so i will use it in my other engine .
thanks again
john

 

[Bilgediver]

i have spun the engine several times with the plugs removed also i will spray PTFE into the bores after everytime i use the boat
i use it every ten days for about 5 days and my season is from sept to feb also can you get PTFE two stroke oil , if so i will use it in my other engine .
thanks again
john

There is a product in Canada I am investigating that seems to have all the claims of the old Moly products so will see if anything comparable. I shall read up on the ptfe addittives too.. Good luck