New to Boating - Volvo D4 / EVC / Shift Actuator issue

J

Jbontour

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Hi all,

I bought my first boat 4 weeks ago and after some initial battery troubles and having them replaced I am now having other issues.

My Boat;
Sessa C35 (2006), twin Volvo Penta D4-260, EVC-C. Engines have done 150hrs.

After buying the boat I had a Volvo Penta engineer come and check it out. He updated the software of all the computers to the latest version. The first time I tried taking the boat out. I had an error from the starboard engine saying "check shift actuator". When putting the engine in gear, all is fine and she drives forward. The error occurs after approx. 10secs consistently. Volvo want to replace the shift actuator next week @ a cost of approx. €1000. So my friend and I decided to swap the shift actuators to see if that was the issue. We did so and this solved the problem (so we thought).

We took the boat out for a test run and all was good. Once we reached open water we tried to accelerate and the port engine refuses and remains in idle at 700rpm. The EVC shows this engine is in neutral. We limped on for a while and tried to re-calibrate the leavers on the EVC system - No Joy.

We went back to the marina and along the way the starboard engine reminded in astern when the leaver was in neutral and eventually I received the "Check Shift Actuator" error and she shutdown.

So it seems we have two issues now and I am suspicious of the EVC software update. Has anyone experienced an issue like this? Any ideas what to do from here?

Any help would be much appreciated,
Thanks,
Neil
 
Hi Neil,

You had this issue in 2013 and it looks I have the same issue right now. I can shift both motors forward but the starboard motor will not increase speed above 700 rpm This problem is not continuous present. I am getting no alarms on the EVC.

Can you share your solution?
Regards,
Cor
 
There is probably nothing wrong with the actuators as you have swapped them over , the failure lies in the shift cable being worn , when ask to shift it tries to move but senses current overload and goes into limp.
It's also not shifting across inside past the neutral position so the edc thinks it's in neutral , as you may know you only get 1500 rpm. Now a new expensive actuator may solve the stiff cable but only for a while, it will then fail.
I always fit a new cable and actuator at the same time , if only to protect the warranty on the new £600 actuator. I'd try a shift cable first before buying an actuator, I know you will need a lift but that's how I'd do it faced with the dilemma.
 
Hi Volvopaul,
I like to give some more detail on the problem I am facing. As said not continuously.
I can switch both motors forward and they switch in together. Also the starboard switches in when tried individually.
It is only when I want to speed-up both together that the port motor speeds up and the starboard remains at 700 rpm. With the starboard only it also remains at 700 rpm
 
Is the neutral light lit when in gear ? If so its the actuator and the Ecu thinks it's in neutral .

I'd also put the system into auto Configure if still no good do a lever calibration.
 
Volvopaul, Thanks for your reply.

I checked again tonight and noted the following:
1- With both motors running switched forward. Both motors switch forward but starboard remains at 700 rpm when increasing speed. ( green light lit when in gear)
2- Both back to neutral wait and switch to reverse: Both motors switch in reverse and increase in rpm when putting the handles down.
3- Both motors back to neutral wait and switch forward: both motors switch to forward and both increase in speed!
4- Repeating action 3 : Motors switch to forward but starboard motor switches off and alarm shows up in the rpm dail "check shift actuator"
This last failure repeats when switching to forward. Reverse is working also whe increasing speed.

Disconected the cable and checked manual switching. This was possible.

Does the above means the Actuator is failing and needs replacement or can this be repaired?
Can it be a sofware issue and needs this to be upgraded?
Can you explain how to put the system in auto configure and do the lever calibration?

Thanks in advance for the info
Cor
 
Bulado2 said:
Volvopaul, Thanks for your reply.

I checked again tonight and noted the following:
1- With both motors running switched forward. Both motors switch forward but starboard remains at 700 rpm when increasing speed. ( green light lit when in gear)
2- Both back to neutral wait and switch to reverse: Both motors switch in reverse and increase in rpm when putting the handles down.
3- Both motors back to neutral wait and switch forward: both motors switch to forward and both increase in speed!
4- Repeating action 3 : Motors switch to forward but starboard motor switches off and alarm shows up in the rpm dail "check shift actuator"
This last failure repeats when switching to forward. Reverse is working also whe increasing speed.

Disconected the cable and checked manual switching. This was possible.

Does the above means the Actuator is failing and needs replacement or can this be repaired?
Can it be a sofware issue and needs this to be upgraded?
Can you explain how to put the system in auto configure and do the lever calibration?

Thanks in advance for the info
Cor
Click to expand...

Right , neutral light on means ecu thinks engine is in neutral though you should get 1500 rpm.
As a test start engine hold neutral button and increase revs to test, if no increase in rpm it could be throttle pot sensor.

No hope of repair to actuator as there sealed , gear rack wears out anyway.

Last resort , disconnect shift cable from actuator and try again if neutral light goes out and engine revs up its the shift cable that's tight.

Also make an adjustment to cable if the neutral light goes out when selecting reverse.
 
Bulado2 said:
Test shows that with the cable disconnected system work fine.
I will need to take the boat out this weekend.
Click to expand...

So revs up and out neutral light?
I have some one watch the actuator while you test it, then use grips on cable and select f/n/r with grips do this 12 times as far as you can with the cable throw , this will free off and marine growth from the cable, refit it and try , select neutral gear on the cable then fit it to actuator and adjust to correct length . It may have been set incorrect before
 
re the cable from the actuator to the outdrive; are the VP ones the standard morse/ teleflex (cheapest option) cables, or the more modern ones ? I changed the shift cable on my last DPS to a TFxtreme one, the difference it made was amazing.
 
Today my boat has been taken out of the water and checked the cables. This is the issue.
I will be renewing both cables now. Actuators are ok.
Thanks for your advice.
By the way if you have an advice to make cable intallation easy...................let me know.
Regards, Cor
 
GrahamHR said:
re the cable from the actuator to the outdrive; are the VP ones the standard morse/ teleflex (cheapest option) cables, or the more modern ones ? I changed the shift cable on my last DPS to a TFxtreme one, the difference it made was amazing.
Click to expand...

I did the same with my DPE drives and indeed a huge difference.
 
Bulado2 said:
Today my boat has been taken out of the water and checked the cables. This is the issue.
I will be renewing both cables now. Actuators are ok.
Thanks for your advice.
By the way if you have an advice to make cable intallation easy...................let me know.
Regards, Cor
Click to expand...

It depends on what makes of boat and where the cable is in relation to its exit point inside the boat .
Most D series it's exhaust elbow off, air filter box, stability bracket on back of turbo to remove then make the black tube as straight as possible, lube the able and black tube with silicone spray , fit a small plastic tube over the end of threaded part of cable and push from inside to outside , no need to remove drive .
 
volvopaul said:
It depends on what makes of boat and where the cable is in relation to its exit point inside the boat .
Most D series it's exhaust elbow off, air filter box, stability bracket on back of turbo to remove then make the black tube as straight as possible, lube the able and black tube with silicone spray , fit a small plastic tube over the end of threaded part of cable and push from inside to outside , no need to remove drive .
Click to expand...

That sounds very complicated/ i.e. expensive compared to the process for the petrol engined (American designed ) SX/ DPS drives. On those it's simply a matter of disconnecting the old, taping it to a new one and pulling it through the transom shield.
I'm beginning to doubt that switching to a diesel engined boat will ever save me any money
 
GrahamHR said:
That sounds very complicated/ i.e. expensive compared to the process for the petrol engined (American designed ) SX/ DPS drives. On those it's simply a matter of disconnecting the old, taping it to a new one and pulling it through the transom shield.
I'm beginning to doubt that switching to a diesel engined boat will ever save me any money
Click to expand...
Your motto could be right though I've had done SX jobs of late that I wish had been a DPE or H , there all bad soon as there thrown in salt water
 
volvopaul said:
I've had done SX jobs of late that I wish had been a DPE or H , there all bad soon as there thrown in salt water
Click to expand...

Maybe the neglected ones are, you'll have seen a lot more than me I'm sure and as for the later ones, with the trim hydraulic pump on the outer transom shield, what on earth were they thinking of ? I did 13 seasons on two DPS drives, oil change every year, anodes every few years ( Volvos ACP system works well. Antifouled. Never a problem with corrosion/ shifting etc. I did pick up an unmarked lobster pot once, I can't really blame that on the drive.

My DPH; well, it eats anodes despite the ACP system, one season life only. Paint falls off it, in particular the steering ram cylinders. The shift actuator needed changing after a mighty 6 engine hours . 1 seasons use later ( @ ca. 25 engine hours) there are shift issues/ going into limp mode again; I suspect the cable. I was shocked at your explanation as to what is entailed with changing it compared to doing it on the DPS drives!
 
volvopaul said:
Your motto could be right though I've had done SX jobs of late that I wish had been a DPE or H , there all bad soon as there thrown in salt water
Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

Access to the rubber tube inside the engine compartment that the shift cable goes into in rather good on my boat, the hose is almost not curved at all so I hope replacement will be as easy as for the DPS equipped drives I had.

As a matter of interest, why are there 2 (parallel) rubber hoses? Both seem to attach to the transom shield next to each other , the second one has nothing in it.
 
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