Perkins 4.236 - No start after 2 year layup

[Tim Good]

Perkins 4.235
Put her to bed August 2021 with new oil and antifreeze in the raw circuit.

Returned to boat and renewed both fuel filters. Checked fuel in main tank for water contamination or bug. Bled fuel system fully right through to atomisers. Engine cutoff at the fuel pump is not stuck on.

Engine turns over well. No start.

Any ideas what to check now?

 

[Minerva]

Glow plugs working OK?

A wee daud of eezee engine start in the air intake to get the engine running and unblock the injectors from stale fuel?

 

[Tim Good]

Glow plugs working OK?

A wee daud of eezee engine start in the air intake to get the engine running and unblock the injectors from stale fuel?

Apparently you’re not meant to blow engine start into a Diesel engine before you turn it over. The glow plugs can cause it to combust! I found out the hard way! A big pop and flash from the engine bay!

Since it requires someone to spray it into the air intake whilst turning it over I can try because I’m solo on the boat.

 

[Tim Good]

Glow plugs working OK?

Fairly sure because they’re drawing power and they caused the instant start spray to combust.

 

[Boater Sam]

Any smoke from the exhaust if so what colour?

 

[Blueboatman]

Did you close the exhaust through hull valve by any chance ?

 

[fisherman]

Crack an injector pipe see if fuel comes out when cranking, and/or bleed at the injector pump inlet.

 

[Iliade]

Is is really spinning fast enough? Sometimes a few RPM can make all the difference, especially when it is cold (as it is right now.)
Mouse nest in the air intake?
Do be really careful not to flood the engine with exhaust water.
Have you got dual controls? Is the 'throttle' actually being opened on the injector pump?
If all else fails I'd pull an injector to check that pop-off pressure is indeed being reached. You could perhaps then try a few drops of oil in the cylinder to check for loss of compression due to ring issues.

 

[Tim Good]

Did you close the exhaust through hull valve by any chance ?

Nope. Probably should have stuff something into it but didn’t.

 

[Tim Good]

Crack an injector pipe see if fuel comes out when cranking, and/or bleed at the injector pump inlet.

I’ve bled every single point. Fuel getting through to all atomisers without air bubbles.

 

[fisherman]

Hmm. Is it really free turning......like no compression? Oil in the air intake may do it, used to be a thing on Listers.

 

[Tim Good]

Is is really spinning fast enough? Sometimes a few RPM can make all the difference, especially when it is cold (as it is right now.).

So the engine battery is not in good condition but when linked to the house batteries it is turning fast enough.

Even if it is turning fast enough, could there still not be enough cranking power? Or doesn’t it matter providing it turns over sufficiently fast?

 

[Boater Sam]

Feed hot air into the inlet manifold, a blowtorch is best, whilst cranking with the throttle fully open. Is the stop control fully off?
What colour smoke?

 

[westernman]

You have not got the stop knob pulled out (which stops the exhaust valves closing)?

 

[Tim Good]

You have not got the stop knob pulled out (which stops the exhaust valves closing)?

Not sure a 4.236 has one. Only an electric solenoid on the injector pump.

 

[penfold]

Apparently you’re not meant to blow engine start into a Diesel engine before you turn it over. The glow plugs can cause it to combust! I found out the hard way! A big pop and flash from the engine bay!

Since it requires someone to spray it into the air intake whilst turning it over I can try because I’m solo on the boat.

Avoid the pyrotechnics by applying glowplug heat before spraying rather than after; a 15-20 second heat with the plugs followed by a blast of spray then straight to cranking should get some kind of running.

 

[Boater Sam]

I'll try again, what colour smoke from the exhaust?

 

[westernman]

Not sure a 4.236 has one. Only an electric solenoid on the injector pump.

Or decompression lever.

 

[Iliade]

So the engine battery is not in good condition but when linked to the house batteries it is turning fast enough.

Even if it is turning fast enough, could there still not be enough cranking power? Or doesn’t it matter providing it turns over sufficiently fast?

If it is turning fast enough, it doesn't matter from whence the amps came.

Does it sound like it is even trying or is it just spinning over? Could the coolant have frozen and lifted the head?

As BoaterSam says, is there any smoke and if so what colour is it? Does it reek of unburnt diesel?

 

[fisherman]

These engines are basic, if they turn and have fuel and air they will start. You have checked for fuel at the injectors so definitely not a stuck stop lever. The timing won't be off. If there were a stuck valve or sticky rings some cylinders would at least fire even of there was no start. Is the fuel you see at the pump actually fuel and not watery?