vic008
Well-Known Member
If you are cranking away, should you be keeping at it as you have heat building up in the cylinder, or it doesnt matter and you can wander off and come back and try some more?
Starting a diesel
- Thread starter vic008
- Start date
Just_sayin'
Well-Known Member
If the boat is afloat I'd be far more concerned about filling the cylinder with water as the non-existing exhaust isn't expelling it.
Close the seacock!
Close the seacock!
Iliade
Well-Known Member
Don't cook your starter motor either.
Catalina36
N/A
Why not find out why it doesn't fire within a second or two, which it should?
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Can also burnt out the battery isolator switch (I know this)
pvb
Well-Known Member
Only if the switch isn't up to the job.
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Bleeding fuel system that wouldn’t bleed
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
A boat's diesel should start after a couple of turns for reasons stated above. If it started well previously but doesn't now, it has a fuel problem; either air in the system or a blockage.
There are plenty of relevant threads searchable on this forum regarding bleeding the filters and jets, and the possibility of fuel starvation due to a filter or a pipe blocked with diesel bug debris.
There are plenty of relevant threads searchable on this forum regarding bleeding the filters and jets, and the possibility of fuel starvation due to a filter or a pipe blocked with diesel bug debris.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
My elderly VP2003 takes a bit of churning on a cold day, but I keep it going because the compression heat is building up in the cylinders. Stop, and it dissipates into the mass of cast iron, so you're back to square one. However, that's normal for my engine. If yours usually starts instantly, but doesn't this time, investigate why.
RichardS
N/A
If any engine of mine doesn't start before the third or fourth compression stroke, I'd want to know why. 
Richard
Richard
vic008
Well-Known Member
Thanks Stemar, yes thats the one.She has always been a hard starter.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
PCUK
Well-Known Member
If there is no cold start fitted, retro fitting a thermostart will transform starting. They can be fitted to any engine. I put one on a BMC 1.5 when I couldn't face taking the head off to replace the broken heater plugs.
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
Eh?
Why do you need to remove the head to replace the heaters?
Tamar
Well-Known Member
And do they tell you?If any engine of mine doesn't start before the third or fourth compression stroke, I'd want to know why.
Richard
Tamar
Well-Known Member
Why not put a bit of heat into the intake? My 2001 used to start instantly this way, other wise it was a non starter.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
Even using the correct procedure, my VP2003 can take quite a few revolutions to start from dead cold, and this seems usual for the model. If it has been started on the same day, it starts pretty much instantly, but if left for more than 24 hours it needs longer.
Easticks28
Well-Known Member
Also the case with my VP2001. External temperature has an effect too, cold day = longer to start. It's a case of knowing what is the norm for your particular engine.
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
What hasn't been mentioned so far is that, if it doesn't start after a couple of attempts, it's vital to turn off the raw water cock, so that the exhaust does not flood. A wet impeller will not be harmed in the time it takes for the average person to get from the engine control panel to the seacock.
Easticks28
Well-Known Member
Post #2.