Starting engine on the hard! HELP!!

[Poecheng]

I don't understand what went wrong. I have often run the engine ashore but I put the intake into a bucket that was being fed by a hosepipe. The engine then pulls in what it needs, however the water cooling system is separate from the cylinders, so don't see how it caused a hydraulic lock?.

The water taken from a bucket is not under pressure - the water pump sucks up what it wants. The OP stuck the hose pipe itself (ie under mains pressure) up the inlet and therefore the water remained under pressure and water flowed into the engine regardless, filling the exhaust up and working its way backwards into the cylinders.
That is my understanding

 

[WoodyP]

The water taken from a bucket is not under pressure - the water pump sucks up what it wants. The OP stuck the hose pipe itself (ie under mains pressure) up the inlet and therefore the water remained under pressure and water flowed into the engine regardless, filling the exhaust up and working its way backwards into the cylinders.
That is my understanding

I thought that the cooling system is separate from the engine as it goes through the heat exchanger.

 

[Poecheng]

I thought that the cooling system is separate from the engine as it goes through the heat exchanger.

The fresh water cooling water stays in the engine and separate from the combustion part. It 'meets' the raw water coolant in the heat exchanger where the raw water, now hotter, is expelled out of the heat exchanger, into the exhaust elbow and down (with the exhaust gasses) into the exhaust waterlock and muffler and up the swan neck and out.
In the OP's case, the 'raw water' (in fact fresh water in a hose pipe) passing through the heat exchanger and down into the exhaust system was continuing flowing even though the engine had stopped. The result is there is water coming in but no exhaust gasses to force it all out. It filled up the exhaust system and, because it cannot readily escape in a properly designed system (Swan neck), it ran back up the exhaust elbow and ultimately into the combustion chambers.

I know some or most is what you know well but just setting it out to set the scene etc.

 

[mickywillis]

The setup I use on my D1-13 is as follows.
A bucket is hung over the transom, just underneath the engine exhaust fitting. A hose (fitted into the base of the bucket with a brass barb) is taken to the inlet water fitting underneath the boat (the scoop removed) The hose is normal 1/2" garden hose and fits tightly into the engine raw water inlet skin fitting, pushes in by about an inch or so. The bucket is then filled with water (with the water inlet seacock turned off) and then the engine started. As soon as it fires and runs, I turn the seacock on and water circulates through the system, recycling round. A small length of hose fitted into the engine exhaust outlet and directed into the top of the bucket ensures that not too much of the circulated water escapes. I keep a bottle of water handy to top up the bucket if the water level drops down.
When I want to stop the engine, I turn off the water inlet seacock and turn off the engine.
This is also a good way to add an antifreeze mixture into the raw water side of the cooling system before the winter.
Has always worked OK for me and the hardest part is removing the water inlet scoop to fit the hose ( 4 x screws)

 

[Tranona]

There are several "correct" ways to do this. Yours is not the only one. For example, I have a bucket with a hose connection. I hang the bucket outside at about the waterline, and stick the hose into the appropriate skin fitting. A hose keeps the bucket topped up, and the engine pumps its water as required - all automatically.

You are right there is more than one way, but your way does not work with a saildrive, whereas if you have an above the waterline Vetus type filter as is almost universal these days using the filter bowl as access is the simplest.

 

[NormanS]

You are right there is more than one way, but your way does not work with a saildrive, whereas if you have an above the waterline Vetus type filter as is almost universal these days using the filter bowl as access is the simplest.

Yes, as I said, there are several methods, and if you're prepared to have someone constantly employed filling and pouring buckets of water around, that's fine. What I commented on was your imperious statement that your method was the "correct" method. I'm merely pointing out that there are other, and arguably better, methods. I think we will agree that sticking a mains pressure water hose into the skin fitting is a definite no no.

 

[Irish Rover]

Yes, as I said, there are several methods, and if you're prepared to have someone constantly employed filling and pouring buckets of water around, that's fine. What I commented on was your imperious statement that your method was the "correct" method. I'm merely pointing out that there are other, and arguably better, methods. I think we will agree that sticking a mains pressure water hose into the skin fitting is a definite no no.

That's a lovely word "imperious" - seems to be a bit of it about.

 

[andsarkit]

The setup I use on my D1-13 is as follows.
A bucket is hung over the transom, just underneath the engine exhaust fitting. A hose (fitted into the base of the bucket with a brass barb) is taken to the inlet water fitting underneath the boat (the scoop removed) The hose is normal 1/2" garden hose and fits tightly into the engine raw water inlet skin fitting, pushes in by about an inch or so. The bucket is then filled with water (with the water inlet seacock turned off) and then the engine started. As soon as it fires and runs, I turn the seacock on and water circulates through the system, recycling round. A small length of hose fitted into the engine exhaust outlet and directed into the top of the bucket ensures that not too much of the circulated water escapes. I keep a bottle of water handy to top up the bucket if the water level drops down.
When I want to stop the engine, I turn off the water inlet seacock and turn off the engine.
This is also a good way to add an antifreeze mixture into the raw water side of the cooling system before the winter.
Has always worked OK for me and the hardest part is removing the water inlet scoop to fit the hose ( 4 x screws)

This is what I do, except I put the hose from the bucket onto the water pump inlet. I add antifreeze and run it until the circulating water is warm and the thermostat opens. (raw water cooled 1GM10). The 'bucket' is actually a cut up old oil can with a spigot fitted at the bottom.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I just put a hose into the top of the water strainer and run it at a rate that just overflows. The engine takes what it wants and the excess overflows into the bilge and thence is removed by the bilge pump. Very easy to set up and needs little supervision.

 

[SteveA]

You are right there is more than one way, but your way does not work with a saildrive, whereas if you have an above the waterline Vetus type filter as is almost universal these days using the filter bowl as access is the simplest.

We have a saildrive and no sea water inlet filter so the solution was to find a large tank (domestic header tank) that accepted the complete saildrive.

 

[Tranona]

Yes, as I said, there are several methods, and if you're prepared to have someone constantly employed filling and pouring buckets of water around, that's fine. What I commented on was your imperious statement that your method was the "correct" method. I'm merely pointing out that there are other, and arguably better, methods. I think we will agree that sticking a mains pressure water hose into the skin fitting is a definite no no.

Sorry if it sounded "imperious". No need to hump buckets around - just run the hose pipe with a shut off valve up to the bucket. The reason I used "correct" was to emphasise that it is using the engine pump to circulate the water rather than using pressure up the intake. The actual details of how you organise the supply of water is secondary.

 

[ChromeDome]

I think maybe you don't have the manual.

Get it here
VOLVO PENTA D1-20 OPERATOR'S MANUAL Pdf Download | ManualsLib

Many are we who pour water into the strainer when starting on the hard. The engine will take what it needs from there (not knowing that you are not at sea).

If single handed or lazy like me, make an extra lid for the strainer and fit a Gardena type connector to feed water by hose. If the hose feeds too much it will escape out via the sea water intake (as the impeller will prevent water from being forced into the cooling system), so no harm.

 

[VicS]

I think maybe you don't have the manual.

Get it here
VOLVO PENTA D1-20 OPERATOR'S MANUAL Pdf Download | ManualsLib

Many are we who pour water into the strainer when starting on the hard. The engine will take what it needs from there (not knowing that you are not at sea).

If single handed or lazy like me, make an extra lid for the strainer and fit a Gardena type connector to feed water by hose. If the hose feeds too much it will escape out via the sea water intake (as the impeller will prevent water from being forced into the cooling system), so no harm.

Just for Information
VP owners manuals are available for free down load from VP's own website and can be found for various versions of the engine where they differ. The OP's engine will be late version (D1-20F ??) whereas the manualslib link, ITYWF, is for early versions

Engine Manuals and Handbooks | Volvo Penta UK & Ireland

Having said that this, 2019 edition is probably the manual for the OP's engine on manualslib
VOLVO PENTA D1 SERIES OPERATOR'S MANUAL Pdf Download | ManualsLib

manualslib is often a useful source of workshop manuals

 

[Tamar]

Could you take the impeller out and run the engine for about 5 minutes? It has coolant in there already, so no harm doing. It's only to see if it starts isn't it?

 

[Poignard]

I just put a hose into the top of the water strainer and run it at a rate that just overflows. The engine takes what it wants and the excess overflows into the bilge and thence is removed by the bilge pump. Very easy to set up and needs little supervision.

That's what I do except I open the c/w inlet seacock and the adjust the flow from the hose so that what the engine doesn't need runs out through the seacock onto the ground. On one memorable occasion onto our sailing bags, which my wife had unloaded from the car and placed under the hull so they would be out of the rain.

The ensuing row attempting to apportion blame was certainly memorable

 

[earlybird]

Could you take the impeller out and run the engine for about 5 minutes? It has coolant in there already, so no harm doing. It's only to see if it starts isn't it?

Possibly, but there is a risk that plastic/rubber components in the exhaust might be damaged, a plastic water-lock for instance so care needs to be taken.

 

[Tamar]

Possibly, but there is a risk that plastic/rubber components in the exhaust might be damaged, a plastic water-lock for instance so care needs to be taken.

Of course

 

[Wansworth]

Now Monday should have been looked at by somebody who knows?

 

[Irish Rover]

Now Monday should have been looked at by somebody who knows?

Keep up at the back - #17

 

[Wansworth]

Keep up at the back - #17

Such a fast moving forum?