Volvo D4-210 Start Problem

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Teddy

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One of my D4-210s is sometimes reluctant to start. It is 2005 vintage, 1100hrs, regularly serviced and owned for 12yrs. Until last year, it has always started on first attempt, but has now developed an occasional reluctance to fire up first time.
It is not a cranking / battery problem as it has 3 X 110A/H batteries and cranks fast. After the winter break it started first time, then a week later took a couple of attempts. Some days it behaves perfectly, then other days it doesn't. This fault has appeared when cold and hot, if that helps, and once running behaves perfectly normally. Yesterday, it took 5 attempts to start (warm), but afterwards started first time! The boat is used on the Thames and there is no corrosion anywhere.
Any clues to what might be causing the problem?
 
Sounds like a problem with air in the fuel lines, you could test this theory by pumping the manual fuel pump on top of the fuel filter housing a few times (until it goes firm) before you attempt to start it,if it always starts first time when you do this,then it is air in the fuel lines.

If it is air in the fuel lines then it could be due to a number of causes, primarily leaking connections along the fuel hoses,so check all jubilee clips for tightness etc.

There was an issue on early d4 engines where over time fuel drained back from the fuel hose into the tank causing the issue you describe. My 2006 d4 260 suffered from this. VP have an updated part to fix the problem ,which is described in this post here

Volvo penta d4 stalling

My symptoms were different to yours though, with mine it would start perfectly when cold,and run fine. But when hot would start fine,and run for a few seconds then immediately stall. Pumping the fuel using the manual pump would see it start and run fine.
 
Last edited:
julians said:
Sounds like a problem with air in the fuel lines, you could test this theory by pumping the manual fuel pump on top of the fuel filter housing a few times (until it goes firm) before you attempt to start it,if it always starts first time when you do this,then it is air in the fuel lines.

If it is air in the fuel lines then it could be due to a number of causes, primarily leaking connections along the fuel hoses,so check all jubilee clips for tightness etc.

There was an issue on early d4 engines where over time fuel drained back from the fuel hose into the tank causing the issue you describe. My 2006 d4 260 suffered from this. VP have an updated part to fix the problem ,which is described in this post here

Volvo penta d4 stalling

My symptoms were different to yours though, with mine it would start perfectly when cold,and run fine. But when hot would start fine,and run for a few seconds then immediately stall. Pumping the fuel using the manual pump would see it start and run fine.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info. The filters were changed and system bled last year. I had no trouble for several weeks after the change so assumed it might be something else. I will certainly do what you have suggested. If there is some air still left in the pipes, I thought that these engines had an element of self bleeding. Perhaps not.
 
Teddy said:
Thanks for the info. The filters were changed and system bled last year. I had no trouble for several weeks after the change so assumed it might be something else. I will certainly do what you have suggested. If there is some air still left in the pipes, I thought that these engines had an element of self bleeding. Perhaps not.
Click to expand...
They do self bleed,but if there is a leak in the system ,air will always find its way in.
 
Hi. Any sign of any bubbles or oil in the coolant header tank ? Perhaps that might show cylinder head issues and a loss of compression, resulting in your issue ?
 
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