Volvo Penta 2003 Seized after winter ashore

[howster79]

I have today relaunched my Westerly Centaur, equipped with a Volvo Penta 2003, 28 Hp engine after a winter ashore.

When the boat was laid up in November the engine was working fine.

Unfortunately ,when I now come to turn the key all I get is a clunk from the starter and no turnover of the engine.

I believe that the problem may be due to corrosion of one or more Pistons inside their respective cylinders. I have also received advice from fellow club members that I may be able to take out the injectors and spray in some WD40 or put in a small quantity of engine oil to attempt to free off the corrosion and get the engine turning.

I am back at the boat tomorrow, however I would welcome any thoughts from members of this forum with experience of overcoming this problem or performing similar repairs. Is there anything else I should be thinking about at this point?

All advice / comment welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tintin]

Are you certain the starter motor isn't jammed? Worth a check first. Also check the cables and connections to it, unbolt, clean, reassemble.

 

[Tintin]

Also you can try removing the belt, and see if you can turn the engine over slowly with a large spanner. If you can then the pistons are almost certainly fine.

 

[pvb]

Put a socket wrench on the crankshaft pulley, operate the decompression lever, and try to turn the engine over by hand. This will help you to determine whether or not it's actually seized.

 

[Catalina36]

Flat batteries?

 

[Old Harry]

Sounds like low battery power or connections as stated above

 

[Wansworth]

Can you turn the engine by hand with box spanner or such tool,I can turn my engine with a no22 sized ring spanner on the nut at the front of engine.or turning the prop?

 

[Boater Sam]

Was it allowed to freeze?

 

[pvb]

Was it allowed to freeze?

If it was laid up properly that wouldn't make any difference.

 

[rotrax]

Try to turn crankshaft directly - large spanner/socket breaker bar on front lower pully nut.

If no joy, remove injectors and put some diesel into the cylinders. Check first if you need - as I believe you will - special tools or new seals befor you do this. If this is the case it is possible to put diesel in the inlet manifold and gently lever the inlet valves open to let the oil into the cylinder past the valve. If the engine is at TDC make sure you do it gently so not to damage a valve.

I would try this rather than pull the injectors.

With oil in the cylinders leave a couple of days and try the crankshaft nut with the big socket and bar again.

If it now turns, you are past the first hurdle............................

 

[lw395]

First check the starter battery is good and fully charged. You could either test it with a high current tester, measure the current into the starter with a peak-reading DC clamp ammeter, or add a known good battery in parallel with jump leads.
Make sure the starter is pulling current. IF you don't have the clamp ammeter, a voltmeter will show the battery being pulled down to 11 volts or something by the stalled motor. Only do this test very briefly!.
Then see if the engine can be turned with a spanner.
Try turning the engine backwards slightly.

Was the wet exhaust disconnected over the winter?

 

[[70521]]

What is the battery voltage?

 

[howster79]

Sounds like low battery power or connections as stated above

Batteries were both (domestic and crank) fully charged before launch and reading 12.8 volts this morning. Current is getting to starter as solenoid very hot after multiple attempts to start.

 

[howster79]

Put a socket wrench on the crankshaft pulley, operate the decompression lever, and try to turn the engine over by hand. This will help you to determine whether or not it's actually seized.

Yep, I have tried that. turning clockwise and it is just not moving. Worried that any more force will potentially sheer the spindle in the middle of the pulley.

 

[howster79]

Was it allowed to freeze?

No, a heater has been running at any time that it was likely to fall. below freezing.

 

[howster79]

First check the starter battery is good and fully charged. You could either test it with a high current tester, measure the current into the starter with a peak-reading DC clamp ammeter, or add a known good battery in parallel with jump leads.
Make sure the starter is pulling current. IF you don't have the clamp ammeter, a voltmeter will show the battery being pulled down to 11 volts or something by the stalled motor. Only do this test very briefly!.
Then see if the engine can be turned with a spanner.
Try turning the engine backwards slightly.

Was the wet exhaust disconnected over the winter?

Thanks for this. I am confident of the batteries being fully charged as I only took the engine start battery off charge this morning. It was reading 12.8 volts at that point.

The wet exhaust was not disconnected over winter. Would that hjave a significant impact here?

 

[howster79]

What is the battery voltage?

12.8 volts this morning when I took them off charge.

 

[howster79]

Are you certain the starter motor isn't jammed? Worth a check first. Also check the cables and connections to it, unbolt, clean, reassemble.

If the starter was jammed would this stop the crank from turning?

 

[howster79]

Are you certain the starter motor isn't jammed? Worth a check first. Also check the cables and connections to it, unbolt, clean, reassemble.

I have tried the old trick of knocking the starter with a hammer on key turn and this has had no effect.

 

[jwilson]

Decompress and turn engine with spanner as others have said. It's more likely to be a starter or battery/cable/relay problem than the pistons seized. If a car only gives a click on trying to start you look at a light and see if it dims a lot as you try and start - if it doesn't it's probably a starter cable or relay fault. If it does dim a lot it's probably a half-flat battery or battery fault. Try the same on the boat.

Certainly don't mess with head or injectors until other causes checked.