Volvo Penta D1-30 starter problem.

Metabarca

Metabarca

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Hi all, I've rather an urgent problem to resolve; hope you can help!
In the last couple of days, the engine has been on and off and has always started perfectly. Yesterday afternoon, we changed the oil, filter and water impeller, then tested the engine; all functioning perfectly. This morning, again started the engine, but immediately stopped it, as we'd forgotten to check the oil level. Oil level checked; very slightly over the max. Engine left alone.
Autoclave run for 20 minutes (change of water) with engine off. Then tried engine; clack! of starter motor pinion but engine does not turn over.
OK, we thought, batteries, are old and knackered; that's why we bought two new ones. Put new batteries in. Not known if fully charged but assumed to be so.
Same result: a clack! hard enough to send a vibration through the boat, but no engine turn.
Am now charging the batteries in case even these ones are only half charged (but indicating 12V). Have tried the fuse on the box behind the alternator: ok.
Any ideas as to what it might be? Thanks for all consideration!
 
I had similar symptoms with my engine (not a Volvo). It transpired that the current path from battery to start switch and then to starter solenoid was suffering from too high a resistance. Voltages checked out OK, but that wasn’t under load conditions. I solved the problem by fitting a 50Amp relay close to the starter solenoid. The signal from the start switch only had to energise the relay. I gather that the the start solenoid needs a fairly hefty and sudden dose of electricity before it’ll do its job fully, ie engage the starter’s gear and close the electrical contacts, feeding the starter motor itself.
Mike
 
I would put a spanner on the crank pulley nut and just turn the engine back and forth to check that nothing is jammed. Do this before using the starter again as you don't want to force anything. You might even be able to turn the engine enough by grabbing one of the pulleys.

Richard
 
Boater Sam wins the prize! I managed to turn the engine manually with a large spanner, gently to and fro at first, and then got the engine going; blast of white smoke but then ok. But the engine oil is a cream colour. What happened is this (according to the mechanic): with no syphon break on the seawater line leading to the mixing elbow, the engine pulled in some seawater from the exhaust into a cylinder (first time in 14 years). This because the engine is low, largely below sea-level. By great good luck, the starter motor was unable to overcome the blockage as this could have resulted in a bent camshaft. A change of oil and filter (several times) will cure the immediate problem and the mechanic is now booked to fit a syphon break. Thanks all!
 
Metabarca said:
Boater Sam wins the prize! I managed to turn the engine manually with a large spanner, gently to and fro at first, and then got the engine going; blast of white smoke but then ok. But the engine oil is a cream colour. What happened is this (according to the mechanic): with no syphon break on the seawater line leading to the mixing elbow, the engine pulled in some seawater from the exhaust into a cylinder (first time in 14 years). This because the engine is low, largely below sea-level. By great good luck, the starter motor was unable to overcome the blockage as this could have resulted in a bent camshaft. A change of oil and filter (several times) will cure the immediate problem and the mechanic is now booked to fit a syphon break. Thanks all!
Click to expand...

You have got water in the sump oil. It is possible that with all the stopping and starting that allowed water built up in the exhaust system between the exhaust elbow and the outlet at the transom. This is quite possible if you have a high swan neck at the stern as the water would then back flow into the exhaust system and then sneek past an open exhaust valve into a cylinder and the sump.

You need to clean out the sump and replace the oil with a fresh charge of new oil. Remove the oil filter and replace as this will be full of emulsified oil. You might have caught it in time. If not you could finish up with stuck rings in the unlucky cylinder.
 
Bilgediver said:
You have got water in the sump oil. It is possible that with all the stopping and starting that allowed water built up in the exhaust system between the exhaust elbow and the outlet at the transom. This is quite possible if you have a high swan neck at the stern as the water would then back flow into the exhaust system and then sneek past an open exhaust valve into a cylinder and the sump.

You need to clean out the sump and replace the oil with a fresh charge of new oil. Remove the oil filter and replace as this will be full of emulsified oil. You might have caught it in time. If not you could finish up with stuck rings in the unlucky cylinder.
Click to expand...
Caught in time (phew!). I managed to turn over and start the engine within a few hours, and did an oil and filter change within a further 24 hours. Am now proceeding with a further two oil and filter changes...
 
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