Volvo Penta D3 190 limp mode / fault gremlins. Please help!

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

Had to fly to London for a few days… back in Spain now and hope to be at marina tomorrow. Last update was new pipes, fuel filter on Starboard…. Revved same as normal in berth ( maybe a little higher RPM THAN NORMAL) but yet to go out to sea under load.

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

Update:

1. Ran a few fuel system bypass. fresh fuel totes, into pre-filters, new engine filters and return lines back into the totes.
2. Disconnected electrical connections between both engines, so they would think they are singles.
3. Port side turbo hoses all replaced.

Starboard now performing well, boost pressure normal, getting up to 150kpa.
Port still can't boost past 50kpa.

@Doral have you had any improvement?

Tell me about electrical connections “ between” both engines…. I never knew there was a direct link. Where are the connection points located ?

 

[vas]

...and you are sure that there's no prop bush loose spinning there, right?
I think you could stop testing in the marina under no load, it's pointless.

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

...and you are sure that there's no prop bush loose spinning there, right?
I think you could stop testing in the marina under no load, it's pointless.

No prop slip
Its 100% an issue on motor/turbo/electrics…. A pal took the boat out a few months ago and it rqn smooth on both drives… he eased off power when entering a crowded area.. then would not go back up on plane as power not boosting on Starboard.

The Turbo is only maybe 20 hrs… we had previously also switched Port v Starboard Turbos but the stqrboard issue remained, so, we are 99-% sure its unlikely the Turbo itself.

 

[Aardee]

Could it be a problem with just one engine? - I had a turbo seize over the winter and magically neither engine would rev beyond 1900 rpm under load as it needed both engines healthy to get over the hump, even though only one turbo had failed.

 

[SC35]

Could it be a problem with just one engine? - I had a turbo seize over the winter and magically neither engine would rev beyond 1900 rpm under load as it needed both engines healthy to get over the hump, even though only one turbo had failed.

I asked for this test to be performed in post #21

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

Port Turbo is sweet… Starboard is a nee ( reconditioned unit), Even when we switched them, Starboard was an issue.

No fault lights or warnings, both engines start easily and smoothly

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

What happens if you leave one engine at idle, and try powering up the other in gear for a short period of time?
Then put that engine to idle and power up the other.
Do both engines reach the same RPM when only one is engaged?

The the new turbos that were fitted: were they genuine VP new parts, or refurbs?

Refurb

 

[vas]

is turbo boost monitoring possible on your setup? that would put a turbo/leak issue to rest.

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

is turbo boost monitoring possible on your setup? that would put a turbo/leak issue to rest.

I honestly do not know.... but will ask a few local mechanics..

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

OK .... some Videos of the boat at sea under power to follow... can I load wattsapp videos in MP4 format to this web forum ??


Excuse the quality of video, the sun was far too bright to get a clear gauge read... but I have tried to give a commentary as we go on each of the 4. Video 4 is in Marina and not under load..

1. In summary, neither engine shows any faults or warnings.
2. Both start easily and run smoothly, but just not boosting
3. Fuel filters, water separator's all new, Fuel line from separator to Filter renewed,
4. All gauge readings are as expected... save for that the Starboard does not read anything for fuel tank, ( its not listed..) whereas Portside shows a 68% full tank

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=813832990265036

Here is footage of the boost pressure dropping away

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

OK .... some Videos of the boat at sea under power to follow...

Excuse the quality of video, the sun was far too bright to get a clear gauge read... but I have tried to give a commentary as we go on each of the 4. Video 4 is in Marina and not under load..

1. In summary, neither engine shows any faults or warnings.
2. Both start easily and run smoothly, but just not boosting
3. Fuel filters, water separator's all new, Fuel line from separator to Filter renewed,
4. All gauge readings are as expected... save for that the Starboard does not read anything for fuel tank, ( its not listed..) whereas Portside shows a 68% full tank

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=793293105842258

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=149664741460776

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1342394363010894

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1386769745214854

 

[vas]

OK, so 0.4bar to 0.6bar max is what the engine is expected to produce at these rpms (didn't know the engines just checked the specs) and it should top at 1.4bar at 4k rpm.
http://www.volvopentastore.net/files/t_d3_190_i_b_utg03.pdf

wouldn't bother that much discussing and trying to figure out the 200rpm and 0.2bar boost difference from port to starboard, you have some serious issue here.
fuel, air, boost leaking on both, dunno, in one way I think it's better like that compared to having all sorts of error messages from dodgy ECU or messed up wiring loom and sensors...
How good are the guys that refurbished the variable geometry turbocharger?
I only sincerely hope it's not fouling as you did mention that hull is fouled in one of the videos.

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

OK, so 0.4bar to 0.6bar max is what the engine is expected to produce at these rpms (didn't know the engines just checked the specs) and it should top at 1.4bar at 4k rpm.
http://www.volvopentastore.net/files/t_d3_190_i_b_utg03.pdf

wouldn't bother that much discussing and trying to figure out the 200rpm and 0.2bar boost difference from port to starboard, you have some serious issue here.
fuel, air, boost leaking on both, dunno, in one way I think it's better like that compared to having all sorts of error messages from dodgy ECU or messed up wiring loom and sensors...
How good are the guys that refurbished the variable geometry turbocharger?
I only sincerely hope it's not fouling as you did mention that hull is fouled in one of the videos.

The Turbo was bought from Recambios Marinos, which are one of the largest refurb operators in EU... huge Co... indeed, most of the Marine yards here ( other than main VP or Yanmar etc..agents)buy from Recambios. I had the ECU checked some months ago by localengineer who then had Elias Blanco ) Sothern Spains Main importers for VP...) run diagnostics on the ECU at their depot near Gibralter so that all error codes were checked and reset etc back to factory settings.... ( at that time the only error code was "electrical fault, service soon..) but there have been no error messages since.

 

[GooseGas]

Hi everyone,
We’ve just finally solved our issue. And it’s very similar to yours @Doral Prestancia - Spain

Culprit: Portside turbo vacuum pump itself.

Got a new one, and it pulled full boost, shifted the old one to Starboard as a test and sure enough only pulled 50kpa boost

Put the vacuum pump back on starboard and new one to port and both pulled 150kpa.

Thanks everyone for your help. It really does help and mean a lot.

So now I have a fully overhauled engine room! Until the next issue.

Goose

 

[ChromeDome]

Nice that this horror story had a happy ending.

Have you had the courage to calculate the total cost?



Interestingly the pump (part 31375106) is used for brakes on Volvo cars (Volvo C30, C70 (2006-), S40, V50 (2004-), S60 (2011-2018), S60 (-2009), S80 (2007-), S80 (-2006), V60 (2011-2018), V70 P26, XC70 (2001-2007), V70, XC70 (2007- ), XC60 (-2017), XC90 (-2014)).

EUR 201 OEM brand new in Germany.

Vacuum pump, Brake system 31375106 (1014823)

 

[GooseGas]

Nice that this horror story had a happy ending.

Have you had the courage to calculate the total cost?



Interestingly the pump (part 31375106) is used for brakes on Volvo cars (Volvo C30, C70 (2006-), S40, V50 (2004-), S60 (2011-2018), S60 (-2009), S80 (2007-), S80 (-2006), V60 (2011-2018), V70 P26, XC70 (2001-2007), V70, XC70 (2007- ), XC60 (-2017), XC90 (-2014)).

EUR 201 OEM brand new in Germany.

Vacuum pump, Brake system 31375106 (1014823)

Too soon. It will be chunky. But a good size of it is a new lower gear set, which was discovered as part of the leg service and unrelated.

Harnesses and turbos will be the other costly thing. All of which were on their last legs.

So although we’ve replaced ‘unnecessary’ parts, they were ticking time bombs anyway.

 

[vas]

Nice that this horror story had a happy ending.

Have you had the courage to calculate the total cost?



Interestingly the pump (part 31375106) is used for brakes on Volvo cars (Volvo C30, C70 (2006-), S40, V50 (2004-), S60 (2011-2018), S60 (-2009), S80 (2007-), S80 (-2006), V60 (2011-2018), V70 P26, XC70 (2001-2007), V70, XC70 (2007- ), XC60 (-2017), XC90 (-2014)).

EUR 201 OEM brand new in Germany.

Vacuum pump, Brake system 31375106 (1014823)

seems that most modern cars rely on these awful contraptions for servo support in braking. My bmw had this thing failing and me practicing my right foot press capabilities... Again pierburg crap, designed to fail (imho)
Guess they need this vacuum as input for the variable geometry turbo operation.

well done

V.

 

[Doral Prestancia - Spain]

seems that most modern cars rely on these awful contraptions for servo support in braking. My bmw had this thing failing and me practicing my right foot press capabilities... Again pierburg crap, designed to fail (imho)
Guess they need this vacuum as input for the variable geometry turbo operation.

well done

V.

Hi everyone,
We’ve just finally solved our issue. And it’s very similar to yours @Doral Prestancia - Spain

Culprit: Portside turbo vacuum pump itself.

Got a new one, and it pulled full boost, shifted the old one to Starboard as a test and sure enough only pulled 50kpa boost

Put the vacuum pump back on starboard and new one to port and both pulled 150kpa.

Thanks everyone for your help. It really does help and mean a lot.

So now I have a fully overhauled engine room! Until the next issue.

Goose

I so hope you have found my issue too…., I will get to Marina in Friday morning and investigate.

Why would VP main agent not pick that up on his nvodia system though