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

Portofino said:
You could first partially compress fuel pipe bit by bit with a clamp , while running to see what happens.
If at the dock at 3200 rpm I would expect it to stutter , throw a code .If it defaults down to 1500 rpm ish as you tighten the clamp at least it tells you restricting fuel might be the culprit .

Have you tried a separate fuel supply ? Thinking your tank pick up can’t cope with full load demand at sea .But copes with no load @ the dock .

Can you see any fuel flow data , or could a vodia plugged in see any real time fuel flow .This will confirm or eliminate what you are thinking a restriction.

I can see fuel flow on my boat FWIW ( MAN s )
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OK... i can try a clamp tomorrow I hope..
I note you say the about fuel tank Pick Up... can you explain what this actually is.. ie is their a separate pump in tank for each engine? I thought that each engine would be essentially just "sucking" up its fuel needs from its own fuel pump..... or, do you mean the tank has an issue and has "blocked" the pipe from tank to RACOR with debris or similar, so restricting flow. If so, this could be a good point, as sometime last year we had to flush and clean both engines and the fuel tank as we had a contamination in the fuel... it was sorted by flushing and draining and cleaning with a product called Teraclean ??, but, I guess something may have remained in tank that slowly worked its way up... If it a restricted / blockage from Tank, can we blow back down pipe and force the block back into tank and hop it breaks down inside?

I think tomorrow i will test the areas that are more visible t, and if needed change the fuel line from Water Separator Filter ( Racor) up to main fuel filter. and see the results.

Q Would a blocked return pipe also be a possible cause of fault and non boost over 1500 when under load?
 
This will not be a valid test.

Fuel is related to load not rpm. Your engine in the dock will not be under load.

No doubt if you part block you may get a rpm drop ( or the engine will hunt ) but given it is not under load you have not proved much.

Get a vodia test whilst underway and the tool should give some idea of what is causing the issue.

To run an engine needs fuel / air and correct timing of the fuel injected into the cylinder.

The ecu controls that lot based on a load of sensors. There can be real faults and sensor faults.

We can all guess but a vodia should allow an informed decision as to what to do next
 
Doral Prestancia - Spain said:
OK... i can try a clamp tomorrow I hope..
I note you say the about fuel tank Pick Up... can you explain what this actually is.. ie is their a separate pump in tank for each engine? I thought that each engine would be essentially just "sucking" up its fuel needs from its own fuel pump..... or, do you mean the tank has an issue and has "blocked" the pipe from tank to RACOR with debris or similar, so restricting flow. If so, this could be a good point, as sometime last year we had to flush and clean both engines and the fuel tank as we had a contamination in the fuel... it was sorted by flushing and draining and cleaning with a product called Teraclean ??, but, I guess something may have remained in tank that slowly worked its way up... If it a restricted / blockage from Tank, can we blow back down pipe and force the block back into tank and hop it breaks down inside?

I think tomorrow i will test the areas that are more visible t, and if needed change the fuel line from Water Separator Filter ( Racor) up to main fuel filter. and see the results.

Q Would a blocked return pipe also be a possible cause of fault and non boost over 1500 when under load?
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Yes that’s what I mean a bit of crap partially blocking the tank pick up pipe .Now you have mentioned fuel bug issues Hmm ! .That’s the diagnostic thing by rigging up a separate fuel supply say a 5 L , ( 1 gallon ) fuel supply rigged into the racor “ in “ side after unplugging its supply from the tank .
Then do the open / load throttle at sea .If it reaches what it should 3400 rpm then it’s the tank pick up .

Yes blowing back might resolve it .Also while pulling the tank to racor pipe you will see the condition of inside of this ?

Assuming the racors work , no reason to doubt any restriction, or the first place to check is the tank pick up to racor .

If you have bought new pipes then may as well fit them as you say from racor to engine filter FWIW .

Cant see how the return pipe can block ? Ie crap get there .
 
jrudge said:
This will not be a valid test.

Fuel is related to load not rpm. Your engine in the dock will not be under load.

No doubt if you part block you may get a rpm drop ( or the engine will hunt ) but given it is not under load you have not proved much.

Get a vodia test whilst underway and the tool should give some idea of what is causing the issue.
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We are checking if it throws a code .It’s a valid test .

If it does then we know it’s not a fuel issue ……..simples 👍
 
Portofino said:
We are checking if it throws a code .It’s a valid test .

If it does then we know it’s not a fuel issue ……..simples 👍
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Interesting to have a second frustrated owner with same engines and exact same problems.

I went down and checked fuel vents today as an easy check. Both seem clear enough, but will run it under load on Wednesday with fuel fill caps off.

@doral I noticed something today that we are adding to our list. Which you could check too. Port side turbo builds pressure in the slip but then lets go of it as the rev range climbs. 30-40kpa at 2,500rpm and then around 3,000rpm drops to 0. If I back it off and build it again it will do the same thing.

Starboard holds the pressure 50kpa all the way through the rev range. Leak in the manifold maybe?
 
I had both the engines fault yesterday with the same code:

MID 128
SID 27
FMI 1

Which is actuators again. Both are new. But guessing there could be something up stream of the actuators to fault them.
 
Doral Prestancia - Spain said:
We have used a mechanics Spare ECU and it made no difference…. Tomorrow I am renewing fuel lines from fuel/water Racor filter to the main fuel filter as I can see a small indentation on the outside from a possible crush… am wondering if its as simple as restricted fuel flow through pipe?? … but, why the hell would it not throw a fault code for lack of fuel. ??

Im also doing a visual on the Turbo boost pipe for any small split etc that only expands when boost is needed under load ?????

PS. The Volvo guy only did the fault trqving and clearing log etc whilst in berth…. Maybe i should get them back and see what the vodia system shows when trying to pull a load at sea ??
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You definitely need to get the VODIA on when under load. Mine doesn’t fault at all in the marina, performs like they are two perfect machines, sound great, smooth acceleration, no smoke, no leaks nothing…..But as soon as load is on it….limp mode.
 
GooseGas said:
You definitely need to get the VODIA on when under load. Mine doesn’t fault at all in the marina, performs like they are two perfect machines, sound great, smooth acceleration, no smoke, no leaks nothing…..But as soon as load is on it….limp mode.
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When at sea, does it get beyond the 1500rpm and drop off, or does it never gwt beyond.. ie as if not doing any work at all and that Portside is the sole worker at all RPMs which is how mine feels.

Ps. My EVC is the original system so no real fault codes.. just fault messages, oil pressure, elec fault, service soon etc…. I will post a pic later.
 
Doral Prestancia - Spain said:
When at sea, does it get beyond the 1500rpm and drop off, or does it never gwt beyond.. ie as if not doing any work at all and that Portside is the sole worker at all RPMs which is how mine feels.

Ps. My EVC is the original system so no real fault codes.. just fault messages, oil pressure, elec fault, service soon etc…. I will post a pic later.
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Mine goes up to 2,000 but not beyond.
My starboard side ‘wants’ to pull but without the two of them working together it never goes above 2,500…..
 
Doral Prestancia - Spain said:
When at sea, does it get beyond the 1500rpm and drop off, or does it never gwt beyond.. ie as if not doing any work at all and that Portside is the sole worker at all RPMs which is how mine feels.

Ps. My EVC is the original system so no real fault codes.. just fault messages, oil pressure, elec fault, service soon etc…. I will post a pic later.
Click to expand...
My EVC is the same. You’ll be able to get fault codes in OEM mode. When it faults press and hold the - button on the module for 6 seconds it will go into OEM mode and then go to faults and select it. It should display the full fault. Then repeat to deactivate OEM mode.
 
Doral Prestancia - Spain said:
Light bulb moment…..
Could it be as simple as a badly secured throttle cable that wont pull to maximum , thus limits the demand?
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I’d be surprised. If a cable is in a bad way it’s not going to pull the revs up to 4,000 in the marina and not under load.

What do your gauges show in terms of boost from the turbos? If it’s only sitting at 1,500 they may not be spinning up at all.

Mine not holding pressure in the marina shows the system is losing air somewhere. Through a rubber hose or a something.
 
GooseGas said:
I’d be surprised. If a cable is in a bad way it’s not going to pull the revs up to 4,000 in the marina and not under load.

What do your gauges show in terms of boost from the turbos? If it’s only sitting at 1,500 they may not be spinning up at all.

Mine not holding pressure in the marina shows the system is losing air somewhere. Through a rubber hose or a something.
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In marina both free rev up to a flat out max of +/- 4800 rpm. Boost pressure between 3-5 Bar max on both.

At sea, Starboard will not rev past 1500 rpm.

No fault warnings , no warning lights…
 
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?
 
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