Volvo Penta D3110 Hot starting problem

[runner911]

I posted a few months ago on the above subject, but never really solved the issue which has now returned with a real vengeance .

My craft is a Merry Fisher 655 fitted with a Volvo Penta D3 110 engine.

I took the wife out about 15 miles from Plymouth this evening. Switched off the engine , had a snack and then just floated around for a couple of hours ( saw a very large basking shark ).

Anyway around 2030 I decided to head back to my berth at Yachthaven.

Would the engine start , would it hell. After about a minute of spinning on the starter it coughed into life , ran for 10 seconds and then died again.

Another minute and I got it started yet again and this time immediately put it into gear and away we went.

Madam was terrified by this time that we would really break down and I must confess with dusk approaching I was a bit panicky and none to happy either.

The thing is the engine starts perfectly from cold , and runs really well. It's just the hot starting problem which to be frank is ruining the enjoyment to such a degree that I'm beginning to lose confidence with the thing. No fun in going out if you think there is a distinct chance you won't get back without a tow !

Madam says she will not accompany me again until the issue is resolved.

It's almost as if air is somehow getting into the fuel system, yet I've checked the fuel lines/filters and housings and there is no visible sign of any leak.

Has anyone any ideas on what the problem maybe ?

I could call out the local Penta technicians but I'm not sure a laptop connected would reveal the problem.

 

[spannerman]

When you have the hot start problem have you tried pumping the primer on the fuel filter, if it is soft and pumps up then you have an airleak somewhere. If its relatively hard then its going to be something more complex. Then you need to have the Vodia plugged in so the tecnician can read 'live data' to see whats happening, it could be as simple as a sensor telling lies when the engine is hot, I'd suspect airtemp/boost sensor as we have changed a lot of these. They don't trigger a fault code as they are giving readings that are very variable, all the sensors I have changed read between 90 and 110C air temp which never happens in here in Norway, but the ECU doesn't know you are in Norway so it severly limits the amount of diesel being injected as its designed to do, with out flagging a code up.
I'd get a guy who knows how to use a Vodia onboard if the fuel system is OK.

 

[runner911]

Thank you Spannerman.

Had a technician from one of the Volvo Penta agencies take a look at the engine this afternoon. He found no apparent reason for the glitch, but is returning at 1300 on Friday with the Vodia analyser.

Fingers crossed.

I'll let you know what he finds.

 

[Racingfrank7]

If it was a air leak it would be worse to start when cold not hot,
As the D3 is a D5 car engine at a guess it could be the airflow meter as the air temp sensor is in there. And it's about 1 of the only things we fit to them that go wrong ! We have had the odd injector on early D5's around the 250,000 mile mark but they have given different syptoms to yours, but are still easy to check via a leak off test. ( they don't normally fault in computer )
Airflow meters normally throw (store) a fault code of air mass meter with out putting any lights on.
So yea get it code read and if it's not a straight forward code, its live date time and to try to re create the fault whilst watching the live date.
Still no fault on reader, leak off test needed.

I'm not a boaty tech I'm a car tech so im sorry if my info isn't a 100% on the money, but I hope it does help.

 

[pappaecho]

If it is not the high tech air flow meter, my reaction would be there is air in the inlet side of the system, indicating a dodgy lift pump diaphragm, stuck valve in the lift pump or an air leak due to a bad unions or badly sealed primary filter.

Get an engineer to talk you through the whole process of bleeding the system. It takes 5 minutes, and almost all diesel engines will start again if they are bled when hot. IT ALSO helps tremendously to calm SWMBOs

 

[Racingfrank7]

If it is not the high tech air flow meter, my reaction would be there is air in the inlet side of the system, indicating a dodgy lift pump diaphragm, stuck valve in the lift pump or an air leak due to a bad unions or badly sealed primary filter.

Get an engineer to talk you through the whole process of bleeding the system. It takes 5 minutes, and almost all diesel engines will start again if they are bled when hot. IT ALSO helps tremendously to calm SWMBOs

So if there was a air leak, wouldnt the fuel drain back further overnight, over a week ect in between use, there for making a cold start a proper pain and taking for ever to wind it over and get the fuel back up to the injectors ?
Or would it not still start poorly when it was cold due to sucking air all the time?

 

[volvopaul]

I have heard of this problem on other d range engines as fuel drains back to the tank, simple answer is to fit an anti drain back valve if you suspect this is the problem , which can be checked out by fitting a clear plastic inlet hose, you will see the fuel drain back.

As spanner man says try and bleed the filter head if it doesn't start.

I have fitted 2 air temp/ boost sensors today to a d4, as the build in parameters in the ecu is not mapped to such a wide parameter to read a false boost or temp reading, it therefore weakens the fuel rate giving poor acceleration .