Volvo Penta D4 Gear Problem when Second Engine Running

[AlexR]

Hello folks.

I have a 2007 Rodman 940 with twin Volvo Penta D4 225's.
Recently (for no obvious reason) I have started to experience issues with the port engine not going into gear but only when both engines are running.
The scenario is as follows:
1. Only port engine running:
- Port engine goes into fwd and reverse gear without issues.
2. Only stbd engine:
- Stbd engine goes into fwd and reverse gear without issues.
3. Stbd & Port engine running:
- Stbd engine goes into fwd and reverse gear without issues
- Port engine does not go into gear
- Port engine revs in neutral

The two engines have been recalibarted via the maintenance manual calibration instructions.
It seems as though there is some sort of communication issue between the two engines.
The issue has the local engine speciailist stumped also.
If anyone has any experience of resolving this sort of issue please help.

Many thanks

 

[volvopaul]

Maybe .
Check the neutral light goes out on both engineswhen engaging gear.
Have you had new cables or actuators fitted recently , or a new throttle potentiometer?

Not familiar with your boat , is it shaft or sterndrive?

 

[AlexR]

I will check the lights on the EVC system when I next go down to the boat and post the status.
Nothing new fitted recently.
Its shaft drive.
I feel it is some sort of signalling issue between the two engines as the port engine/gearbox works perfectly when run on its own and only exhibits the fault when the other engine is started.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I had a similar problem with D4s ... gear selection went potty, usually when trying to park the thing! Volvo guy checked the actuators then discovered the cables needed servicing - lubricating presumably - so I didn't even have to buy new ones which makes a nice change! Got away with a reasonable bill. Another discovery I made, if you've got a joystick, always make sure the main throttles are in neutral before turning on the joystick - another way to avoid the gears losing their wits!

 

[jrudge]

The EVC systems are surprisingly separate engine by engine in my (relatively limited) experience.

They come together in only a few places.... the main system button with the D on it being one, and however revs cross feed to sync the engines.

The rest have separate boxes for port and stbd, and the throttles for example have a port and stbd connector so they are not electrically connected.

The boat seems to be a small flybridge, so I assume you have a full upper helm? It would be simple to disconnect the D button panel ( sure it has a name) have only 1 in place and swap helms with it.

This aside I wonder if there is something electrical. Which side is the alternator on that charges the engine batteries? Could it be that for some reason there is low volts on one engine when the other runs that stops it working?

Finally I would assume if a Vodia is connected you could read the fault codes if any.

 

[AlexR]

Thanks for the reply.
When you say cables - do you mean mechanical throttle cables or eltrical cables from the throttle controls or to the gear actuator on the gearbox?
I have EVC so I am assuming there are no mechanical throttle cables - I think it is all electronic controls.
I dont have a joystick.
There are two throttle levers (one for each engine) which beep when going from idle to neutral. The gear selection is done when the levers are moved from nuetral to idle position fwd and aft for each engine.
I have gone through the throttle lever calibration routing where 1.0,1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4 is shown on the engine hours displays and they have been calibrated.
The weird thing is the port engine works fine on its own, its only when the stbd engine is running with the port engine that the port engine wont go into gear.

 

[volvopaul]

Thanks for the reply.
When you say cables - do you mean mechanical throttle cables or eltrical cables from the throttle controls or to the gear actuator on the gearbox?
I have EVC so I am assuming there are no mechanical throttle cables - I think it is all electronic controls.
I dont have a joystick.
There are two throttle levers (one for each engine) which beep when going from idle to neutral. The gear selection is done when the levers are moved from nuetral to idle position fwd and aft for each engine.
I have gone through the throttle lever calibration routing where 1.0,1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4 is shown on the engine hours displays and they have been calibrated.
The weird thing is the port engine works fine on its own, its only when the stbd engine is running with the port engine that the port engine wont go into gear.

Doe sit only fail in one direction?

If so swap the plugs over on the solenoids , it’s ok to do this prop will just go opposite way, if the problem goes away it could be the solenoid .

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

In my case it was the cables from the actuators to the drive legs ... I think, the Volvo guy did the job, told me about it and I got the bill.

 

[Andyroonot]

If it works fine on its own and only fails when the other engine is running then it could well be the button pack or something on the Multilink system; as 'jrudge' rightly points out, these are the only points at which the two engines meet.

If you have a 2nd helm station then does the problem happen there?

If you unplug the button panel from the stb'd engine's HCU then all you will loose is the button control for that engine - starting and stopping plus the gauges will still work, albeit you will likely get a fault displayed in the stb'd tacho. Personally I'd try that and see if the port fails to engage gear when the stb'd is running - if it stops happening then it could well be the button panel causing some sort of issue. To prove it, swap the button panel plugs from one HCU to another - the lights will be transposed but if the stb'd stops shifting gear when the port is running then you've cracked it.

What are your engine serial numbers? If it is an older generation EVC system then it could be in need of a software update - I've not heard of those symptoms before but worth a try if its not been updated for a few years, plus its always worth having the latest software to iron out any known glitches that you haven't even experienced

 

[zt260]

I had a similar problem earlier this year with my kad300 edc.the starboard engine would not go into forward but would go into reverse I noticed I hadn't got 12v on the gauge so I checked the alternator and I was only getting about 10v output.changed alternator problem solved.
If your system is similar to the edc then you need 12v to go into gear.
Check your voltages

Regds ash

 

[AlexR]

Thanks for all the posts folks.

So I have done the following:

1. Measured the voltages at the alternator:
- Left connector viewed from stern is 14.8v
- Right connector viewed from stern is 14.5v

2. When going in gear the light on the EVC panel goes out for both engines.

3. When going out of gear the light illuminates on the EVC panel for both engines.

4. When port engine is running with stbd engine stopped it goes into gear.

5. When port engine is running "sometimes" it goes into gear when stbd engine is first started but then stops going into gear fairly quickly.

6. When port engine fails to go into gear it does so for both fwd/aft directions.

Other things I noticed are:
- The volt meter gauge needle for the port engine is not totally stable, is wavers around the 13.8v - 14.1v and gently goes up and down. It seems strange as the voltage from the alternator seemed stable.
- The voltmeter for the stbd engine is higher and stable at about 14.2v
- The alternator is on the port engine

Unless anyone can conclude anything concrete from this the next step is for me to do as jrudge suggests and start disconnecting EVC panels and maybe swap them over form flybridge to main helm?

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[jrudge]

Is the voltage wavering real ( do you see it generally on the system with your multimeter ) or just the gauge.

If just the gauge then earthing is a good starting candidate for that sort of wavering problem as load will expose a faltering connection. If you swap the volt meters what happens ?

Most volvo stuff seems plug and play so shifting it about is pretty simple in most cases.

 

[Nick Wight]

I had a similar problem with D4s ... gear selection went potty, usually when trying to park the thing! Volvo guy checked the actuators then discovered the cables needed servicing - lubricating presumably - so I didn't even have to buy new ones which makes a nice change! Got away with a reasonable bill. Another discovery I made, if you've got a joystick, always make sure the main throttles are in neutral before turning on the joystick - another way to avoid the gears losing their wits!

Hi Kingfisher 3. Can you tell me a little more about the problem you were having? We have an issue with our D4 where at low speed it will "stick" in astern! Very disconcerting when it happens!!!!!

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

All I can suggest is get you man to check the cable between the actuators and the drive legs. That's what the Volvo man told me my problem was. Had to go ashore to fix it of course so it wasn't exactly a cheap fix! Mine was sticking both ahead and astern, once when reversing in to my pontoon and again, luckily with the engineer aboard giving me a hand, when trying to line it up for the lifting dock ... at least he could see the problem for himself rather than having to figure it out from my description. Morning's work really although I got him to replace the impellers and engine anodes as I was suspicious about it not being done at a service a month previously ... I was right!

 

[Nick Wight]

Thanks Kingfisher 3 for that info. Very useful! I'll talk to our man Dan Stuttle in Weymouth and suggest that this might be worth checking.

Regards, Nick.

 

[[2068]]

A simple test would be to disconnect the gear cable from the actuator.
Then try engaging gear and watch to see if the actuator arm moves when you select the gear.

 

[AlexR]

I thought I would spend the time to close this thread off as I found the issue.
So after some testing I found that the issue was time related, so after about 1-2 minutes the port gearbox would stop going into gear - I thought the issue related to the stbd engine being started and running.

It turned out that the issue was an oil viscosity issue due to age/contamination.
A gearbox oil and filter change resulted in the issue being fixed.

 

[oldgit]

Thanks for posting ...
So many threads just sort of fade with no resolution leaving some of us wondering what the final outcome was.... ie. did the problem get solved with a wheel barrow full of money, a hammer,a hole drilled in the bottom of the boat or suspect a very common solution sell the boat to some other unsuspecting "chap"