Volvo Penta MD2030 sometimes hard to start

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cmedsailor

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My volvo penta MD2030D sometimes turns more than usual before it starts and haven’t managed to discover what the problem is. The symptons are that sometimes, not always, turns for 3-4 seconds or even more until the engine starts. The cranking speed is normal (ie it’s not a flat battery problem) and if I stopped pushing the start button while cranking and press it again it will start immediately.
The normal behaviour was after pushing the glow plugs button for 6-10 seconds to start almost immediately.

The problem started several months ago. First I replaced all the glow plugs thinking the problem was there. Two were relatively OK one was slow to get hot. Anyway, it didn’t change things. After that I replaced the negative pole terminal of the starter battery, despite an electrician telling me that it looked OK, again no change. About 2 months ago I replaced the starter battery with a new one and at the same time I cleaned the two relays (for starter and glow plugs) in the fuse box. After that it seemed to be OK until yesterday morning which suddenly again, on pushing the start button, it started turning with no ignition for about 5 seconds until I released the start button, pushed it again and it started immediately.

Diesel filters are clean, if this is relevant.

Any suggestions on what to look please?
 
How did you "clean" the glowplug relay? I'd be suspicious of a relay that needed any intervention, it may well be unreliable after it's reached that stage, especially if the contacts were in poor condition.
 
earlybird said:
How did you "clean" the glowplug relay? I'd be suspicious of a relay that needed any intervention, it may well be unreliable after it's reached that stage, especially if the contacts were in poor condition.
Click to expand...

Contact cleaner and a soft cloth. I think it's not unusual for this engine to clean from time to time the two relays in the fuse box.
 
Common problem on the 2000 series The heater relay works loose inside the black box. Wedge both relays in by putting a bit of plastic on top of them allowing the black plastic lid to keep the relay firmly in the socket.

When they are slightly out of the sockets they are working on "oxidized contact surfaces" which may conduct a voltage but not a decent current......
This cons you into thinking the relay is doing something as it clicks. Tell tale sign of it doing its job is if lights dim a bit on control panel as heaters draw a decent current. Contact cleaner will help but not prevent it happening again in the long term.
 
TSB240 said:
Common problem on the 2000 series The heater relay works loose inside the black box. Wedge both relays in by putting a bit of plastic on top of them allowing the black plastic lid to keep the relay firmly in the socket.
Click to expand...

Hmm, interesting. They don't feel loose at all but with all these vibrations of the 3-cylinder engine who knows. Worth trying (and dead easy!) to do what you suggest. Thanks.
 
Sandy said:
What conditions does it take more turns than usual?
Click to expand...

Nothing specific, can be morning, afternoon, evening, after been on shore power or not but always, if it happens, on the first start of the engine, when it is cold. If I turn it off for sailing and turn it on again after some hours the engine will start immediately as normal.
 
TSB240 said:
Common problem on the 2000 series The heater relay works loose inside the black box. Wedge both relays in by putting a bit of plastic on top of them allowing the black plastic lid to keep the relay firmly in the socket.
I thought the 2030 was Perkins based and is not the 2000 series.
When they are slightly out of the sockets they are working on "oxidized contact surfaces" which may conduct a voltage but not a decent current......
This cons you into thinking the relay is doing something as it clicks. Tell tale sign of it doing its job is if lights dim a bit on control panel as heaters draw a decent current. Contact cleaner will help but not prevent it happening again


in the long term.
Click to expand...

I thought the 2030 was Perkins based and is not the 2000 series.
 
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cmedsailor said:
Nothing specific, can be morning, afternoon, evening, after been on shore power or not but always, if it happens, on the first start of the engine, when it is cold. If I turn it off for sailing and turn it on again after some hours the engine will start immediately as normal.
Click to expand...
I have a VP 2002 and had the same problem. On reading this thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?65000-Cold-Start-on-a-Volvo-Penta-2003

no longer have any problems with a cold start. I wonder if that would help you?
 
peteK said:
I thought the 2030 was Perkins based and is not the 2000 series.
Click to expand...


Perhaps I should have said MD 20X0 series which have the common black box containing the start and heater relay bolted to the engine and subject to all the usual vibration.

https://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7740690-30-9350.aspx
https://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7740690-30-9349.aspx
https://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7740690-30-2466.aspx
 
I'd vote for the relays.

We have a similar problem with a 2020. But it seems to be a recurring problem and in our case is bad contacts. You need to keep massaging the relay pins (or as suggested early on pack out the top of the box and screw down hard). Our relays are fine - its the contacts that deteriorate.

If it continues to recur and does so every start up - next time you start up, reseat the relays before you try - if it fires up properly - its the relays.
 
Another vote for poor contacts, even if the relay if firmly home. I occasionally find the relay fails to operate and the engine doesn't start first time. I think the vibration of the starter turning the engine re-makes the contact. If I touch the wiring under the relay box I can hear the relay drop in and out. Spray contact cleaner helps a bit, but I'll need to do a more thorough check of all the socket pins soon as I think one is just too loose to guarantee a good connection.
 
Some follow up: I have used the "pack out the top of the fuse box" method and so far, touch wood, and 7-8 times starting the engine everything seems to be OK. Let's keep fingers crossed and relays pushed down......
 
Spent a lot of time checking the relays on my 2040 last year and even replaced the glow plug relay. The problem eventually turned out to be diesel bug. Filters looked clean but the pick up pipe was getting blocked every now and then by bits of gel in the tank. The other symptom was occasional drop in revs for no obvious reason. It's been fine since I treated the fuel.
 
Late coming to this thread - but observation for posterity. Had problems with both relays contained in the "Black Box" which gave slow "non-preheated" starting with consequent initial smokey exhaust; and for the starter relay an occasion no power to the starter button. Tried the "pack-down-and-jam" method for a while with intermittent failure. Then replaced both relays (available for little cash at Keypart). The old relays had a noticeable groove in them preventing good contact. Since replacement - no problems.

As noted in previous comments you can easily check whether the glowplug connection is working by observing a noticeable dimming of a non-LED cabin light, or a change in pitch of an engine room venting fan.
 
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