Volvo Penta D2-55 preheat problem

[mlibkind]

I have never had a problem starting my Volvo Penta D2-55. Four weeks ago I started the engine with no problem. Over the last 4 weeks I had an electrician install a Balmar alternator, external regulator, and alternator and battery temperature sensors. It is an integrated package.

Today I tried to start the engine and when I push the start button the "preheat" indicator flashes on and the power to the LCD display on the start panel goes off. I've tried it many times with the same result.

I called the electrician, who happens now to be in the hospital so he can't help me, to ask if he had trouble starting the engine. He said he had the same experience but on the third try it started. That is not the case now. It will not start.

He related this to the boat agent who was watching my boat (I live across the country) and amazingly no one thought to mention this to me. Now I'm supposed to leave for a passage from GA to NC in 7 days and I'm a bit panicky. It is very difficult to get help in the Brunswick GA area and am hoping that one of you can give me some advice.

The only thing I can add is that the last time I was at the boat I removed a fitting from the deck and my temporary plug did not do a good job in keeping water out. I found a bunch of water in an area near the stern, but can't see where it got close to any electrical. Where it dripped down from the deck is about two feet away from the engine start panel and not in the same plane so water could not drip from the leak to the panel.

My one thought is that there is a failure in the temperature sensor. I do not know where it is or how it works.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Marcus

[mlibkind]

More information.

After thinking about this more, I don't think it is a preheat problem.

First, when I push the start button the engine does not even try to turn over. That sounds like an electrical problem.

Second, if the temperature is below 122F then the preheat should be activated. So that might be why the preheat light goes on.

So now I'm going to look for an electrical problem.

My battery has 13 volts so I guess that I should be looking at the input to the starter.

Any ideas?

Marcus

[DeepFrz]

The electrician might have disconnected (probably did) the power cables at the batteries. Good place to start looking. If he didn't he may have shorted the power cable to the alternator and possibly run your batteries down. Unloaded voltage doesn't mean much. What is the voltage when you depress the start button? Check voltage at batteries and at the starter when the pre-heat is on and when you depress the start button.

[Thumbs Up]

I am going to suggest a grounding issue. Balmar uses isolated ground.

[mlibkind]

Thank you for the ideas. I will check what I can while I wait for an electrician.

[mlibkind]

Originally Posted by Thumbs Up

I am going to suggest a grounding issue. Balmar uses isolated ground.

This is very interesting. The one thing that says that this is not the problem is that the electrician did get the engine to start after he installed the new alternator. But it took him three tries when in the past I never had trouble.

[BruceS]

I'm not familiar with that engine but on some diesel road vehicles you must complete the preheat cycle before the start current will flow.
Maybe the preheat unit is faulty?
To test it you might be able to jumper the preheat for around the desired time (don't exceed it!) & then jumper the starter solenoid?
Might help pin point the problem area.

[kipwrite]

Sounds like an Volvo MDI failure.
Google it.
Very common in these engines, and most have been subject to a recall. Once you get a new one it installs simply.

[mlibkind]

Please tell me what MDI stands for.

Originally Posted by kipwrite

Sounds like an Volvo MDI failure.
Google it.
Very common in these engines, and most have been subject to a recall. Once you get a new one it installs simply.

[kipwrite]

It’s the black box in the port side of your engine that connects things electrical. Mechanical diesel interface. They are under recall by Volvo. Symptoms just as you described... shutting down mysteriously. Failure to start, intermittently. Control panels go dark. I’d strongly recommend you install a remote starter button at the MDI when you replace it.
Search on google, mate. Plenty of good write ups.

[mlibkind]

Thank you. I saw that box when I was looking for possible loose wire. It makes sense that this could be it.

Originally Posted by kipwrite

It’s the black box in the port side of your engine that connects things electrical. Mechanical diesel interface. They are under recall by Volvo. Symptoms just as you described... shutting down mysteriously. Failure to start, intermittently. Control panels go dark. I’d strongly recommend you install a remote starter button at the MDI when you replace it.
Search on google, mate. Plenty of good write ups.

[GordMay]

See ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ll-204871.html

[mlibkind]

With the mechanic cancelling again and not sure when he will come, I decided to try to fix on my own.

1. After disconnecting the battery and turning off the engine power switch (I know that was redundant) I removed the MDI box.

2. I attached a remote starter switch to the red and red/yellow wires.

3. The engine started instantly. Ran great like it always had.

4. Installed new MDI box.

5. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START FROM THE COCKPIT PANEL. UGH.

When I tried to start from the cockpit panel I could hear a click. The preheat indicator would blink and then the power to the panel would go off.

I'm going to make the assumption that the "new" MDI box is not faulty. I know the starter is okay since the engine started using the remote start switch.

So what can be the problem? Any ideas?

Marcus

[mlibkind]

I'm going to try and get access to the back of the cockpit start panel controls. Unfortunately one must do this from the rear and access is very difficult because on my Elan 444 it is actually not a panel but rather the meter and the start module inserted in the fiberglass. They can't be removed from the front.

In the meantime, I wanted to ask another question. If one of the glow plugs was bad, would the Volvo Penta electronics prevent starting the engine or would the engine simply not run smoothly until heated?

If it were the former, then a bad glow plug could be my problem. But I doubt it because I've been able to do an emergency start with a remote start switch and the engine seems to run smoothly from the outset.

But I'm just checking in my quest to figure out why the engine will not start from the panel.

Thank you.

Marcus

[Thumbs Up]

I said before that I thought it was a grounding issue. The panel gets it's power at the engine. The new alternator has an isolated ground right? The glow plugs could be robbing the ground enough to to cause the MDI box to shut off preventing the start relay from engaging. Where does the MDI box get it's ground? Something could have changed from the alternator install.