YANMAR 1GM wont start...30 degrees

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by 01kiwijohn

30F isn't all that cold and fuel gelling should not be an issue, so you should be able to start the engine by using a hair dryer as an intake heater, if you've got access to 120V power. Much safer than ether. I am very familiar with the IH 466 engine series so am well aware if the old ether injection systems; which were basically designed to limit the operator's ability to shoot too much in and destroy to top ring lands. Computer controlled engine management and pre-heat systems have rendered these obsolete.
These engines have only a single ground brush, in the starter, and that can wear, reducing the cranking speed, gradually, over a period of time, without you really noticing it. I got a local auto electric shop to clean up the commutator, replace the ground brush, and it made a remarkable improvement. Slow cranking speeds mean difficult starting.
Filters are relatively cheap, so don't mess with them, buy new and carry spares.
Follow the Yanmar bleeding instructions and you can't go wrong.
Hope that helps you, let me know what you find and if there's anything else I can do.

This should be reiterated again and again, it's almost counterintuitive, the idea seeming to be 'If it turns over, we're good.' Probably any starter installation over 2-3 years old in a marine environment would benefit from a removal and cleaning, both mechanical and electrical, along with the primary cables...

Proper starting speed is essential for quick starts.

[Compass790]

Suspect it needs bleeding throughout by the sound of it & a filter change as suggested. Also what oil viscosity are you using? I'd use 10w-30 or 15w-40 not mono 30 in those temps as it will spin faster. I use 3 methods to start if having difficulty with my YSM8, hair dryer in air intake, crc 5-56 or WD40 sprayed in or you can squirt a little engine oil in the air intake if you can get to it close to the cylinder. Be careful with squirting engine oil in though as you can bend the pushrod ( I did but easy to hammer straight) if you use too much so only try that as a last resort. I have to do this every time to start my engine from cold as the compression is too low. ( test compression) Still once it starts it doesn't stop like yours so it points to an air or fuel restriction problem. I'd check the lift pump as well if you aren't gravity fed.

[seabreez]

Definitely bleed the injectors. Do you have a primer pump lever? If so you can use this for bleeding. While doing so check to see what comes out... fuel or water... Roger

[hamburking]

I've owned a couple yanmars, but not a 1gm. All of mine had a secondary fuel filter. Does the 1gm have a secondary fuel filter? You might consider changing this filter as well.

I think the magnetic block heater is a good idea.

It sounds like you still have air in the fuel lines.

If cranking for more than 10 seconds, shut off the water intake. Open immediately when the engine starts.

[CAPTNSTUMPY]

Thanks for all the replies guys...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by hamburking

... I think the magnetic block heater is a good idea...

IIRC Yanmars have non-magnetic cast aluminum blocks & oil sumps. The dipstick heater might be a good idea.

[Looking_glass]

I have a Yanmar 1GM and it is typical to not want to start at 30F. It will crank and fire briefly and not run. After 10 minutes of cranking it will finally run. Without a glow plug I have accepted that this is the process that I have to go through. I have had other diesels in the past and what I have learned is that intake air at 30F needs glow plug to start, 20F it is good to have a block heater, 10F fuel is problematic, and the battery is weaker as the temperature drops.


I like "01kiwijohn" suggestion for the hair dryer to preheat the intake air in place of a glow plug. I am adding a power inverter and a hair dryer to my boat for future cool weather. I would suggest the same. Just make sure the wattage of the inverter exceeds the hair dryer. If you use your boat when the lower temperatures are encountered instead of block heaters etc. I would warm up the cabin. This will raise the temperature for the air, block, fuel, and battery.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by GordMay

IIRC Yanmars have non-magnetic cast aluminum blocks & oil sumps.

This is why using either in an engine like this is a bit nuts.

[Badsanta]

Yes!!! Bleed all the way though the injectors while cranking the engine FIRST before you do anything else. You can't get the air out unless you crank the motor. You have to bleed it along the way and finish at the injector. Heaters, ether or anything else won't help till you get the air out.

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[CAPTNSTUMPY]

Per my post...My boat has been on the hard while I was doing fiberglass work this past summer. I ran the engine several times, all fine. Last week, it was hard starting, but eventually kicked over and ran fine for about three/four minutes...then stopped and would not start. That's why I suspected a fuel problem. Fuel tank was less than half (my fault), appeared clear but I drained the tank completely anyway. Topped it off with new fuel and started trouble shooting...removed filter bowl, appeared to be water. Did not have another filter, am landlocked, but filter was fairly new, so I soaked it in the ACETONE, blew it out, then let it set in fresh fuel overnight. I attempted to start it next day; no dice, so I shot a spray of Either. Fired and ran briefly, several times....but eventually gave up. I ended up draining water from the engine, and ran anti freeze via using the starter feeding it thru the impeller hose. I talked to Mack Boring to be safe...said I was ok. I'll attack the bleeding issue in Spring. Heading south shortly. Thanks again for all your help. I'm much smarter because of your input...

[01kiwijohn]

errr, not exactly. The oil sump is aluminium but the block is good old cast iron

[Doug Brown]

You don't have to buy a fuel filter made by Yanmar - there are several different companies (Fram, Baldwin, etc) that make fuel filters with the Yanmar metric thread and base diameter dimensions.

Any good autoparts store should have them in stock. The "Bobcat" tractor filters I believe are the same threads and have the small canister.

Take your filter with you just to make sure they match the threads and sealing o-ring correctly. The threads (from memory) are M16 x 1.5

Buy a couple so you have spares onboard - fuel filters are cheap, and when you need one, you NEED one!

[01kiwijohn]

I forgot this; To winterize, you can take a longer (say 2 ft) piece of auto heater hose and a funnel. Connect the hose to where the pump outlet hose usually goes into the heat exchanger, use the funnel and pour some anti freeze mix into the heat exchanger until it comes out the exhaust elbow

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Looking Glass.