Yanmar 2qm20 not starting troubleshooting

[jamhass]

Originally Posted by Wotname

A few things.



As for fresh fuel, you can rig up a can of fresh fuel and a hose to connect it directly to the input side of the engine mounted filter and gravity feed it to the injector pump.

Don't forget to plumb the fuel return line back to this same can, or you will pump the new fuel into the boat's tank.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by jamhass

Don't forget to plumb the fuel return line back to this same can, or you will pump the new fuel into the boat's tank.

I understand what you are saying but I don't think this is a consideration if the OP is only using the new fuel can for testing and troubleshooting purposes but yes, you make a fair point.

[thesauvage]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The most important thing however, is close that seacock or you will hydrolock your motor, after it’s running, open it, it won’t hurt the impeller to run dry for a few seconds.

Thank you for your input. Yes, I'll make sure to have the seacock closed.

[thesauvage]

Originally Posted by Wotname

A few things.

The starting rpm on your first video seems to just a little on the slow side suggesting a less than ideal battery voltage at the starter motor for whatever reason. No slow enough to be red flag but it could be faster. However that isn't your immediate problem - the starting fluid proves you have a fuel problem.

A64pilot has give you very good advice on how to use starting fluid properly. As an aside for other readers, the 2QM20 does not have glow plugs.

Also his assessment of air in the fuel system is likely to correct.

As for fresh fuel, you can rig up a can of fresh fuel and a hose to connect it directly to the input side of the engine mounted filter and gravity feed it to the injector pump. Bleed the filter though to the injector pump and then get the engine running with the starting fluid as described by A64pilot.

By the way, have you tired opening the throttle lever further than normal i.e. try it about half throttle or more.

Keep trying stuff and it will run! These are not complex engines.

I've read through the engine, that came with the boat and found the fuel filter on the forward side of the engine.

I guess I'll exchange the fuel filter before rigging the 'gravity feed' of fresh fuel. Right?
For the gravity feed, I've thought about cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle and attaching the fuel line directly to the bottle cap. Holding it upside down above the engine should do the trick, right?

Regarding the throttle lever, I'm not exactly shure how to rev up the engine without going into gear (fwd/rev) My throttle lever is a 'Teleflex MV-3'

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by thesauvage

..........

Regarding the throttle lever, I'm not exactly shure how to rev up the engine without going into gear (fwd/rev) My throttle lever is a 'Teleflex MV-3'

There should be a knob near the shift/throttle lever that you pull out that disengages the shift cable ad allows the throttle cable still to move.

There is a manual here http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-c...ion_Manual.pdf

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by thesauvage

........
For the gravity feed, I've thought about cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle and attaching the fuel line directly to the bottle cap. Holding it upside down above the engine should do the trick, right?

..........

Or just hold the bottle normally and put the fuel line (hose) in the cap until it reaches the bottom of the bottle and let it siphon into the filter.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by thesauvage

I've read through the engine, that came with the boat and found the fuel filter on the forward side of the engine.
.......'

Reading the operations manual is always a good place to start - there is a wealth of information in the Yanmar manuals .

[jimbunyard]

Watched both videos, the starting speed seems a bit slow, but adequate for now.

You used about twice as much starting fluid as I would think safe, especially for a first start. Better to use a little at first and then use little short squirts to 'keep her alive' as she wakes up, and as A64 suggests.

Sitting for four years is long enough for the rack or p&bs in the injector pump to stick, and this may be the problem, but I'd persevere with the simpler things previously described first.

That it ran fairly well with the starting fluid is encouraging.

[thesauvage]

Update: Engine started and ran ok.

I've tried to start the engine before riiging the direct fuel feed as suggested. And it worked!

What I did:

- Opened up the throttle a bit (disengaged gear)

- Gave it a <1sec burst of starter liquid

- Engaged the starter button

- As it fired and begann to rattle like it was going to run I gave it another very short burst of starter spray.

- Then it ran on its own, after like 30 sec the revs went up, so I was putting the throttle slowly back to neutral.

- Engine was still running at idle speed.

- opened the seacock and water shoot from the exhaust with very little smoke.

- after 2-3 minutes running, the Charge alarm/lamp was still sounding. Oil/engine warning remained off.
When I turned the key back to 0 position the CHARGE alarm shuts down. No I ldea if I should do that, though. (See video 3)

Video1 https://youtu.be/rjgDE5ZbpKg
Video 2 https://youtu.be/iBQiJKJ4p18
Video 3 https://youtu.be/A0ceL311QZw


The Problem now is:
I can't get it to start up AGAIN.

I did the sane schedule like the first time, but it won't start up again. I'll check / replace the fuel filter, and retry again later.

[thesauvage]

I've opened the fuel filter housing, as I wasn't able to re-start the engine.

- I closed the fuel tank valve
- opened the fuel filter housing

Photo:

https://i.imgur.com/Y9GKHtT.jpg


After the housing cup came off, I noticed, that there was only a small amount of fuel sitting at the bottom of the 'cup shaped' housing part.

Question: Shouldn't this be completely FULL with fuel?

I exchanged the fuel filter, even though it didn't seemed dirty to me, and filled the cup with fresh fuel.

Afterwards I bleeded the filter from the screw on top of the housing, with the help from the manual pump.

Then I loosened the bolt of the return line ontop of the Fuel injector, and kept pumping the fuel with the manual pump, until no more bubbles (only fuel) squirted out.

I retried the starting procedure as for the first time, but no luck.

The engine won't start no more

One more thing I've noticed, that the attachment bolt on top of the fuel filter NOT look like it originalie belonged there.

Photo:
https://i.imgur.com/9GkXrxd.jpg

[jimbunyard]

Yes, the filter housing should be full.

The impromptu bolt could very well be the problem, the one that should be there is p/n 101147-59810 and is a special sealing bolt with copper washers on both sides. The wrong bolt needs to be replaced along with the washers.

It may not be proprietary to Yanmar; a diesel injection shop may have one. They also seem to be readily available on the internet.

[thesauvage]

Thank you very much for the parts number, I'll replace the bolt with a proper one asap.

Any Idea what causes the almost empty fuel filter?
Lifting pump failure/problem?

[jimbunyard]

Looked at the drawing a little more closely, it appears that the replaced bolt is for the fuel return, which logically wouldn't seem to cause the filter to not fill, but I don't know that from experience, perhaps Wotname can advise when he gets up.

The lift pump could indeed be the problem, as could a clogged fuel tank pickup or a plugged tank vent. It is relatively easy to find out if the lift pump is working by disconnecting the inlet and outlet and trying to suck fuel from a container, or a cheap electric pump can be gotten from any autoparts store or online and be used to bypass the mechanical pump, either temporarily or permanently.

Now would be a good time to check the quality of the fuel in the tank, and if it smells or looks funny, use fresh fuel in your attempts to get the engine running reliably

[thesauvage]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

Looked at the drawing a little more closely, it appears that the replaced bolt is for the fuel return

Now would be a good time to check the quality of the fuel in the tank, and if it smells or looks funny, use fresh fuel in your attempts to get the engine running reliably

Yes, I've taken a look in my manual, and it is indeed the attachment bolt (hollow) for the fuel return line.

Question: Can the lift pump be damaged, when I'm able to manually pump fuel, with the small lever?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by thesauvage

.........

Question: Can the lift pump be damaged, when I'm able to manually pump fuel, with the small lever?

Not really - anything is possible I suppose but it hard to imagine how you could damage it inadvertently.

I have just came online and haven't looked at the your recent pictures etc yet.

However, yes, the fuel filter must be full all the time. The bleed screw is the small hex bolt on the top of the housing (near the return line banjo bolt).

Your battery isn't charging while the charge light is on so your battery must be getting flat by now unless you have some external charger. A discharged battery really slows down the starting RPM which makes it difficult to start.

More later.