PCUK
Well-known member
Give the starter motor 24 volts for a few turns, it won't hurt the starter motor but will tell you whether the slow turning is your problem.
I usually got the engine to start, but it took extended cranking and sometimes quick start spray. Extended cranking is bad for the starter motor and quick start does not do the engine any good. Once started it would run smoothly and no problems so all other systems OK. Initially fitted new bearings to the starter motor which improved things. Then got a none Yanmar replacement from eBay and had no further problems. All this was during the winter in Orkney so engine was cold (<10C) when starting.Thanks. I'm starting to wonder if it something like this. How did you narrow it down to the starter motor?
If you take the injectors out without using the special tool then you are in for a world of pain!Looks like I'm not going to get her going this weekend. I'm wondering now.what the next step is. Remove injectors maybe. I've never had them looked at. But I don't want to break anything getting them out.
Maybe i need to get someone on board to have a look first.
It hasn’t been bled properly. The little spurt coming from the injector is not enoughOK but what to to try next? System bled. Lift pump ok.
wd40 no longer works as a starting agent, the propellant used to be propane which would fire the engine, that no longer is the case. Use ether as an act of desperation OR brake cleaner also works.Thanks. This is useful. Was using wd40 on advice it is less aggressive but your approach will help with troubleshooting..
Quick start gives the engine a jolt - so does the starter really but without the heat burst on the piston- but the real issue is lack of lubrication. So crank it over and get oil flowing first. If it wont ever start then excess wear due to lack of lube on quick start is the least of your issue. Get lube running with brief crank over and it might even run feeer and startI usually got the engine to start, but it took extended cranking and sometimes quick start spray. Extended cranking is bad for the starter motor and quick start does not do the engine any good.
Agree, done this a few times and it works. Also bad earth's around the boat doesn't help. When mine started cranking slow it turned out to be a bad connection on the 1-2-both switch24 volts will start it if the problem is slow cranking. Experience is always better than opinions!
Good feedback, as I said, me smarty pants, not bled properlyThe yard got it going. Thanks Blackwater Marina. They said there was a lot of air in the system. Starter battery also cranking a bit slow. Stop lever may not have been fully returning when t pushed down.
Battery may have been damaged by kids isolating it and it then getting left for a couple of weeks. I tried a repairing pulse charge when boat was ashore. I've also got over 400 ah of leisure battery to bridge to. Would leisure batteries crank slower than a starter battery,? But will get a new one anyway.
I checked the workshop manual as the last time I had to bleed an engine it was a MD7a . I'm slightly embarrassed to note I was bleeding to the injector pumps and not to the injectors themselves. So no wonder there was still air. Lesson learned.
When I was last on board i did check the t stop lever and the lever on the engine after advice in this forum. I need to eyeball it again but it seems to be ok on last inspection. Maybe a new return spring is necessary.
My guess is poor bleeding technique and maybe slightly slow cranking was to blame.
I'm tempted to fit an electric fuel pump to help with bleeding but I want to eyeball things next weekend before I do anything else.