Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

[erikjdoucet]

I recently purchased a 2000 Four Winns Horizon 180 with a Volvo Penta 4.3L GL /SX drive. I took it out to the lake for the first time today, and the engine ran well; it had lots of power, idled well, had no smoke or coughing. However, the water temp gauge would go from nothing to red with no reason to, and the loud alarm would sound. The needle on the gauge never sat in the middle, it would shoot from one end of the gauge to the other. This would occur when at 95% throttle out in the open, or while just in gear in the marina. I felt the hoses on engine a few times, and they felt cold. Any suggestions where to start? I live very far from any Volvo mechanics.
Cheers,

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

I would not run that engine except for diagnostic purposes until you get the overheat condition resolved. It may be as simple as a bad temp sender but it may indeed be an overheat condition. Overheat conditions destroy motors. The engine in your boat is not a Volvo, its a GM 4.3 so any dealer that services I/Os can help you.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

the water temp gauge would go from nothing to red with no reason to, and the loud alarm would sound

The fact that two completely different senders and switches are telling you that it's hot, you better believe something is getting hot. There is a sender for the gauge, and a seperate switch that that closes at 210?. Since both show hot, it probably is.
When you "Feel" the engine and hoses, is the alarm and and gauge both saying HOT?????

When was the last time the raw water pump impeller was replaced, and or the thermostat? with a raw water cooling system, thermostats do get stuck quite often. They also should NOT be an automotive part. they just don't last.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

Which hoses did you feel? with a cold engine, the hoses feeding the manifolds should be cool, but the big hose that connects the thermo housing and the circulation pump should be warm to hot when the engine warms up, and the hoses to the manifolds will get warm too, because then the thermo should open and allow water to flow out of the block and heads and out the exhaust, to be replaced by cool water pumped in by the impeller. If that big hose is is cool and the engine is hot (overheating on the gauge), the thermo could be stuck shut...
You need to check the whole cooling system to make sure the impeller pumps adequate water, the thermo opens when it should and the exhaust risers are not clogged and allow the cooling water to escape.

Here is a pic of your cooling hoses, which ones are you referring to?

 

[erikjdoucet]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

None of the hoses were hot. The hose to the top left was cold, as well as the hoses to the right. However, I discovered a kink in that top left (smaller) hose. Would this possible a cause for the problem? The kink is not major, but it would reduce the water flow. I will replace that right away, but was wondering if that would cause the temp prob.

 

[erikjdoucet]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

I verified with the mechanic at the local marina. I changed a senor, and it didn't resolve the issue. He told me to feel the manifold after running the engine for a while. He said if the boat is overheating, that I wouldn't be able to keep my hand on it. After taking the boat out a few times, the manifold never gets hot, and doesn't smell or smoke. The gauge goes from 0 to Red (and the alarm sounds) in 1 second, but it only happens when the RPM is low. As soon as I put a load on the engine, the guage drops and the alarm stops in 10 seconds. Regarding the water hoses: I felt the smaller hoses that run on both sides of the engine, and meet at the junction to the left of the fuse box. I can feel moving water in the hoses, and I am able to pinch the hose with a considerable amount of force.
I am wondering if the impeller is clogged, and when the RPM is low, it doesn't allow much water to go thru. But with a higher RPM, it forces enough water to cool the engine.


Does anyone know how to clear this problem? (The impellor was changed in 07 by the previous owner.)

 

[cooter2506]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

Low rpms low water flow high rpms more water flow. change the impeller

 

[fcawth]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

I wonder if someone hooked up the temp. gauge to the switch sensor for the alarm instead of the gauge temperature sender. That's the only explanation I can think of that would cause the alarm to go off and the gauge to peg at the exact same time. They should be two separate circuits.

There should be two sensors up by the thermostat housing, each with its own single wire to it.

If everything is wired properly, you definitely want to listen to DonS because there's no way that both sensors would be telling you its hot if it is not.

Fred

 

[Moku'ula]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

Do you have individual gauges or one automotive-style VDO instrument panel?

Jef
Moku'Ula
1999 Four Winns Horizon 180

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

After a year with the same problem, maybe you should consider a professional.

 

[Moku'ula]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

No wonder Don is the moderator - with wisdom like that - I didn't even notice that the first post was listed a year ago...

Jef

 

[erikjdoucet]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

The post is a year old because our boating season is really short up here and I tolerated the problem for most of last Summer. The problem occured in June, didn't happen in July, and then it occurred again towards the end of the boating season (Sept).

I have been talking to the local volvo mechanics. The waiting time to get the boat in is quite long I've been trouble shooting this with their help, and this forum. I replaced the sending unit located to the left of the thermostat housing (with the nut) last June, it didn't solve the problem. The other sending unit located on the front of the housing unit seems to be properly connected.

My Instrument panel looks very similar to this one:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jered.cuenco/FourWinnsVistaCruiser258#5059315990731134898

Has anyone heard of this problem with this instrument panel?

This morning, I replaced the impellor. Then I took the old one out. It looked good, but I still installed the new one and applied the glycerine. The volvo shop is certain that this will fix the problem. I haven't hooked the water up to the boat yet. I'm hoping the boat will run fine by June 1st (when the ice is off the lake).

 

[Moku'ula]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

There are many documented cases of the VDO cluster malfunctioning - BUT - don't assume your temp issues are within the gauge... If you overheat and ruin your motor, life would suck.

My VDO cluster blows - the speedo usually doesn't work and the entire thing resets and goes out pretty frequently... I understand it's a ground issue.

I'm looking to replace with individual gauges, but $$$ and my wife prohibit me from getting the boat equipped the way I'd like it...

Do a search of VDO clusters here and on google - you'll see they are problematic...

Jef

 

[fcawth]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

You know, I wonder if the water temp sender and switch are shorted together somewhere in the wiring? You could try to disconnect the oil pressure switch (so the alarm doesn't come on), turn the key in the run position with the engine off, and just ground the temp sensor switch to see if the gauge pegs (The alarm should come on).

If you really want to check the gauge, go to radio shack and get a 100 ohm resistor and put it between the gauge wire and ground with the sender disconnected. The temp should read 180 or so.

Fred

 

[TexasFlyer]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

I've had almost the exact same issue on my 2001 Four Winns Horizon 180 with a 5.0L Volvo Penta. I went one step further and bought a pyrometer. After running the engine up and seeing the temp gauge almost go into the red, I checked every part of the engine I could find and no where on the engine (checked the block, thermo housing, risers, ect.) was hotter than about 162 F ( the thermostat is 160) so it's not overheating even though the gauge says it's on the brink of a melt down. Any ideas for dealing with a gauge/sensor issue? By the way, yes, I have that same VDO cluster the above poster shows in his link.

 

[Don S]

Re: Volvo Penta Temp Gauge Prob.

You need to start a new thread with your question, or it will be lost at the end of someone elses year old post.