4.3 GL-E fuel pump testing

[rordog206]

I have a 2006 Monterey 180 FS with the Volvo Penta 4.3 GL-E (serial no 4012188312) , and it won't start.

I have a new battery. I know I'm getting a spark; starter fluid and pouring some fuel into the carburetor have caused combustion and the engine runs for a few seconds until that's burned up.

side note: the carburetor is new last season (2014), as well as fuel pump by professional mechanic.

I think that the carb is not getting fuel. Is the fuel pump getting power? This video show measuring the voltage coming into the fuel pump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRR8...ature=youtu.be

The video show 140+ voltage coming off that wiring harness. I think that means it gets power.

When attempting to start, I definitely hear the fuel pump making a clicking noise. This happens when it gets power. I even attempted the jump the fuel pump directly from the battery and can reproduce the clicking noise.

Does the clicking fuel pump and lack of fuel suggest a bad pump? It's not even a season old.

Is the next step to take it off for true bench test? Could something else be causing the fuel pump to get fried.

 

[Bondo]

I even attempted the jump the fuel pump directly from the battery and can reproduce the clicking noise.

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... Disconnect the fuel line from the fuel pump, at the carb's inlet,....(use 2 proper fitting wrenches to break it free)

Use a hose, 'n direct the discharge into a catchcan, 'n jumper the fuel pump,.....

You'll see the discharge if there is any,...

Have ya checked the fuel filter's Contents for water, 'n crud,..??

That's what Kills fuel pumps, 'n carbs,.....

 

[rordog206]

hey Bondo,

I had also replaced the fuel filter, and loaded it with new ethanol free fuel (forgot to mention that)

I tried the fuel pump jump test with the fuel line disconnected from the carb. Nothing discharged from the line, and the fuel pump just did the click thing.

I have attached a video of this test. You may have to crank the volume and be quiet to hear the slight click when i touch the wire.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... My Merc fuel pump whirrrrs, no clickin',...

If there fuel available to the fuel pump, 'n that's what ya got, I'd say the pump is Beat,.....

 

[rordog206]

So I have removed part 18-7326 Fuel Pump and gave it another test. I had it in a cup of water, and connected directly to battery. Upon making the connection, something inside is attempting to move, but nothing else. no whirrrrrs. no movement of the water. it's as if the pump is seized.

Is there any other test before i drop 170+ bucks on a pump that I just got one season out of?

 

[Bondo]

Is there any other test before i drop 170+ bucks on a pump that I just got one season out of?

Nope,... Sounds dead to me,..... Why ya testin' with water,..??

Have ya checked iboats for price, 'n availability,..??

 

[rordog206]

with an improved rig to jump the pump, i now have it working. crank the volume on the linked video and hear the pump whirring away. i used the pump to fill the carb with gas, and she fired right up.

but i'm not getting that same whirring and fuel when the normal wiring harness is connected. this brings me back to my first posting attempting to measure the voltage coming into the pump.

shouldn't i see something like 12.6 or 14 volts? why do i see 140 volts? could i be doing this test wrong?

could it be a bad connection?

 

[rordog206]

so i used my fuel pump jumper rigging to fill the carb, and started her up. and now she starts and runs very nice. but i couldn't tell if the pump was running because of engine noise and the acoustics of my garage.

tomorrow i'll go for a water test.

should the pump always be running while the engine is running?

my knowledge is that the fuel pump first get powered by the battery when the key is in start. then once the engine is running, the alternator then powers the fuel pump. maybe the connection from the battery is bad, and the alternator one good?

or it also seems like the act of removing the fuel pump and multiple tests somehow un-stuck it, and i was always getting power.

 

[Dave-R]

On my Volvo 4.3 The starter provides the power to the fuel pump when cranking, and when the engine is running, the alternator provides the power. There is a Diode in the wiring ( looks like a fusible link) that blows when you connect the battery terminals backwards. My sons boat had this, and my previous owner of my boat also had the same problem. The dealer had a hard time finding the problem, and it cost him over a grand. Ouch. Check it out and see if you have power first from the starter then when it's running from the alternator. The diodes are cheap. Dave-R