4.3GL-J won’t crank or make a sound

[Tretatt]

I have a 4.3 GL-J Volvo Penta engine. Serial # 4012252889. I am having problems with my boat cranking or even making a sound. I go to start it and nothing. I put a new EverStart 29 DC 845 MCA battery in it. I tested the batter as well to make sure it wasn’t a bad battery. All gauges come on, blower, radio, bilge pump, fuel gauge etc... I can hear the fuel pump running but that’s it. Heres the back story. I took my boat out on the water after fixing a clog in the thermostat housing. Everything was good when I tested it with the muffs on. I also tested it with the engine flush port. Took it out on the water and it ran fine. Well went to go pick my kids off the dock and it would not start again. Prior to this I felt like the starter or the solenoid was sticking because I have had to tap on the solenoid a few times and it would click over while my wife had the key turned. So here I am stuck on the dock and not starting.

I did a test and checked the ignition switch. From the test I did I hooked a alligator clips to the red wire(B)which is power over to the yellow/red wire (S)I was told it would crank if i ran these two together with the key switch on. Nothing. I also tried to jump the red(B) to the purple lead (I). Neither way started the engine. Now take in mind I am no mechanic I just like to figure things out on my own so I don’t know if this was the right procedure. I did this test and nothing happens so I figured I had a bad ignition switch. Purchased a new switch and still nothing. I’ve checked the kill switch to see if has come disconnected but it doesn’t seem to be disconnected anywhere. I’ve read to work my way from the front of the bot to the back. I’ve replaced the starter relay, the Ignition relay and still nothing. After I replaced these two things I tried again to start it, I heard the fuel pump winding up and then a puff of smoke cane from the fuel pump electrical connection. I checked the fuse and it had blown. Not sure why this did this. Any help would be great. I’ve ordered a new starter, solenoid, rotor, spark plugs and distributer cap. This boat has sat for 3 years outside in cold and hot temperatures. It is a fresh water boat. Any help would be awesome. I’m gonna try and do a couple of tests with a multimeter. Thanks!!

 

[Tretatt]

I wanted to add to this post as I forgot to mention it. I tried to start the bot from the solenoid and starter using a 12v remote starter switch. Nothing happened. I hooked one end to the main positive lead and one to the yellow red wire on the solenoid and nothing happens. I get a little spark and that’s it.

 

[Lou C]

OK you are going to have to get a hold of a wiring diagram for your model, I think alldodge posted one a few times. If you have lost power from the engine to the ignition switch (sounds like it could be that) it can be the big cannon plug (9 wires in this) that connects the engine wiring harness to the dashboard wiring harness.
The way it should work...
your ignition switch has 3 terminals usually (although some newer ones have a 4th terminal, but that's an accessory terminal like cars have)
B=battery with a red wire connected to it
I=ignition with a purple wire connected to it
S=start with a yellow red wire connected to it.
When the battery switch is turned on the B terminal should show battery volts between the B terminal and a ground (fuse box ground or return negative more properly said)
When the ig switch is turned to ig ON, both the B terminal and the I terminal should have battery voltage.
Then when the ig switch is turned to Start, the S terminal should have battery voltage

If none of this has power, check the ignition fuse in the fuse box, a blown or oxidized fuse can cause this problem, yet other things will work because they are not fused through the ig circuit. IF the fuse is OK sometimes that cannon plug gets loose, I have a hose clamp on mine holding the 2 halves it tight.

If all that works, then you have to go to the starter solenoid, the big connection with the big red cable (from the battery positive) should show battery voltage. When someone turns the key to start, you should have battery voltage on the yellow red wire terminal on the solenoid (this is usually the inner terminal, a bit hard to get to). If not then you have to trace the wiring from the dash wiring to the assist solenoid (need wiring diagram here) and see where you are losing voltage and current.

The Volvo also has a fuel pump relay powered through a diode I think, but I'm not familiar with this because my old OMC still has a mechanical fuel pump.

The puff of smoke from the fuel pump wiring, could be a wire shorting to ground ( for example, rubbing on an engine bracket that is grounded) or the connections are corroded or oxidized to the point where the pumps drew enough current to blow the fuse.

Get a wiring diagram and learn how the power flows and you can fix it you just have to be methodical.

 

[Tretatt]

Thanks Lou C I’ll give it a try. If anybody has a wiring diagram of a 4.3GL-J, it would be greatly appreciated. I’ve searched the internet and can only find GL-A-C.

 

[Tretatt]

Lou C, could I just disconnect the existing yellow and red wire and run a wire from the solenoid to the back of the ignition switch to see if the above doesn’t work?

 

[Tretatt]

Ok heres where I’m at. I cleaned the 9 prong cannon plug QD Contact Cleaner and made sure it was tight. All fuses in the fuse box are good. I tested the B(battery/red wire) terminal with the key in the on my test light lit up. With the key on I tested both the I (purple wire) and the B( red wire) terminals and my test light lit up. I tested the S (red/yellow wire) terminal while turning to the start position and my test light lit up. My test light lights up when I put it on the big red wire going into the solenoid from the positive side of the battery. I put my light on the yellow wire and had my wife turn the ignition switch to the start position. It lit up. Now I’m at a loss of what to do. I also ran a wire straight from the dash ignition switch to the solenoid and did all the tests and they all passed. But still not starting. I cleaned the fuel pump diode connector and with contact cleaner.

 

[Lou C]

If you have 12v at the big red wire terminal on the solenoid and 12V at the yellow red wire terminal when someone turns the key, then its the solenoid or the starter.

just to be thorough, make sure you have a good ground (return path) on your negative cable from the battery to the bell housing stud (behind the exhaust hoses on the starboard side usually) take your voltmeter put the positive probe against the big red wire terminal on the solenoid and the negative probe on the engine block where the starter mounts, you just want to make sure the starter has a good ground, there should be battery voltage between that big red wire terminal and any bare spot where the starter is bolted to the engine block.

I just replacd my old direct drive starter with a new style ARCO permanent magnet gear reduction starter and it spins the engine faster than its ever done with the old style starters. Well worth it!

 

[Tretatt]

Big thank you for the quick reply!! Ok so I hooked my multi meter to the negative side of the battery and then put the red side of my multi meter on the solenoid where the positive lead from the battery goes. I am getting 12v. When I hook the (red side)multi meter to the yellow/red wire post and the negative(black) to the battery and I turn the key to start I am only getting 11.04V. Even with the with dummy wire I ran from the dash of the ignition(I) terminal I still get 11.04V. This is with a new wire and new butt connectors. Do I maybe have too much corrosion in the post where the yellow/red wire is? Because on the dash side I have a new ignition switch with no corrosion and and new butt connector for that end. I looked up that starter. It looks nice for close to $200. Not bad!

 

[Tretatt]

Forgot to mention that I am getting 12.78V from the negative bolt on the back of the engine housing to the positive side of the solenoid.

 

[Lou C]

Yes it could be corrosion on the solenoid terminal....how old is the starter on the engine?

 

[Tretatt]

Starter is original, 11 years old. I just picked up a starter from dB electrical. I have it all hooked up and when i hook my ground on my battery the starter spins. I’m guessing that the wiring for this new solenoid and starter is different than my factory starter. Any ideas on how I should wire this. I have posted a few pics. I have my main power wire from the battery hooked to the top post. The way my factory starter was; I had all my leads going to the same post as my power wire. Not sure how to wire this. It didn’t come with a wiring diagram. It’s from a company called DB Electric. If anybody has any info on how to wire this let me know. The 2 sets of black sleeves wire as you can see in the pic have a sleeve wrapped around them. So just to be clear... I have my main power lead coming from the battery to the top post and the other two sleeved wires going on the inside of that same post with a hex nut in between. Hopefully that is clear enough. I attached a few pics

 

[Tretatt]

I’m an idiot. I just noticed after tinkering with this and using my voltage meter that I had my main positive lead hooked in the wrong spot.

 

[Tretatt]

Ok I wanted to update this post. I know I have been posting a lot but I’m trying to get my boat going before the 4th, and enjoy the summer months. After all the diagnostics and thanks to Lou C for all your help and insight. It fired right up after I put the new starter in. But I keep blowing the 7.5 amp fuse going to the fuel pump, and the diode connection that hooks to the fuel pump smokes when I start it and it runs. I shut It down right away. Thanks for the help. One problem is fixed but now I have another. I will post this in a new thread. Again....thank you all who have helped me. I’ve learned a lot. Now I just need to learn to keep the boat in the water and out of the garage.

 

[Lou C]