AQ170C Non-Starter... Possible Fueling issue? Any ideas please?

[boatingmark]

Hi Chaps!

Firstly thanks for all your help in other recent posts Great Forum!!

I think ive got fueling issues, im not getting fuel coming through all the J tubes when i pump the throttle, only the last tube! (third carb).

I had a similar problems last year when it hadnt been started for a while, i kept pumping the throttle and cranking then it eventually started, this time it seems worse! Sounds like its just cranking and thats it.

I cant check the fuel pressure until its running, right? Could this be the fuel pump or dirty carb issue? Ive also read on the forum a possible faulty ball valve at the tank could cause fueling issues, any other ideas please?

Ive owned the boat 18 months and im unsure when the carbs where last overhauled so would it be wise to service them regardless? Any part of the carb i should pay more attention to? Anything to look for?

Ive just replaced the points and have a dwell meter ready to set them more accurately, the distributor cap and rotor arm look all ok, i have a spark but will double check this again on every plug once ive fully charged the battery again. Once running ill adjust the timing with a strobe light (hoping i can find the mark on the rusty pulley!)
I have new leads, Ive ordered a new condenser and also a gunson colourtune kit to adjust the mixture once running, im aware it was running far to rich last year.

Is it worth me getting sea foam and putting in the tank and also down the carbs?

I guess i should pull the hose before the pump and before the carb then crank from a jerry can to see if the pump is actually working? ( i dont really want to pull it off! )

Any help would be mostly appreciated, its the beginning of the season here in the UK with Easter this weekend, was hoping to use the boat for the first time this year with the family!

I do hope i can get this sorted!

 

[PiratePast40]

I have the AQ130D which is the 4 cylinder version of your engine with the same carbs. I've had to dribble some gas down each carb throat to get it started initially. Once I got it to pop a few times, it started and then I could do the fine tuning. You can check and set the dwell and timing while cranking the engine. That will get you close. If you back off the timing a bit, it will be easier to start. Again, do the final settings after you get it running and adjusted.

Those carbs are sensitive to dirt and debris. Varnish can build up over time, especially when sitting so you may need to take them off and rebuild them. You might get lucky by just blowing out a few passages, but you really need to take them apart and soak the parts to clean all the passages.

 

[jerryjerry05]

You read my last post on your other post covering the same thing in this post?
​Here it is again:
You can test the fuel pressure without running the motor.
One thing that some do is add an outboard squeeze ball to the system.
It draws the fuel up into the system without over working the pump.
This is usually used to get the motor running and removed when any problems are solved.
You might have a stuck anti-siphon valve if the fuel pump won't draw fuel?
Or the pickup tube is clogged??? .

You have an inline filter(should have) make sure it's getting fuel to there.
Make sure it's not full of crud or water.

Check for timing:
Pull the front plug and rotate the motor till #1 piston is up and check the dist. for rotor position.


Or unhook the fuel line after the pump and have someone turn the motor over.
That way you can see if the pumps working at all.
It's best to do this with a jumper at the motor, that way YOU have control and won't put too much gas into the bilge.

Running off a separate outboard tank can help find the problem too.

 

[boatingmark]

Hi Chaps!

Thank you for all your help so far.

i had a busy weekend going over things again, had a look in the carbs float chambers where empty so i manually filled them, i emptied and refilled the fuel fillter/water separator with fresh fuel, i then pulled the fuel pipe after the fuel pump and got a friend to crank the engine, it seemed to fuel fine! I then put a in-line fuel gauge between fuel pump and the first carb to check the fuel pressure, apon cranking it quickly reaches approx 4 psi.

I have now changed the condenser.

I have set the dwell angle to 40 using a dwell meter while cranking, checked the cap and rotor arm again which look ok.

Ive done a compression test again, i have readings on all cylinders between 120-155 psi.

I have double checked the spark situation and although it seems i have a consistent spark at every plug it does appear to be very weak. All plugs spark a pale orange colour ( im checking this by holding the plug against block while cranking on a freshly charged battery )

Is it possible my ignition coil has seen better days?

Where can i get the information regarding the resistance of the primary and secondary windings please?

What other reasons could their be to having such a weak spark? Possible bad earth?


I have carb kits on their way to me so will rebuild the carbs anyway, however i do now feel its the poor spark that maybe my biggest problem here!!

 

[boatingmark]

If the ignition coil is shot does anyone know if this would this be a suitable replacement?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-Pen...sh=item1c2082988f:g:-tQAAOSwEK9UKWdq#shpCntId

 

[jerryjerry05]

The part #s say it's the same thing.

 

[boatingmark]

Thanks for the reply jerry. Are you saying its ok, i ask because im uncertain if i need a ballast coil or non ballast?

Do you agree the cause of the weak spark im witnessing is due to the coil?

 

[jerryjerry05]

I'm saying the coil you pictured would work.
If you have a ballast resister it would be on the motor or be an inline resistor.
The 170C uses one mounted on the block.
It drops voltage from 12v down to 9v

You have a wire into the resistor and a wire out.
Unhook the wire out and measure the voltage.

The coil if it gets more than 9v it will overheat and fail.
Ig the coil gets so hot you can't touch it then it's bad.

So if your resistors bad replace it and if it was me I'd replace the coil too as it's probably gonna fail.

 

[boatingmark]

Thanks jerry.

I did what you said earlier about pulling the plug and rotating until the No1 piston is up and checking the timing, the points were nowhere near the the cam so i think ive fitted the new ones incorrectly,

Im now considering installing electronic ignition if i can find a kit to fit my bosch distributor, hoping this would be more trouble free.

Ive checked the coil and it reads 3 ohm, the resistor reads 0.9 ohm as per manual, ive also read somewhere a ballast coil should read approx 1.5 ohm so looks like i have a standard coil on a ballast set up!?

I have 9v after the resistor so that seems ok.

First things first i need to go over ignition again, back to the drawing board!!

 

[Bondo]

I did what you said earlier about pulling the plug and rotating until the No1 piston is up and checking the timing, the points were nowhere near the the cam so i think ive fitted the new ones incorrectly,

Ayuh,.... You do know that #1 comes to the top, Twice, each time it fires, Right,..??

You mighta been on the Exhaust stroke, rather than the Compression stroke,.....

Get it runnin' on the points, before ya worry 'bout puttin' in an electronic conversion,....

 

[boatingmark]

Ayuh,.... You do know that #1 comes to the top, Twice, each time it fires, Right,..??

You mighta been on the Exhaust stroke, rather than the Compression stroke,.....

Get it runnin' on the points, before ya worry 'bout puttin' in an electronic conversion,....

Good point! No i hadnt taken that into consideration. Im tempted to put the old points back for now, they werent completely shot when i removed them, it may mean im closer to getting it started!

Ive possibly put the wrong hand points on hence the wrong positioning.

Given the fact my coil is reading as a standard coil should i bypass the resistor?

thanks
Mark

 

[jerryjerry05]

NO use the resistor.
​A standard Volvo coil for your motor shouldn't have a resistor.

If the coil you have says internal resistor then it's probably the wrong one for your motor????

 

[boatingmark]

Unfortunately i cant see any markings on the casing, looks like it once had a label but thats perished away. This is the reason i took to checking the ohm reading to help identify it aside from checking its efficiency.

Its the same coil the boat came with and has been wired in with the resistor, the coil does look to be non-ballast though!

Is it a big no to put in a standard coil and remove a ballast coil/resistor then? Would this significantly reduce starting performance?

 

[boatingmark]

Just an update to the thread, ive installed electronic ignition now along with a standard coil and all is good, I did however do as suggested and get it running with points first before swapping

thanks all for your help

 

[boatingmark]

One thing that some do is add an outboard squeeze ball to the system.
It draws the fuel up into the system without over working the pump.
This is usually used to get the motor running and removed when any problems are solved.

If i needed to use one of these Jerry where in the fuel system would i attach it and also could it be left inline permanently?

thanks

 

[jerryjerry05]

Just install someplace between the pump and the tank.
​Someplace easily accessible.
Yea leave it in.

 

[boatingmark]

Thanks jerry, I guess it would be best between the tank and fuel filter