volvo penta will crank will not start, see details :)!

[g-riehl87]

ok guys....here goes.....thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

1999 Real, 19 ft, Volvo V6 engine

so Saturday TRIED to go out for the first time....I had kept the boat in good shape, made sure it cranked all winter....(South Ga, very mild) anyway went to back the boat in and it cranked up but would not go into gear, pulled it out --- took apart the shifter and removed the cover off the outdrive and got the shifter cable freed up....went back to continue the day and it was dead, nada, nothing when turning the key, so I drug it home, I jumped the kill switch and then jumped the neutral safty switch.....I replaced both 50 amp breakers....

here is what I can think of:


ok guys, so....here is the million dollar question: if the kill switch is jumped, will it act as if the laynard was connected? Meaning, is there a certain resistance that has to be satisfied? Bcs if there is, then that is my issue. I have been thinking about the order in which I did things, and this may help you all offer advice.
- ran fine, would not go into gear
- pulled shifter apart, removed outdrive cover, managed to get shift cable freed up
- after put it back together I got nothing at all from the engine when I turned the key
- jumped kill switch BEFORE i jumped the neutral switch
- nothing
- replaced both 50 amp breakers, checked all connections, relays, etc
- jumped neutral switch
- engine will turn over, will not fire

** I do not recall when I noted the dead guages ** meaning before or after I jumped the kill switch

** SO ** I am thinking somehow when I took the shifter apart I screwed up the neutral switch, the boat is in neutral (prop spins freely) but doesnt realize it. So, what I am going to do this weekend is reconnect the kill switch with the neutral switch jumped and see what happens...

thoughts?

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

IS your battery dead? You have replaced breakers, but do you have voltage to them?

Do you have voltage on the red or red/purple wire on your ignitions switch? Fuse at the switch?
Here is the wiring diagram for a carbed V6, you don't say what you have or any model numbers.

View attachment 3850077 Elect, Ign, Fuel 49.pdf

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

batteries are good --- it turns over great, I just cant get it to fire. I guess my main question is this, **should** it start with the kill switch jumped?

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

i am just convinced I am missing something really silly......

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

With the kill switch jumped (I assume this to mean basically hooking the two purple wires together to bypass the switch) you should have power to the coil, but rather that is the reason for your no start or not, I don't know.

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

ok, yes, I butt connected the two purple wires together coming off the ignition switch bcs I thought somehow when I had the shifter apart I may have scrwed it up. I have power to the coil, breakers are new, it cranks over strong....i just think for some reason I screwed something up by jumping the kill switch....

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

I have power to the coil, breakers are new, it cranks over strong....

Does that mean it runs?????? Cranking over means the starter is turning the engine, not necessarily starting or running.
Starting, running and idleing are all running conditions.

Having power to the coil has nothing to do with the starters ability to turn the motor.

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

ok -- sorry, --- the starter enguages --- it turns over perfectly but will not run/idle.....

and all my guages are dead

 

[JeffreyC]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

sounds to me that while you were playing with the electrical you may have either inadvertently pulled s wire loose or got an errant spark popping a fuse. My advice is to grab your voltmeter and check each side of the new breakers you have installed and make sure you have power coming out of the other side of them. Just because they are new does not necessarily mean they are good. Also the connections may have some corrosion not allowing enough current to pass through. If all this checks out start following the wires back from your gauges checking for voltage along the way until you find voltage. Start with the basics, you will find the break in connection.

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

Well, if the engine cranks over from the ignition switch, that means you have power to the ignition switch which means all your breakers and fuses are good to the switch.
On the ignition switch, do you have voltage to the purple wire if the switch is in the run position?
What is the FULL model number of your engine, V6 just isn't enough information.

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

ok Don, update for you: Somehow when I jumped the kill switch I missed a wire --- which was the power wire for the guages, so, once I got THAT squared away (now my guages work!) I still have the no start (it does crank) I tested my coil wires with a test light. Nothing. tested the breakers in and out, all 4 conacts: nothing. I looked around on the floor and found a rocker arm that looks like goes in the shifter to depress the neutral switch when the boat is in neutral. So I have to put THAT back in, but: with that switch jumped, why do I have no spark? Unless I have two probles which, we we know, is possible but I just doubt it. I think I caused the problem so that means I think I can fix it, I just need to retrace my steps So -- ho does that neutral safty kill spark? I feel like that is what is happening...BUT HOW!!!! thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

ill get the model number for you tomo

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

If you don't have power on the purple wire on the coil with the ign. sw. in the run position. Then you have a wiring problem somewhere between the switch and the engine. You are just going to have to get a meter and find out where the power ends, and fix it. Doesn't really matter what engine it is at this point.

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

yea, and I have a good idea where to start at, I think the one wire I was missing when I jumped the kill switch has something to do with it. I need to cut the zip tie loose and go through all the wires in the bundle.....

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

hey Don, without the exact engine modle and seriel number can you find a wirgin diagram for the breakers and coil get power to supply spark from the ignition?

 

[Don S]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

There are not breakers or fuses in the purple wire. It starts at the ignition switch, goes through several connections, and the kill switch and goes to the coil. There is no wiring diagram for that. Just follow the wires.
1. Do you have voltage on the purple wire at the switch with the key in the run position? Check with a meter or test light, don't guess.
2. Do you have voltage to the kill switch on that purple wire?
3. Check the purple wire on the alternator as well, It's a soldered connection inside the engines wiring harness.

It takes basic electrical troubleshooting, not a diagram. you need to get 12V to the coil on that purple wire and it goes from the key switch to the coil.

 

[g-riehl87]

Re: volvo penta will crank will not start, see details !

im a dumba**, I jumped the wrong two wires for the kill switch, soooo no power to coil. its fixed and its runs, Thanks!!! Just need to put her back together and get her on the water! !