Starting problems

[Sueyank]

While on mooring boat started everyday but after journey of couple hours boat will not start next day any ideas please

Canal line 42 engine

[Tony Brooks]

13 minutes ago, Sueyank said:

While on mooring boat started everyday but after journey of couple hours boat will not start next day any ideas please

Canal line 42 engine

 

Not really enough info so just guesses. Do you mean it spins on the starter as normal but won't fire or do you mean it won't spin on the starter?

 

Case 1: moving caused muck in the bottom of the fuel tank to swill about so now a filter or lift pump valves are blocked. Stop control jammed in the stop position.

Case 2: start battery failed, dirty battery terminals, start master switch has been turned off or the switch has failed.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Tony Brooks

[Sueyank]

Hi yes turns over but won't fire runs great when on the move. We thought the problem was air getting into the system with fuel running back every morning changed all pipes and started so tried it everyday while stationary and started first time thought we had cracked it took her out for couple of hours next morning won't start 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

When it won't start is there any smoke from the exhaust, if so what colour?  How do you eventually start it?

[Sueyank]

By bleeding the fuel through to the injectors and just keep turning her over, small amount of grey smoke then clear

 

[Tony Brooks]

It sounds as if you are on the right track. Are you aware that if you overtighten compression fitting you can crush the olive and pipe so it leaks. It can leak air in under suction but not leak fuel out.

 

The engine will demand far more fuel when cruising than when running moored up and off load  so that will tend to increase the "suction" on the feed pipe.

 

Assuming you have more than about 6" of fuel in the tank. You may have a vertical dip tube running down into the tank on the fuel feed. These have been known to crack and suck air into the system.

 

A blocked filter or water trap will also increase the suction on the system. If you have a  water trap or filter between tank and engine are the seals on it fitted correctly and not twisted. If you have one a photo would help identify it.

[Tracy D'arth]

Has the engine always done this?  If not how did it start  --  after some event or maintenance?

[Sueyank]

We had diesel bug early last year had it professionally cleaned and it ran fine for the rest of the year we winterised it then came to this year march and started with the problems of bad starting

[Tracy D'arth]

Have you checked to see if you have the bug still?    Any water in the filter?  Is the filter clean still?

 

If all else fails arrange a can to supply fuel directly to the fuel pump. If it then woks the problem is before the fuel pump.

 

Is the fuel pump by any chance electric?  If so they have a filter in them that often gets ignored.

[steve hayes]

I’ll go with fuel level. We had a very similar situation out and about the engine became a bugger to start but once running all OK. Until I couldn’t start it. Turned out the electric fuel pump had failed and the fuel was being feed by gravity, up to the point the level got too low.

[Rob-M]

9 minutes ago, steve hayes said:

I’ll go with fuel level. We had a very similar situation out and about the engine became a bugger to start but once running all OK. Until I couldn’t start it. Turned out the electric fuel pump had failed and the fuel was being feed by gravity, up to the point the level got too low.

We had the same issue, once the fuel tank got down to about half full the fuel pump didn't have enough to draw fuel through.  Replaced fuel pump and all sorted.

[Sueyank]

Yes we have replaced the fuel pump today has started and done a couple of hours so we will see what happens tomorrow cheers