slow to start Volvo MD11C

[Dennis Ward]

My CD33 has a Volvo MD11C that only starts consistently when the cold start button is pushed in. Even then it turns over for 15 to 30 seconds before it starts running. My battery is in good shape, fuel filters are clean and air filters are clean. Any ideas? Is this normal for a Volvo? And what the heck does the cold start button do anyway? Any suggestions would be welcomed! Thanks, D. Ward, CD33 #41, WindWard Grace.



DWard34@aol.com

[wayne grenier]

My CD33 has a Volvo MD11C that only starts consistently when the cold start button is pushed in. Even then it turns over for 15 to 30 seconds before it starts running. My battery is in good shape, fuel filters are clean and air filters are clean. Any ideas? Is this normal for a Volvo? And what the heck does the cold start button do anyway? Any suggestions would be welcomed! Thanks, D. Ward, CD33 #41, WindWard Grace.

well-let's see-my md11 starts almost instantly-but has been rebuilt and is "tight" i.e. it has good compression-basically the "cold start" button shoots in extra fuel into the cylnders-but-I ahve some questions for you-is this a recent developement or a problem that has been developing slowly over time? does you engine have alot of hours on it? how fast does it turn over? You should set the throttle at 2/3 and crank the engine over briskly and it should start immediately. Now if you have worn rings and the compreesion is not what it should be the motor will be difficult to start-and eventuallt people end up using starting fluid which is a complete no-no- and if used must be done very carefully-I have heard that squirting a few drops of motor oil into the cylninders through the air cleaner openings (intake) will help a motor with poor compression start-but obviously its not going to be conveinent to do that all the time-perhaps a compression test is in order-but basically the key to starting a diesel without glow plugs is to get it to spin fast-what happens when you release the compression releases? does that help at all?



grenier@ma.ultranet.com

[Dennis]

My CD33 has a Volvo MD11C that only starts consistently when the cold start button is pushed in. Even then it turns over for 15 to 30 seconds before it starts running. My battery is in good shape, fuel filters are clean and air filters are clean. Any ideas? Is this normal for a Volvo? And what the heck does the cold start button do anyway? Any suggestions would be welcomed! Thanks, D. Ward, CD33 #41, WindWard Grace.

well-let's see-my md11 starts almost instantly-but has been rebuilt and is "tight" i.e. it has good compression-basically the "cold start" button shoots in extra fuel into the cylnders-but-I ahve some questions for you-is this a recent developement or a problem that has been developing slowly over time? does you engine have alot of hours on it? how fast does it turn over? You should set the throttle at 2/3 and crank the engine over briskly and it should start immediately. Now if you have worn rings and the compreesion is not what it should be the motor will be difficult to start-and eventuallt people end up using starting fluid which is a complete no-no- and if used must be done very carefully-I have heard that squirting a few drops of motor oil into the cylninders through the air cleaner openings (intake) will help a motor with poor compression start-but obviously its not going to be conveinent to do that all the time-perhaps a compression test is in order-but basically the key to starting a diesel without glow plugs is to get it to spin fast-what happens when you release the compression releases? does that help at all?

Wayne, Since my last post I discovered the #2 cyl exhaust valve had no clearance and set it to .38mm. This engine was rebuilt but not run about one year before Ibought the boat. (two years ago) the engine has always been hard to start. I was told to open the throttle about 1/4 for starting, I'll try your 2/3 position. I hope the valve adjustment was the problem, my guess is that the exhaust valve was never completly closed on that cyl and I have been running with very low compression for the last two years. I could not check it after the adjustment because the engine starts ok when warm. Thanks for the tips. Dennis



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