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1997 5.7 Gsi will not start

pnkmcneil

New member
Enjoyed 2 full days of good running operation. Everything AOK. On the 3rd morning, the engine started immediately and ran for about 10 seconds and shut down, never to start again. No matter what.

Replaced the fuel water separator filter.
Checked all circuit breakers that I could find. None were kicked out. Tapped on them all.
Pulled a spark plug. Light brown. Only 80 hours on them. Verified spark.
Opened main multi-plug connection on top of engine. Clean as a whistle.
Fuel pump goes through normal routine of running for 3 seconds to pressurize. Did not open the fuel discharge line to prove fuel flow.

Any further ideas before I drop off boat for marine service?
 
Hi!

It sounds like fuel problems, but you should first investigate if your have spark on the plugs. If you have, then we are sure it is fuel problems.
Loosen one of the spark plugs, hold it, with gloves!, to the ground(engine block), have your wife(or some one else) to try to start, you should se a blue spark.
if you have spark, Then continue with the fuel system.
 
As previously noted, I do have spark.
Fuel seems OK, since we ran hard on the first 2 days. No problems.
Fuel pump seems OK since it does run and prime during the first 3 seconds of ignition ON.
Engine does not even "catch" with cranking.
:confused: What further do you suggest to rule out a fuel problem? :confused:
 
On the 3rd morning, the engine started immediately and ran for about 10 seconds and shut down, never to start again. No matter what.

Any further ideas before I drop off boat for marine service?
The 10 seconds of run time may indicate that the start-by-pass circuit is energizing the electric fuel pump during this "Start-By-Pass" mode only.
The "Start-by-pass" mode is to operate the pump during cranking only, until oil pressure comes up.
In your system, there will be a N/O oil pressure switch that will operate the fuel pump once engine oil pressure is maintained.
(the function of the "start-by-pass" circuit is to operate the fuel pump in lieu of oil pressure)

Try doing some circuit testing to make sure that the N/O oil pressure switch is functioning properly.
Test the pump itself to see if works independantly of the By-Pass or oil pressure switch!
You may need to temporarily circumvent the N/O oil pressure switch.

Do NOT circumvent this long term..... it is against USCG regulations.
Low Oil Pressure MUST be able to shut the fuel supply off.


NOTE: since you changed the fuel filter cartridge (and if you did not pre-fill it), and if you DO have a pump energizing issue , the cartridge change may have exaggerated the problem.

Use a simple P of E.... (process of elimination), and one item at a time.
You'll find the problem if you do so.

.
 
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Thank you for the input and suggestions.
To clarify, I changed the fuel filter cartridge after the 10 second run and after trying repeatedly to start the engine, which would not even "catch" or hint at the beginning of a start.
Regarding your suggested circuit testing, I need additional input as to where and how to go about this. At the very least, I could open the discharge fuel line and turn on the ignition and see what happens, when the fuel pump activates. Your further input in this regard would be most helpful.
Thanks.
 
I think that you are missing the issue of the "Start-by-pass" circuit, and perhaps the N/O oil pressure switch.
Turning on the igntion will NOT energize the fuel pump. If it does, then something is wrong with your system!

In order to energize the fuel pump, we need to power to the pump during engine cranking when oil pressure is not yet sufficient to close the N/O oil pressure switch. To do this, the system incorporates a circuit that is energized ONLY when the starter motor is activated.... hence the "start-by-pass" circuit.

So to test this side of the system, the starter motor must be energized.
Simple to do by using a VOM at the fuel pump while cranking.

Next would be to see if the N/O oil pressure switch "closes" once pressure is achieved.

Both sides of this system must work, or you will get either a quick/short start, only to shut down shortly after the starter motor is disengaged........ or you'll get a No Run at all! (the engine will run on what little fuel is in the carburetor bowl)

This is why I suggested the P of E.
  1. Begin by checking the pump itself. Be careful of sparks... but see if it will run if powered from another 12vdc source.
  2. Then check the SBP circuit by testing for voltage during cranking. (you should see 12 v @ the pump while cranking)
  3. Then check the N/O oil pressure switch circuit......., of which may involve priming your carburetor so that you can fire it, and bring oil pressure up momentarily. (you should see 12 v @ the pump while running)
#1 above will prime your carburetor if you give the pump 25-30 seconds (or so) run time.
That should allow you to run the engine long enough to test this portion of the fuel pump's circuit.

No 12 v at the pump while the engine is running.... then your N/O switch (or another portion of this circuit) is not working.

No 12 v at the pump while cranking.... then your Start-by-pass (or another portion of this circuit) is not working.

.
 
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I believe on that motor you have a fuel cell which contains both a low pressure and a high pressure fuel pump. One or the other could be bad.
 
Need some help.

What is N/O?
Since brand new, when I turn on ignition before engaging the starter, there has always been a 3 second run of what I understood to be the fuel pump pressuring. This is still occurring.
What is a VOM?
My 5/7 GSi is what I would call an electronic fuel injection of throttle body injection. As such, I do not believe there is a carburetor bowl let alone a carburetor?
I do believe that there are two fuel pumps for low and high pressure respectively.

Your continued thoughts will be most appreciated.
 
Actually, I believe that there are two fuel pumps for low and high pressure, but have not scoped this out yet. Any recommendation for an on engine testing procedure?
 
Generally, to eliminate an electrical or timing problem on a car, I would spray starter fluid or fuel in the air intake of the throttle body and see if it fires. If it does, you know it has to be fuel related. As you mentioned before, you could check to see if you have fuel at the fuel rail my opening the shrader valve (looks like a tire valve) on the fuel rail. Also, check the fuel pressure at the same point using a fuel pressure tester.
 
I beleive you are correct. The GSI would be Throttle Body Injection (aka TBI).
I believe that your system will still use the by-pass and oil pressure switch.
The start by-pass may be part of the ECM/ECU circuitry..... not sure. If so, then it may be possible that the key switch will activate the fuel pump for a short duration.
See your OEM service manual.... OEM, not Clymers or Seloc.

BTW... N/O means Normally Open......
N/C would mean Normally Closed.....
 
SURPRISE! SURPRISE!! SURPRISE!!!

The engine that would not start, not even "catch" for a moment for the past week, started and runs like a charm in idle (1200 rpm) in my backyard. Go figure. :rolleyes:

Other than looking real hard at the engine, verifying tight connections, confirming spark, reading the OEM Manual, repeated attempts for the past week to start, and fielding a lot of input from this formum, the only "invasive" action I took was to remove the fuel line from the top of what I believe to be the low pressure fuel pump at the front of the engine. I turned on the ignition. The pump ran for about 2 seconds and gas gushed out of the open line.

So, I have fuel at this point. Don't know about the other pump (high pressure?) located at stern end of the engine under the transom deck and difficult at best to get to. I reconnected the fuel line, turned the key to start and it did, immediately. I only let it run for a few seconds, because I had no intake water hooked up. I attached the water supply. Again, the engine started immediately. Ran it for 15 minutes. No problem. :D

Now what? :confused:

Are there further diagnostics, mechanical or electrical, that should be performed? :confused:
Does the 1997 5.7 GSi Volvo Penta engine have a harness hookup for electronic diagnosis, error messages, etc.?????
Any additional thoughts in this matter will be most appreciated.
 
Hello, are you still having issues with starting your 5.7?....I just had the exact same thing you described previously happen to me this weekend, started and ran great Saturday and Sunday would not run more then 5 seconds....Thanks




SURPRISE! SURPRISE!! SURPRISE!!!

The engine that would not start, not even "catch" for a moment for the past week, started and runs like a charm in idle (1200 rpm) in my backyard. Go figure. :rolleyes:

Other than looking real hard at the engine, verifying tight connections, confirming spark, reading the OEM Manual, repeated attempts for the past week to start, and fielding a lot of input from this formum, the only "invasive" action I took was to remove the fuel line from the top of what I believe to be the low pressure fuel pump at the front of the engine. I turned on the ignition. The pump ran for about 2 seconds and gas gushed out of the open line.

So, I have fuel at this point. Don't know about the other pump (high pressure?) located at stern end of the engine under the transom deck and difficult at best to get to. I reconnected the fuel line, turned the key to start and it did, immediately. I only let it run for a few seconds, because I had no intake water hooked up. I attached the water supply. Again, the engine started immediately. Ran it for 15 minutes. No problem. :D

Now what? :confused:

Are there further diagnostics, mechanical or electrical, that should be performed? :confused:
Does the 1997 5.7 GSi Volvo Penta engine have a harness hookup for electronic diagnosis, error messages, etc.?????
Any additional thoughts in this matter will be most appreciated.
 
Hello, are you still having issues with starting your 5.7?....I just had the exact same thing you described previously happen to me this weekend, started and ran great Saturday and Sunday would not run more then 5 seconds....Thanks

Well, I finally took the boat into a locally authorized Volvo Penta repair shop and asked them to "make it run". A couple of days later, they told me it started immediately and ran. For me, a few days earlier, nothing at all. Go figure. They then ran in on the dyno and "checked everything out". The only thing that they could find was that the spark plugs were the wrong spec with too deep a reach into the cylinder. They did change out the plugs. I brought the boat home and it ran well in the backyard. I have not had an opportunity to go to the ocean or a local lake and give it a real tryout.

What is interesting is that I am the one who put in the "wrong spec plugs", even though the GMC service manual that I purchased, when I bought the boat new, actually specified the plugs I installed. The labeling on my engine and outdrive is Volvo Penta. The repair shop computer says I am GMC. My manual is GMS. The computer specifies a different plug with a shorter reach. The repair shop computer specifiend the new plugs based on my engine serial number. I am now told that 1997 was a cross-over year from Volvo Penta to GMC. Who knows?

In any event, the engine ran in the shop with the new plugs and now runs in my backyard. Now to find some real water run time and see what happens.
 
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