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TAMD41B only cranks about 3 degrees, stuck?

J

jorgeconkilt

New member
I'm the recent new owner of a 22'6" Dusky with a Volvo Penta TAMD41B. When I bought it, it was cranking right up. It sat for about a week while I was waiting on an exhaust elbow. When I went to start it up, it would turn the engine very slowly, but wouldn't start. I cleaned up all of the terminals between the starter and the battery and had the same result... then I had a result of no turn over. I replaced the starter that I assumed I burnt out.

Now, When I go to start the engine, the pulleys, belts, and crankshaft all turn a couple of degrees and then back off when I release the starter. I tried turning the front pulley with a piece of square tubing, but it seems very resistant to budging. As a precaution, I pulled to stern drive case to make sure it really is in neutral (just in case the selector was misaligned).

Any ideas?
 
This might be a silly question but did you check the battery? Might be a low battery. I'm not very familiar with this engine but typically, when you want to try and turn an engine over by hand you need to remove the spark plugs otherwise, with the amount of compression you are dealing with, it is next to impossible to turn over by hand....I can barely turn my 90hp outboard over by hand.

Bottom line start with the easy stuff like ensuring the battery is fully charged
 
turk said:
This might be a silly question but did you check the battery? Might be a low battery. I'm not very familiar with this engine but typically, when you want to try and turn an engine over by hand you need to remove the spark plugs otherwise, with the amount of compression you are dealing with, it is next to impossible to turn over by hand....I can barely turn my 90hp outboard over by hand.

Bottom line start with the easy stuff like ensuring the battery is fully charged
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I have 2 650 amp marine batteries on this boat and both were replaced this march. The batteries are charged. I had them on the charger overnight.

You're probably right about not being able to crank by hand. The square tubing that I used was about 2 foot long.
 
I suspect that 650a batteries are below spec for a 41. You would probably want around 1000CCA for your start batt. That probably isn't your problem though. Is there any chance that you got water back down the exhaust system whilst replacing the elbow? If so you could have water in a cylinder which could explain your symptoms. If you have, the last thing you want to do is start that engine as it may hydraulic a cylinder. If you can't get it to turn over by hand with a decent bar on it I would be checking why before trying to start it again.
 
So, I made a better bar and tried to turn the engine. I couldn't rotate if forwards, so I turned it back a bit, then forwards to the same point. It won't go past. I turned it back, and eventually it gets to the same point and won't turn any further. Turning it forwards, it also gets stuck at the same point.
 
Pull the injectors and check for water. If you take off the tappet cover you can probably see from the valve positions which cylinder is at TDC when you get to the hard point (if it is hydraulicing).
 
Just wondering how one might clear water out of a hydro locked cylinder? Could one adjust the exhaust valve too tight to release the water?
Also checking crankcase for water in the oil and antifreeze levels might help with determining the root cause.
 
SITREP

I don't think it's hydro locked. I haven't had it in or around water since it last ran.

Today, I pulled my new starter out... it's busted. Whatever is holding the engine from rotating past a certain point it holding it REALLY well. I'm starting to suspect timing/valve issues.
 
Maybe an injector tip stuck in a cylinder? You could check which cylinder is at TDC when it gets stuck (which 2 cylinders I guess) and might be able to pull the injectors to see if anything is obvious on those two. If it getting stuck with no cylinders at TDC (or very close) then you probably have an even more serious issue.
 
jorgeconkilt said:
I'm the recent new owner of a 22'6" Dusky with a Volvo Penta TAMD41B. When I bought it, it was cranking right up. It sat for about a week while I was waiting on an exhaust elbow. When I went to start it up, it would turn the engine very slowly, but wouldn't start. I cleaned up all of the terminals between the starter and the battery and had the same result... then I had a result of no turn over. I replaced the starter that I assumed I burnt out.

Now, When I go to start the engine, the pulleys, belts, and crankshaft all turn a couple of degrees and then back off when I release the starter. I tried turning the front pulley with a piece of square tubing, but it seems very resistant to budging. As a precaution, I pulled to stern drive case to make sure it really is in neutral (just in case the selector was misaligned).

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Trouble shooting 101 - If it worked before you worked on it and now it doesn't work, it's probably something that you did. Check your work.

The engine turned over fine, then you replaced the starter. Now it won't turn over at all. The only thing that changed was the starter. Perhaps you installed a starter with different gears and they are jamming on the flywheel. In any event it's not hydrolocked or low on oil. Try turning it manually after removing the starter.
 
You dropped a valve into the cylinder, thats why its stuck. These motors are easy to fix, you need to pull the head and oil pan, and remove that cylinder liner and piston. Replace with new liner/piston kit, and also install new valve and spring. Make sure little valve retainers are on there tight, so it doesnt drop again.

jorgeconkilt said:
It seems that something is out of place...

View attachment 9148
Click to expand...
 
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