Logo

Volvo penta d6 fault

xlgum

Member
Hi, sorry for my english!
Have problem with a d6 and can use a little help.
Engine start fine no smoke or anything crazy.
Pick up very Nice no problems til 3060-3100 rpm, then in the display caution and no more rpm than discribed (max is 3600)
Fault code is MID 128
PSID 50
FMI 0
fault is the MPROP valve with the folowing solutions.
low fuel level (full)
air leakage (stil to ckeck)
fault in return flow (check is ok)
blocked fuel filter (all new)
fault in sensor (? How to ckeck)
injector does not open (no smoke and good run til 3060 rpm, no nokking check)
fault in relief valve (how to check? I read when this is fault, engine is hard to start)
wear in pump (jeh right Volvo penta! 600 hours on a d6!!!??)
Has anybody a hint or dealt with this before and know where to start?
Thanks (from Netherlands)

o no dirty prop, engine drives a Rolls-Royce water-jet (rib)
 
Last edited:
If that is the Kompressor version you might be in the range where the kompressor s dropping out and the Turbo taking over. If so, you may have low boost from the turbo which would explain the low rpms and maybe the error messages (sensor getting low boost). I don't know the D6 as well as some of the earlier models but corrosion in the turbo exhaust housing is common on a lot of Volvos an results in low boost problems.
 
Post serial #can give better information. Try a separate fuel tank with clear line for fuel intake and make sure it has a return into tank. If relief valve goes bad yes hard to start. High psi pumps rarely go bad. Did you use Vodia for codes? Also check intake psi/temp sensor for water intrusion from CAC. Early version prone to failure. MPROP does fail sometimes but really need to know what generation d6 you have.
 
Thanks for the replay's!!
Yes it is the compressor version but i don' t think this is the point where the turbo takes over.
The engine go,s like a rocket to the 3060 and the turbo is whisling to me;)
After that, the error and the rest of the story.
I dont have the serial at the moment, it is the 435hp version.
Go try and run the engine of a jerrycan, see if there is no air in fuel suply. Thanks
 
Have run the engine straight from a diesel source, bypassing al the valves and pre filters with no result.
Checked turbo pressure/temp sensor and rail pressure sensor, all like new.
Fault is from the information display oem mode activated.
Next week engine is read by vodia system, maybe a software issue (what Volvo penta dealer says $$$?)
 
Last edited:
There might be a soft ware update, free from volvo but cost due to dealer time. have him check to see if any updates and a full sensor log test, they will know what a log test is and what parameters to use. keep us informed. Vodia is the only way to really diagnos d4 and d6.
 
oke appointment in 2 weeks.
Vodia not giving any log vaults.
Also no software update.
Schermafbeelding 2018-05-11 om 17.13.59.jpg
Dealer says, when nr:21 and 13 ever been open, 99% they stay open because of dirt.
No haste so appointment in 2 weeks, also he clean/check injectors.
Hope thats the solution, need the boat it's vacation time!! buzzy!
IMG-20180406-WA0016.jpg
 
Last edited:
Oke update.
Again all new filters, racor new, volvo fuel filter new, fuel hose new, tank empty and clean.
Turbo pressure/temp sensor cleaned.
MPROP valve tested and oke by volvo penta dealer.
valve nr 21 from picture above replaced, old one was dirty.
New fuel filter housing, the one with manual balpump.
Stil the same sh.t and same vault code.
Next thing to do is injector overhaul.
(its starting to become a money pit:()
If this is not the solution, the only thing left is the high pressure pump (or a hole in the bottom)
I wish there was a "no cure no pay" penta dealer!!!!!!!
al the money spent so far had no result.

all input welcom, even the penta mechanic has no clue then trail and error.
 
This seems to be a pretty common thing with the electronic VP's where the diagnosis is extremely time consuming and costly. I don't think their diagnostic software is as good as for some other brands. Either that or their training and dealer support isn't as good. I have seen a number of electronic D3's with wiring harness problems. Haven't come across that with the D6's yet but have little experience with the D6. Unless that engine has had bad fuel through it the HP pump sound unlikely. Has the mechanic tested the fuel rail pressure with an external meter? Surely that would tell you if there was an HP pump problem. I hate to think how much a Volvo HP pump would cost. I imagine that there is a fuel pressure sensor in the system somewhere. Is that part of the MPROP valve or a separate item? Would pay to check it if not already done. Those fault codes seem to point to possible fuel pressure issues so first thing I would do is check the rail pressures when operating at the high rpms to see if you are really losing rail pressure or whether the engine just thinks it is.
 
Thank you for the response
The Volvo engine display is giving different vault than penta dealer MID 128. PSID 50. FMI 0
Dealer tool the same but FMI 9
The fuel pressure is not tested
fuel pressure sensor is not part of the MPROP, sensor replaced from running engine and MPROP tested bij voidia tool.
Its on the oppositie way of valve 21 on picture (also replaced new)
Will make apointment for pressure test.
And last 2 days somthing new! Black soot on transom but absolutly no smoke whatsoever.
The green mean machine is driving me nuts (and broke)
 
Last edited:
I have owned a few Volvos. When I sold the last one I said never again. Once you have experienced the Green Death you never want to go there again.

Did the mechanic test the boost pressure when the engine is on turbo only? The black soot could be low boost and that might explain an alarm like you are getting, but probably not with those codes I guess? Other thing to check is your air filter to make sure it is perfectly clean. I don't know how the D6 recycles the crank case gasses but might be worth checking. As an electronic engine I wouldn't expect it to over fuel and leave soot, but I don't know how clever the D6 fuel algorithms are. I know my 5.9 electronic Ivecos won't smoke no matter what I do to them.
 
Also think the same way and run the engine without the air filter, no different.
Another new thing......the damn green machine is very very hard to start and even need Some start spay to run!
Thats new!!
I live on a small island so its not that easy to go to an penta dealer but have Made appointment.
Also menssured the engine mounts and maybe put a Nice gray (yanmar 509hp) engine in there WITHOUT al this sensor sh.t
I’m a little bit done with the green machine and also the dealer isn’t giving me trust in good solution.
The boat is running but i don’t trust it anymore and stil mis the last bit of power (max 3060rpm)

o forgot....had cleaned pressure/temp sensor but now replaced it by new one, more $$ same terror
 
Last edited:
Hard to start usually = low compression, lack of fuel (or maybe bad overfuel), lack of air. Maybe a low battery if it is not winding over as normal also. Any alarms when you are trying to start it or when it starts and is idling?
The soot is confusing. It sounds like you could have a fuel pressure issue, but soot is more likely due to overfueling rather than low fuel pressure. If the guy has the Volvo diagnostic tool I think he may be able to shut off each injector individually so maybe get it idling and then shut them off one by one to see if some make more of a difference than others. Maybe there has been some bad fuel issues and the injectors aren't all operating properly? Even small amounts of water in the fuel can less up electronic injectors. I run three layers of filtration on mine after a water problem years ago. The other possibility might be bad compression in one or more cylinders but that seems less likely in a low hours engine. I guess you could also do a compression test while the guy is there to confirm that is all good. If visits to the mechanic are hard to arrange you want to fit in as much testing as possible in each visit I assume.
I have read a few stories about problems with high HP D6's. If you replace it I would look for something that is making the same HP with more displacement if possible. 75hp/litre is not really stretched if you run it conservatively, but if you often need to run it hard it is quite a lot.
 
Forgot to add that a crank angle sensor issue could also be a possibility for hard to start. Had that on a D3, but it threw a code to say that there was a crank angle problem. The other thing I remember on the D3 was that it used a variable vane Turbo which was prone to sticking and giving funny boost numbers. I think the D6 is a fixed vane turbo but if it is a variable vane one on the 435hp version then that might be worth checking as well. Variable vane turbos in a marine environment aren't a good idea based on my experience with the D3.
 
The only error after start or sometimes after 5-10min run
047923EF-888D-42EA-9421-E215328B28CB.jpg

This is what dealer used last time Reading vaults, replaced Some sh.t and stil no solution.
739B50A0-25E1-44F7-9728-C411BF5C5A47.jpg
He was having FMI 9 !!?? Abracadabra?
My guts is telling me it’s someting small but the longer this is kicking the more i’m affraid of big bill damage!
Btw it is a fixed turbo

Strange thing...its going like new up to 3060 sometimes 3200, than backing off to 3060 rpm.
No smoke no rough running (only soot last days)
If injector or turbo is bad it wont run like that or am i wrong?
It is like a electronic gismo is holding the engine running past 3060 rpm.
Sometimes when i leave the throttle at full open, it awakes and realy going like a rocket past 3060 up to max maybe 4 seconds then backing of to 3060 again no smoke or running rough
If the turbo or injectors are bad i think it is impossible to reach that rpm and running this good.
If even the penta engineer is lost, i am sinking
 
I went and had a read of the D6 manual. FMI 0 and FMI 9 are both basically a fuel pressure problem. Both mention the possibility of a leaky injector. Soot could be from a leaky injector. From what I read it sounds like the ECU will stop the engine trying to make more power if the fuel rail pressure is too low. If you have a leaky injector it might be that at the high rpms the fuel rail pressure is not staying high enough. I still think best next test is a separate pressure gauge on the fuel rail to check that it is staying within specs. Not sure why you would have a hard to start problem though with a single leaky injector.
 
Today pressure and injector return flow test.
All 6 injectors not within specs and nead overhaul, new nozzle and pressure test.
2 day job so new appointment need to be Made.
Also pressure retaining valve was very dirty and new One placed.(bad starting)
Im so curious If with new overhauld nozzles it wil blow the underwear of my Bud again.
Have the yanmar on a hold for a while but the finger on the buy button.
We Will see and aliboy you where on the right spot with the injector.
Fingers crossed not solved yet
 
What is a bit hard to understand is why the mechanic didn't carry on investigating fuel pressure originally. As soon as you read the manual for those codes and think about the symptoms it seems an obvious place to start.
I would guess that you might have had water in the fuel at some point. That will mess with injectors. They shouldn't all be faulty at those hours.
How many layers of filtration do you have on your fuel system? If just the primary and secondary Volvo can filters I would put a glass bowl Racor or similar in front of those. The glass bowl means that you can see water and contaminants. It is also a very easy & cheap filter to swap. Just unscrew the lid and swap the filter without having to re-prime the engine etc. I did that on a boat where we had water affect the electronic injectors and it has saved us from bad fuel issues a couple of time since. The great thing is that a 5 second check in the glass bowl and you can see if there is a fuel issue.
On another boat we had a small amount of fuel bug. I just treated the tank with bug killer and changed out the $15 Racor filters a few times until the tank was clean. Bug never got to the expensive engine mounted filters. Much easier than calling in someone to do a fuel polish.
 
Thank you, yes there are 4 racor filters with water separator in front of the engine filter.
2 front tank, 2 back tank.
Also a filter in the 1000 liter storage fuelpump in my shed.
On the racor and on the engine filter there are water censors, never went on.
Never had water in there, had a lot of dirt sometimes and replaced them every season.
In Netherlands (again sorry for my english) when you use the boat commercial, you can use red color diesel fuel.
There is no tax to pay.
It arrives in a separate fuel truck and is absolutely sh.t. Last of the line.
Last season i started to use chemicals for killing algae, special for diesel and sold by the diesel suplier.
Could that be the possible cause?
But again the spooky penta stil has to run good, after injector overhaul so maybe back to zero.
My hope has Some dings and scratches but the forum is giving me more trust than dealer.
 
Sounds like you have plenty of filtering then. Question remains as to why your injectors have gone bad? I have 4500+ hours on one set of my electronic injectors and they are absolutely fine. About 3500 hours on the other engine set as they were where I found out about how sensitive they are to water :-( prior to adding the extra water separator/filter. Dirt shouldn't be getting past your filters so maybe the algae killer might be the problem but I have used many of those products without an issue. If you are using the correct dosage of the chemicals they shouldn't cause an issue.
Let us know once the injector service is complete and you have tested the boat again.
I used to visit the Netherlands for work occasionally and found that getting around as an English speaker was mostly pretty easy. Certainly no problems following your explanations on here. You wouldn't have wanted to hear me try to speak Dutch though - very ugly noises.
 
Oké 6x new injector tip and pressure tested= overhauled injectors.
Blowing the pants off. Running 3500 rpm no problem.
No more black soot, starting fine!!!!
Fuel economy inproved and even the engine sound is more quiet (strange but Nice)
All good again me happy.
Still my penta trust has got some dings, but time will tell if these heal.
Thank u all for the response, is giving good feeling.
Have payed for a year on another forum and still have no response so thumbs up for this one.
This one is solved and i hope anyone els with the same symptoms can use this thread
20180717_083231.jpg
 
Last edited:
Good to hear that sorted it. 435hp is a lot (80hp/L) from a 5.5l engine so I wouldn't run it any harder than you need to as a general rule. Compared to some other engines the Volvos can get expensive pretty fast. Having said that, some of the equivalent Yanmars (including maybe the one you were considering) don't have cylinder liners and can't easily be rebuilt if at all. They do tend to last better than the Volvos in my experience though. If I was repowering in that HP range I would personally look to Cummins 8.3l 450hp or if that is to heavy/big the Iveco 6.7l 450hp if you have support for those available. I have been running the 5.9l Ivecos for 15 or so years now and can't say enough good things about them.
 
Thank you, i’m normaly run 3200 3300 rpm just how much people on board. (Seal watching, taxi between islands and main land)
indeed the Volvo is an smal block and pushing lots of hp out of it.
sometimes in high waves, even 435 isn’t enouch so “If” i repower yes there Will come a big block.
It all depands on de rpm hp. It drives an Kamewa Rolls-Royce jet trough an gearbox 1.4 ratio at the moment.
So need a little calculating and wil lose the gearbox.
Did it in the past with other rib and after repower with a Yanmar, setup straight on the jet no gear.
Lose weight and increased rpm, no maintenance gearbox.
Than it is possible to run high diplacement engine with lower top rpm.
 
I guess you know that the rated cruise rpms for the D6 435 is max 90% of WOT or 3150rpm? 1 hour in 12 at WOT with the rest at 90% or less.
Like the high hp Cummins 5.9's I just can't see big hours out of small engines making that much hp if you are using the hp all the time. I know a charter boat which had the Cummins QSB at one of the 400hp ratings (not sure which rating) and they were only getting around 2000hrs between rebuilds so they wised up and put the 6.7l engine in at the same hp. That was lasting much better last time I talked to them.
I find it difficult to believe when any engine manufacturer talks about an engine making 75hp/L or even more as being suitable for commercial use. Commercial guys are usually looking for engine that will do 10,000hrs or more between rebuilds, not engines that need rebuilds at less than 5000hrs and maybe less than 5 years. Volvo are fantastic at letting their high hp, low displacement, engines get fitted into commercial boats with mostly predictable results. The customers want 'cheap hp' and because they don't often know any better they think that they are buying a 10 year engine life. The Volvo guys should know better, but who is going to turn down an easy sale and the knowledge that it will turn into very good ongoing parts sales as well. Some of the electronic Volvos make close to 100hp/L and still people think that they are buying a 'diesel' so it will last a long time. Be much better to buy a good outboad instead from a longevity point of view.
 
Totaly with you, everybody with a Volvo diesel has a pink cloud of a truck diesel in mind with 2000000 km and stil runs great after 2 clean filters and a multiebelt!
Crossed my mind to put 2 nice outbourds on de back but that is commercialy and petrol burning tax wise a no go.
Running the sh.t out this engine (drive it like you stole it) and If the pistons leave a little circle in the water 30ft after the boat, i will shop for a nice new engine (not a green one)
First need to make some (lost) money
 
Thank you, i’m normaly run 3200 3300 rpm just how much people on board. (Seal watching, taxi between islands and main land)
indeed the Volvo is an smal block and pushing lots of hp out of it.
sometimes in high waves, even 435 isn’t enouch so “If” i repower yes there Will come a big block.
It all depands on de rpm hp. It drives an Kamewa Rolls-Royce jet trough an gearbox 1.4 ratio at the moment.
So need a little calculating and wil lose the gearbox.
Did it in the past with other rib and after repower with a Yanmar, setup straight on the jet no gear.
Lose weight and increased rpm, no maintenance gearbox.
Than it is possible to run high diplacement engine with lower top rpm.
Oké 6x new injector tip and pressure tested= overhauled injectors.
Blowing the pants off. Running 3500 rpm no problem.
No more black soot, starting fine!!!!
Fuel economy inproved and even the engine sound is more quiet (strange but Nice)
All good again me happy.
Still my penta trust has got some dings, but time will tell if these heal.
Thank u all for the response, is giving good feeling.
Have payed for a year on another forum and still have no response so thumbs up for this one.
This one is solved and i hope anyone els with the same symptoms can use this thread
View attachment 18750
Hi, it seems I have excatly same problem on my D4 260hp. So you changed the all the injectors and then it was fine?
 
Back
Top