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2005 8.1 Crusader wont start

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Patience2005

New member
I have twin 8.1's and my problem started with the starboard engine going into safe mode after about an hour at cruising speed. Would work the next time I used it. No bad signs on the gauges.

Then one day I pulled away from the slip and the engine just stalled. I found jelly like sustance in the primary filter and some water in the FCC. I cleaned both and added a racor water separator between the engine and gas tank. I use non ethonol gas. I see no fault codes on the Rinda tested. I did see a slight water intrusion and it was from the risers. Replaced the risers and the engine will not start. If I spray starter fuild I can get her to sputter but that's it.

I have had two machanics over one told me the engine was siezed and wanted $15k to replace it with a rebuilt. The other said my fuil injectors were clogged. I havent posted on this forum before but referenced it in the past with great sucess. Any advice?
 
Wow, a lotta strange stuff it seems, no codes and the engine going into safe mode? Was it still going into safe mode when this happened? I have the MEFI 3 system and it sets a code if it goes into safe mode for whatever reason. But the baffling thing is the difference in opinions, a siezed engine vs. clogged injectors? What diagnostics did they do? At any rate, it would be fairly simple to see if the injectors were it, just switch them from the good engine and see if it starts. I just pulled all 16 of my injectors at the start of this season to send out to be cleaned and it took about an hour and a half to pull them and put them back in, not that hard at all. Just don't drop anything down the holes...
 
I know... The first guy did a fuel pressure test and made the decision that it was the fuel injectors. The second one scoped the spark plug and said there was water in the cylinder. Then he pulled on a breaker bar connected to the harmonic balancer and said it was frozen. The starter was inop on the engine so I asked him to swap it from the port engine and he said it wouldn’t make a difference. I swapped the starter and was able to crank the engine. It just wouldn’t start.

The risers were old so I changed them anyway. I was thinking it may be that they were both partially right, but god knows at this point.

I like your suggestion. I was first going to do a fuel pressure test to make sure I have correct readings. The only thing I'm not sure is how to test in WOT since it won't start. From what I know I need 58 - 62 psi on the fuel rail at WOT. Not sure if opening up the throttle will simulate WOT.
 
Like Scott said, you should have set a code if the ECU entered safe mode....

if the mechanic that said it seized didn't show you the plug and other evidence of water internally, I'd deposit his business card in the nearest recycling container. The other may be on to something...

The baffling part to me is the "jelly"...you need to find out what it is and for two reasons: 1) it is likely to be prime candidate to clog injectors (and the rest of the fuel system) 2) if you don't eliminate it, it is likely to 'visit again' and your headaches will recur. if the jelly is obscuring the injectors, it is possible to have adequate pressure in the rail but not get enough fuel into the cylinders. Until the engine is running, the WOT test isn't do-able. When running, you need to do the WOT test, under load, to ensure the fuel system can deliver enough fuel and the proper pressure - opening the throttle at the dock won't cut it.


If you are very conservative with the ether, I'd suspect you have a bad batch of fuel in the starboard tank (also guessing you have separate tanks). Also, are you positive your fuel is ethanol-free?
 
Thanks for your feedback. I'm sure the gas is ethanol free becasue I get it from a reputable delivery service. I may pull the injectors and swap them out to see if that at least gets her started. I'll also see if I can get some of the fuel (or whatever) out of the bottom of the tank to see what's what. I can tell you the boat had been sitting for a while before I bought it and that may have caused the jelly substance (guess). It has been a while, but I normally fill the tanks when I get to 1/4 full so maybe something kicked up the bottm of the tank?
 
DD:

Does the "jelly" "float" or "sink" when you find it? (I've never come across it....another layer of ignorance to shed in the near term.)
 
OK. I checked and have spark and around 60PSI at the fuel rail. Still doesnt start. Should I check compression to make sure valves are not stuck? I was thinking of connecting the port fuel line to the starboard (probelm engine) to eliminate bad fuel. Thoughts?
 
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