Boat engine electrics

[littlespark]

Anybody got experience with boat engines?

I’m going to have a look at why the engine won’t start for a family member up at Edinburgh.
Just want to know what to look for

I’ve been told it turns over, but doesn’t start

Owner knows there’s a number of battery’s, but don’t know if 12/24 volt or the Ah size.

The batterys should charge up when the 230v is plugged into the hookup. (Would that be separate leisure batterys, and the engine start battery would charge from an alternator while the engine is running, like a car?)

If we can pinpoint what the fault is, ie battery, or charger…. Then we have a chance of fixing it.

 

[Rockingit]

How long is a piece of string?! So many different types, plus in/outboard..... However if it's turning to start it's unlikely to be electrical (in the battery sense). If it's diesel then I'd be checking ignitors and separators in the first instance, then onwards to seals and fuel pumps.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

If it's turning, you need to confirm fuel and air. Id have a look over the fuses first too before doing the below.

To check fuel, crack the nut at the injector, turn over briefly and see if fuel comes out. Do that for each injector. If no fuel, turn over until it comes out. If you're not getting anything at all, it's either fuel solenoid is stuck shut or not getting power, or the fip is gone. Depending on age, I'd guess it will be a cam driven fip rather than electrical. Fip is fuel injector pump.

To check air, take the air filter out and put you hand over the intake. Turn over and you should feel the suction. Don't have any loose items near the intake when turning over otherwise it will end up in there and that's trouble.

If it's trying to start but spluttering and not quite getting there, could be glow plugs.

After that you're in to testing the compression and more in-depth examination

Hope that gets you going

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

And check oil, some sensors will prevent engine start if it's not got oil to the correct level.

 

[mainline]

Anybody got experience with boat engines?

I’m going to have a look at why the engine won’t start for a family member up at Edinburgh.
Just want to know what to look for

I’ve been told it turns over, but doesn’t start

Owner knows there’s a number of battery’s, but don’t know if 12/24 volt or the Ah size.

The batterys should charge up when the 230v is plugged into the hookup. (Would that be separate leisure batterys, and the engine start battery would charge from an alternator while the engine is running, like a car?)

If we can pinpoint what the fault is, ie battery, or charger…. Then we have a chance of fixing it.

What type of engine is it ?

 

[mainline]

If it's turning, you need to confirm fuel and air. Id have a look over the fuses first too before doing the below.

To check fuel, crack the nut at the injector, turn over briefly and see if fuel comes out. Do that for each injector. If no fuel, turn over until it comes out. If you're not getting anything at all, it's either fuel solenoid is stuck shut or not getting power, or the fip is gone. Depending on age, I'd guess it will be a cam driven fip rather than electrical. Fip is fuel injector pump.

To check air, take the air filter out and put you hand over the intake. Turn over and you should feel the suction. Don't have any loose items near the intake when turning over otherwise it will end up in there and that's trouble.

If it's trying to start but spluttering and not quite getting there, could be glow plugs.

After that you're in to testing the compression and more in-depth examination

Hope that gets you going

It may not have injectors, or an injector pump.
It could be a 2 stroke outboard for all we know.

 

[littlespark]

its a biggish boat.... not just a dinghy

All i know is, its a "something something" but i know its a Ford engine basically.


Whoever serviced the engine last did have it going.... but didnt plug the boat back into the hookup... so the owner thinks the batterys havent charged and are too flat to start it up... I'll see when i get there.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

It may not have injectors, or an injector pump.
It could be a 2 stroke outboard for all we kn

His description just had me thinking yacht, don't find many 2 stroke outboards running off of batteries

 

[mainline]

His description just had me thinking yacht, don't find many 2 stroke outboards running off of batteries

Two-stroke outboard electric start motors are very common.

 

[pirate]

2 stroke and 4 stroke outboards with electric start are ery common, but usually in the larger sizes. The smaller ones, sub 15hp are usually pull-cord, and some have both. There are some diesel outboards too, but not very common, and usually only larger sizes.
I suspect this is not an outboard though!
I had an old boat with a diesel engine you could start by hand which was a very useful feature on occasion!

 

[mainline]

The point being is unless we know what sort of engine it is and what it’s not doing it’s difficult to get lead down the wrong path with diagnosis.
As said it’s most likely to be an inboard diesel, if it’s a modern one it could very well be ecu driven with a common rail.
something like that the easiest path is to see if there is an injector pulse.
That’s assuming it’s a crank no start

If it is a ford then it could be v8 or v6 petrol.

I think ford stopped doing marine engines for a long time and got involved in doing them again in 2013.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

Two-stroke outboard electric start motors are very common.

Learn something new everyday. I've never seen an electric start outboard other than in the movies. I've only ever worked on yachts and small fishing boat outboards with a pull start

 

[R-fur]

Assuming its an inboard diesel. Check the fuel for water. If the boat has been lying for a while condensation builds up in the tank.
Electrically there are normally two batteries with a split charge system using diodes or relays.

 

[littlespark]

Well, been and gone. Battery’s are fine, things light up when they need to, clicking when they need to… but nothing turns in the engines. I don’t expect it to be an electrical problem, more a mechanical one.

It’s an older yacht… and the electrics are just a mess. All 12V apart from the power sockets, but still a mess.

It’s two engines… port and starboard… down under the floor… and really, I’m not prepared to go ----ing about with it in a cramped space when there’s real marine engineers available.

 

[pirate]

I don't suppose you tried push-starting it? This involves putting it in gear and turning the propellor very quickly, which is extra tricky if the boat is actually afloat!
Seriously @littlespark I've spent decades working on boats with engines buried deep in the bilges with very little room to maneouvre and I think you are wise to walk away from this!

Yes, Ford did make marine diesel engines in the past. I had a "Sutton" Ford in one of my boats and it was excellent. In many cases the engines were simply marinised versions of road vehicle ones. It's always fun to find out what the "base" engine is. My sister has a boat with a Volvo Penta engine. Nowadays VP pretty much make their own stuff, but my sister's boat is quite old and the VP badge simply means it is a marinised version of something else, which ib her case is a BL taxi engine from yesteryear. This means that some spares can be got much cheaper fron Euro Car Parts etc rather than paying huge amounts for the same part in a VP box. A "genuine" VP oil filter was £37, the same filter was £3.50 from the sheds.