Snow Gum - Manual Engine Start for Volvo Penta D2-75 - Garcia Exploration 45

[@markgreen1626]

Thanks for another example of Volvo MDI Workaround. I use a permanently installed remote starter switch on a D2-55. Am building a replacement panel, with analog gauges, to PERMANENTLY sidestep the MDI. Volvo tries to treat each MDI failure as a discreet and unique event. “So sorry to hear of your problem…” It shouldn’t be OUR problem at all. Volvo designed a faulty device, which puts people at risk in the event of failure in remote cruising situations. They’ve tinkered with the design but haven’t fixed the problems. Their only response is to sell you a new one. Their MDI has NO PLACE on a robust, off-grid cruising boat. The engine is OK, the MDI is dangerous. If your MDI still works, figure out your workaround BEFORE it fails because you’ll get no warning when it does. And that failure can take many forms - no power or signal; power but no start; power but no stop; starts on its own; stops on it own. Of all the risks we face at sea, this should NOT be among them.

[@SailingSnowGum]

What Mark said. 100%. Our MDI failed, repeatedly, as we were motor sailing to reach harbour before a full gale arrived. We were caught in the gale, with an engine that kept stopping. Not fun. Not at all. However, we did get the chance to personally verify that our boat sails in atrocious conditions with style and grace. 🙂

[@andrzejjaworski4360]

Hello Sir, great video. I have Ovni395 with Volvo Penta D2-60, and I am after first MDI total failure. What I did I installed permanent emergency ignition button in the engine room, just next to starter. I didn't need to remove relay. And for everyone's information the "starter button" is what it seem to me kind of relay that is disconnecting ground of engine from hull - it is mainly installed on aluminium boats and may not be present on all engines, in that situation engine will start at with first moment of paperclip connection:)) Take care!

[@SailingSnowGum]

Good points Andrzej. Thanks for this informative comment.

[@SeanandKate]

Rick and Carolyn, seeing this video has taken away one of our major reservations on owning a Garcia Exploration. Popeye (the Beneteau First 47) had a very simple, cable-controlled diesel that onyl required clean air and clean fuel to keep going - there were no sensors that would prevent the engine from running. We were reluctant to have a Volvo engine in our boat, with potentially faulty sensors or relays. A belt and braces is the way to go! There were a few questions remain: - with the relay removed from the MDI, can you still start the engine from the helm position, or can you only start it from the emergency start button on the start solenoid? - likewise, with the jumper cable in place, can you stop the engine from the helm? - what procedure did you follow to warm the engine? Many thanks again for all your work on producing these videos.

[@SailingSnowGum]

Hi Sean, Kate. This procedure is for use when the cockpit buttons and display are not working, possibly due to a failure of the MDI, or some other electrical glitch. The couple of times I’ve tried it I’ve been at the engine, not at the helm, so I can’t say for sure what’s going on with the displays. It could vary depending on the nature of the electrical fault. For example, the MDI might be OK, but the relay could be fried. In that case, you’ll see that everything looks OK from the cockpit, but the engine won’t start. Same for stopping the engine. Not only was the engine cold, we also had air in the fuel line from the empty, new fuel filter. What happened off camera was that I put the relay back in, warmed the glow plugs via the cockpit controls, cranked the engine and let it run a bit, roughly I’ll admit, to see if it would clear the air. Nope. So we bled the air from filter and lines, after which the engine started, again, from the cockpit controls. Then Carolyn filmed take two and the engine started, manually. If we were doing a manual start from cold, it would have taken a few spluttery starts to get enough heat into the engine to keep it going. Perhaps someone can tell us a way to manually activate the glow plugs, bypassing the MDI? There’ll be a way; there are cables at the MDI labelled ’Glow’. Perhaps the other relay? The proof will be the engine starting quite happily from cold after 20 seconds of manual glow plug activation. I vote that you use a bent fork to try this on your new engine! 😄 Edit in Feb 23: Upon reading this again I see that I can expand on warming the glow plugs manually. When our engine was being tested after the rebuild, following replacement of the flywheel and coupling bolts, the Volvo tech asked me to help him warm the glow plugs. I was on the port side of the engine and he passed me one end of a long wire he pulled from his tool bag. He asked me to touch it onto a positive cable from the battery. He touched the other end of the cable onto the metal bar that distributes power to the glow plugs, on the starboard side of the engine. This is normally covered in paint when the engine is new, so chipping some off the nut at the end of the bar might be necessary. 12 volts flowed through the glow plugs for about 10 seconds and the engine started when the relay button was pressed. Cool! Well, warm actually. 🙂

[@Coleen_West]

Nice engine! -- QUESTION -- you said to keep your hands free of moving parts on that engine. My boyfriend said to me that the engine is very small and that it could not "rip his arm off" as he is stronger than a small engine like that one. Is that true? I am a bit scared of engines. He is very strong and I respect him, but is he right about that he could use his hands to stop moving parts on that engine?

[@SailingSnowGum]

Hi Coleen. Your boyfriend is both strong and good looking but this engine will indeed rip his arm off if he gives it a chance. Getting appendages, hair or clothes caught in the works or belts is a very bad idea. Tell him Rick says he’s officially banned from trying to stop it with his hands. Might work. Regards, Rick.

[@Coleen_West]

@@SailingSnowGum ....Thank you for the reply. I mentioned this and he said to save me he could stop it with his bare hands because he is very determined and strong. I have no idea. He has always made me feel safe and he is trying to get me to feel safe around these engines but maybe he is a bit stronger than you imagine? We play wrestled one time and I was so shocked how much stronger a guy is than me. I was brought up to think that it was about even but now I don't think so. Way way stronger than me. But stronger than a smallish engine?

[@brettharrison2237]

How did you warm it up before using the emergency start?

[@SailingSnowGum]

Hi Brett. It took half an hour to warm the engine up with thirteen tea candles. 😐 And if you don’t believe that because it would have taken at least seventeen, see the reply to Sean and Kate’s comment. 🙂

[@SailingSnowGum]

Hi Brett. Let me paste here an edit to a reply to Sean and Kate. Upon reading this again I see that I can expand on warming the glow plugs manually. When our engine was being tested after the rebuild, following replacement of the flywheel and coupling bolts, the Volvo tech asked me to help him warm the glow plugs. I was on the port side of the engine and he passed me one end of a long wire he pulled from his tool bag. He asked me to touch it onto a positive cable from the battery. He touched the other end of the wire onto the metal bar that distributes power to the glow plugs, on the starboard side of the engine. This is normally covered in paint when the engine is new, so chipping some off the nut at the end of the bar might be necessary. 12 volts flowed through the glow plugs for about 10 seconds and the engine started when the relay button was pressed. Cool! Well, warm actually. 🙂 So, Brett, this is a way to heat the glow plugs manually, handy for when the MDI is not working properly. Regards, Rick.

[@KrisCorneli]

Have you tested the canvas tent over the cockpit yet? If you have one, of course.

[@SailingSnowGum]

We could (should?) make a video of our first go at putting up the cockpit tent, but I think it would look like Keystone Cops! 🤪 Or at least the Marx Brothers. We don’t focus on number of views but with the right music and sped up a little, it could go viral.

[@andrewtrip8617]

Whatever happened to a decompression lever and starting handle ?

[@SailingSnowGum]

I don’t want to have to lift the engine hatch every time to start it. I just practice this method every six months or so in case something goes wrong with the fancy electrics. Best of both worlds.

[@monkeyboy8424]

Don't drop anything! is the 52 as bad? Hopefully, the new Garcia 60 will not suffer the same engine access issue.

[@SailingSnowGum]

I dropped a socket wrench with extensions a couple of times when undoing the gearbox oil filler plug. It goes clatter, clatter, bang, but doesn’t go very far. 🙂

[@mikecrockett3669]

Awesome! MacGuyver at sea.

[@sajkoPL]

Nice hacking :D i see engine compartment is abit cramped up than on Exp52.