Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

Status
Not open for further replies.

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Boat: 2006 Four Winns Horizon 210
Engine: 2006 Volvo Penta GXi-F
EFI engine
3869309
4012167864

Outdrive: SX-M 1.60
3868891
4202151999

Problem:
I noticed an intermittent whine coming from the engine that would go away before I could figure out where it was coming from. At first I thought it might be a bearing on a pulley going out as it would wind up and then down and go away. The following week it came back and was louder and after going through a couple of wind up/wind down cycles the engine sputtered out during the whining. The engine fired right back up without hesitation and ran for a while until the whine came up and it sputtered. Nursed it back to the dock. The engine always fired right back up without hesitation. The sputtering and dying would happen under throttle and at idle.

Usage:
I trailer my boat and have to use 10% ethanol fuel as that is all that is sold near me.

Troubleshooting so far:
I have seen that this is probably a fuel pump issue or blockage issue. I am slowly getting better at the mechanical fixes but need some help. I have changed out the fuel filter and did not notice it to be dirty fuel or notice any water separation. I hooked up a fuel pressure gauge to the shrader valve on the fuel assembly. I had about 62psi when key turned and 80psi when engine running. After running the engine for a few minutes on the muffs the whine started and the fuel pressure dropped down to 40psi and then to 20psi and the engine started sputtering and died.

Possible solutions????
I am contemplating buying a new fuel pump assembly as I do not want to just by the high pressure pump just to have to repurchase it and get the whole assembly (would not sit well with the wife!).

Question?
Any thoughts on if this is the right way to go to replace it, I have read that the pump is not serviceable and/or I may not be competent enough to service it.
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

Well I am leaning towards swapping out the whole fuel pump assembly. Volvo gives a part number 2145138 for the pump assembly. I have found several retailers selling part number 21608511 as a fit and sometimes mix both numbers in the same listing.

A search on the Volvo Penta site does not come up with a part number 21608511, does anyone know the difference between them?
 

hotncold1010

Recruit
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
2
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

Well I am leaning towards swapping out the whole fuel pump assembly. Volvo gives a part number 2145138 for the pump assembly. I have found several retailers selling part number 21608511 as a fit and sometimes mix both numbers in the same listing.

A search on the Volvo Penta site does not come up with a part number 21608511, does anyone know the difference between them?

I had the same issue . VP 5.0 Fuel inj 2006 ... Empty all gas out of tank , remove fuel pump , make sure check valve is working on supply hose from tank . I tore whole pump apart and found paint chips in the high and low pump screens cleaned , removed and also removed all the other black paint . replaced o'rings on fuel res with after market o'rings for fuel . you wont find o'rings at you local dealer . take the mic and go looking on line . Works perfect now
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

I have almost a full tank, what do I do with the 40 gallons of fuel that I remove?
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

How difficult was it to take the fuel pump apart? Where did you end up finding the O-rings?
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

One more question for you, did the paint come from your fuel tank or from inside the fuel pump?
 

QuadDriver

Cadet
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
11
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

You have the low and high pressure pumps on the engine or low/tank, high engine?

I need some engine numbers to check application, but do you have a fuel reservoir and is the inlet valve sticking? (closed)

the 'whine' you hear is possibly the pump loading up against a stuck valve, meanwhile the HP pump happily empties the reservoir down the throat...
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

It has the low and high fuel pressure pumps in one unit (see image, part number 1). I listed the engine specs at the top, is there a different number you are looking for from the engine?

22210_1.jpg
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

UPDATE: So I got a fuel vacuum gauge and clear hose to test per Don's write up in the sticky. The boat side fuel system seams fine, no air bubbles, 0 on the gauge. Pump started to whine and engine died without air bubbles so I don't have an air leak. I am convinced that it is the pump, don't see anything else it could be.

I am not confident in my ability to tear apart the pump and rebuild it. We are going on vacation in a week and half and I need to get this done and tested. I am going to buy a new pump but I run into another dilemma. The Volvo Penta site shows part number 21545138 for my fuel pump assembly. See link below:

http://www.volvopentastore.com/Fuel...on_id.509561307--store_id.366--view_id.790806

A search online finds it for about $850 and also pulls up other searches that link that part number to 21608511 that sells for about $650. I inquired to www.marinepowerservice.com and they said 21608511 supersceded 21545138 but I don't find any mention of that on the Volvo Penta site. Does anybody have some insight into the part numbers? Is 21608511 the right one?
 

Redpony

Cadet
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
20
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

The part number is good. The fuel pump comes with a fuel filter that has the water separator type fuel filter incorporated. I changed the same one out on my 5.7 GXi-C and it worked fine. By the way, it should take about an hour to remove and replace the pump, so you could easily get it ready within a week and a half. :)
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

Did your new pump come with new O-rings for the fuel line connections? I know other parts come with them such as the impeller kits.
 

Redpony

Cadet
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
20
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

O-rings did not come with the fuel pump assembly. Check the parts catalog, you may not need them for the fuel line connections.
 

daedge2

Cadet
Joined
Jun 10, 2012
Messages
21
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

Check your water lines that cool the pump one goes to thermasat housing the other to the riser. more than likely it is plugged then pump gets hot and starts winning. Probably got mud in it take the pump cell off. The fittings are pressed in. Take a wrench and screw drive twist and pry lightly it will come out. The bottom one will be plugged. Clean it out so that you can blow through.
tap the fitting back in. Go have fun at no cost but time to do the work.
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

The last time I fired it up, it happened within 2 minutes of starting the boat, the engine had not even gotten up to temp. I am replacing the pump today.
 

mdahm

Cadet
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
13
Re: Volvo Penta 5.0GXi-F fuel whine and stall

New pump in, runs great! Took it out and ran it in all sorts of conditions, plenty of WOT, stop-start, slow-fast, everything running great. The pump was definitely the problem.

Then the fun news, broke an axle and hub on the way home. Had to take the wheel off, strap the axle up and limp to the shop on 3 tires. Shredded another tire on the shoulder of the highway. The fun never ends.
 

sergeant_kyle

Recruit
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
2
I had the same issue. Just purchased a 2003 Larsen 210 LXI with a 5.0L Volvo Penta GXI-D and was having the surging and general sluggishness and it even got to the point where she would start and run for a second and then quit. It had the whining sound coming from the fuel pump.

Turns out the problem was sediment in the fuel pump reservoir was causing cavitation (whining in pump) that was clogging the pump filter screens within the pumps directly!!!

This was verified first with a fuel pressure gauge and would go to 45-50PSI (via the fuel rail directly, high side) when running and would steadily drop down and the whining would get worse until the point the particles would completely clog the screen and the pressure would drop below 20PSI and then the motor dies as it is starved of fuel.

I have a picture of the reservoir for reference if anyone is interested in seeing it. I would upload here but I keep getting file size errors...

Anyways, once I figured out what the problem was, it was quite easy to disconnect all the hoses and fuel lines and the 4 bolts that hold the fuel pump assembly onto the engine. From there, you only need to remove 3 - T25 torx screws that hold the assembly together. From there, it is easy to see inside the reservoir to see if you have the same issue. Buy some carb cleaner and go to town spraying the pumps out until no more sediment comes out. Also, using a plastic scraping tool, remove as much sediment from the bottom of the canister and again spraying a liberal amount of carpet cleaner in every orifice and wipe it all out. Once it is all removed, reassemble everything, remembering to put some light oil on all the o-rings to ensure it goes back together easily. Replace any damaged rings at this time as well. Reinstall pump assembly and test it out. Save yourself the $1000+ on a new assembly and heaven forbid you have to have someone else install it for you!
 

sergeant_kyle

Recruit
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
2
Also, I had an issue with the fuel in the tank before I even got around to figuring this issue out. Non-oxy gas does not mix well with E-10. There might have been some issues with water in the fuel too. Hand-pumping 35 gallons out took me about an hour with a $17 hand pump from the local auto parts store and a free 55 gallon plastic barrel works well for holding all this extra fuel. I will eventually us it in my lawn mower and maybe even my wife's car...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top