5.7L Gi-A will no longer start

gverb1219

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2003 Volvo Penta 5.7L Gi-A...long block replaced in 2017.........was running great...up on plane......slowly started losing RPMs (over 4 minutes) went from 3,400 rpm down to 700 rpm then died.....will not restart. Tested all ignition components....tested good....replaced anyway. 12.6v feeding coil. Retested all ignition components...all test showed good. Timing marks spot on with #1 at TDC. Cap and Rotor replaced, ICM replaced, Ignition Pick-up Coil replaced, Ignition Coil replaced, TBI Injectors working, New Fuel Pump working fine, Fuel Filters replaced, Wires replaced, ground wires cleaned and secured.....VERY WEAK to no spark from coil post .....only thing hasn't been changed out is the ECM........still no start.
I am lost and have no other ideas what to try. I have a full set of Volvo Penta Workshop Manuals given to me by a former Volvo mechanic....I still can't figure it out......
My boat is on my lift in my canal so I can't get it to a shop for a full ECM scan and can't find anyone who does house calls.....
I did a DTC and got a code #44....but I think that was from disconnecting the knock sensor during my trouble shootinig.....
Any help would be appreciated
 

alldodge

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VERY WEAK to no spark from coil post

Code 44 is unable to detect knock, and while might happen with it disconnected, it normally happens because the ECM tries to make it knock during throttle up, and does not get one. Right now don't think that's your issue

Ignition Pick-up Coil replaced, Ignition Coil replaced,

Which coil was replaced item 12 or 22?

coil.jpg
 

Bondo

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was running great...up on plane......slowly started losing RPMs (over 4 minutes) went from 3,400 rpm down to 700 rpm then died.....will not restart. Tested all ignition components....tested good....replaced anyway.

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... How's the Compression,..??
 

gverb1219

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Code 44 is unable to detect knock, and while might happen with it disconnected, it normally happens because the ECM tries to make it knock during throttle up, and does not get one. Right now don't think that's your issue



Which coil was replaced item 12 or 22?


...both coils were replaced.....main ignition coil that feeds the distributor and the pick-up coil inside the distributor.
 

gverb1219

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Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... How's the Compression,..??

Compression is good.....between 135 and 150....checking my records, my long block is just about 2 years old now.
Can't seem to get a good strong spark from the coil....it's very very weak at the post and non existent through the wire to the distributor ......did all the tests according to the mechanic shop manuals.....replaced coil, pick-up coil and IC Module twice.....still nothing......I'm lost....beginning to wonder if it could be a bad ECM....
 

gverb1219

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Run through this troubleshooting


..my distributor is different. It doesn't have the "jumper" wires at the ICM, mine has a 4 wire plug that goes into the main engine harness and to the ECM.
 

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alldodge

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..my distributor is different. It doesn't have the "jumper" wires at the ICM, mine has a 4 wire plug that goes into the main engine harness and to the ECM.

Agree, you still have a Delco EST distributor. So the test for the pickup coil and coil are correct. You said these items were replaced, but I would like to know if they test good

You would not do the timing issue.

Where did you get the ICM? Reason for asking, we have had folks install brand new and they were defective.
 

gverb1219

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.....these are the test procedures I have done.....similar to what you sent. These are from the Volvo Penta Shop Manuals....
 

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gverb1219

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Agree, you still have a Delco EST distributor. So the test for the pickup coil and coil are correct. You said these items were replaced, but I would like to know if they test good

You would not do the timing issue.

Where did you get the ICM? Reason for asking, we have had folks install brand new and they were defective.

.....I just posted the test page I used.
These are the books I'm using for reference....
Yes, I tested the ICM and the pick-up coil and the ignition coil.
All 3 items I replaced anyway....still test good......then I tried another distributor and coil from a running engine....still get no start.....so it must be something other than those components.....I'm totally lost. I can't bring it to anyone as it's stuck on my boat lift. May have to find someone to tow me 7 miles to the boat ramp....
 

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gverb1219

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..forgot to add...........I thought I might have done the test wrong, but after getting good results I brought the ICM, 3 of them, to NAPA....they have a machine that tests them.....tested each units 6 times to allow for heat build up.....the original was NG, the other 2 new ones tested good.


I charged the batteries and checked the voltage going into the coil....12.58v, however when I crank the engine the voltage at the plug feeding the coil drops to around 7.8v to 8.3v.

I plugged the harness back into the coil and pulled the 2 wire harness off the distributor. Got a reading or 12.46 at the plug.....cranked the engine over and voltage dropped to almost the same....8.4v to 8.7v.

Not sure if it should drop that much with the engine cranking......don't know what a "normal" voltage drop while cranking is.....
 

alldodge

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ok, your ignition systems has been totally replaced and you still do not have spark.

When you crank the motor over does the tach show at least 300 rpm?
 

gverb1219

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Got the ICM from a guy at a marine repair shop a couple towns over....from where I borrowed the distributor.....both were good units.........he doesn't make house calls and isn't "real familiar" with Volvos....
 

gverb1219

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ok, your ignition systems has been totally replaced and you still do not have spark.

When you crank the motor over does the tach show at least 300 rpm?



I'll check that....didn't notice.

BUT....I remember about 5 years ago I had an issue getting the boat to start and a mechanic told me to disconnect the grey wire from the tach, then after the boat starts put it back on.
I tried that yesterday....didn't work this time....
 

gverb1219

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When you crank the motor over does the tach show at least 300 rpm?

....NO.....tach doesn't move at all other than a slight bump when I turn the key on...I read that the ICM switches voltage signal to coil when it gets to 300 rpm (engine considered running) and the ECM then goes to IC Mode instead of cranking mode.....(or something like that), but the engine should start at a lower rpm....heck, I've had my engine fire up sometimes on the second crank..... ..............but I don't recall if the tach ever did move while cranking before...:noidea:
 

alldodge

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No movement of the tach means its either shorted or the signal is not making it to the ECM. Disconnect the gray wire at the tach
 

gverb1219

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No movement of the tach means its either shorted or the signal is not making it to the ECM. Disconnect the gray wire at the tach

I did that.....still wouldn't start......I'm going to go out in a couple hours and try doing all the tests again to make sure I didn't miss anything.....did them twice already....I'm running out of ideas.
I might pull the entire wiring harness off the engine and do a continuit5y check on every wire.....maybe something is broken......I don't know what else to try.......
 
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