1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting! **RUNNING THANKS!!**

[Seadooman03]

Hello,,Im having issues starting my engine. Its a 97 Volvo 4.3GL penta engine, number 4110147360. I have not been able to get spark when i pulled a spark plug out and grounded it to the motor... It seemed as tho it wanted to start at one point, then it just didn't follow ignite. So far i have done a few things to rule out any issues

-battery is new
-Compression is 150 across the board on the 3rd stroke
-Fuel pump works, engine is getting plenty of fuel. (works during ign too)
-Newer wires on it
-New Plugs
-Choke on carb is in full operation

-Also, i read about the coil and the purple wire, i had no voltage there with the ignition on? It seems as tho all my breakers are in check, however im not 100% sure to rule those out.

I noticed some sort of new wire installed that seems to be ribbon like (Picture A), hooked up to a plug (picture B.) That's obviously not form the factory, also i heard engines requring some sort of igntion upgarde, not sure if this was it.


Picture A

Picture B

On the back of my distributor there seem to be 2 areas for a harness to clip in, I only have 1 harness, the smaller clip with the pink wire...(picture C).

Picture C

The coil i checked, and its exhisting clip, with the purple wire.. (picture D)

Im not exactly sure as to were to follow the problem back too. Im assuming the tether switch cuts ignition, and the clip is installed in that, im not exactly sure how to test it for failure tho. Any information would be much appreciated, ill check back and fill in the blanks in case i missed something. I hope I was descriptive enough explaining my situation.

Thanks in advance

kris

 

[chiefalen]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Wiggle the throttle back and forth and make sure you are in neutral.

The kill switch is for a driver that falls overboard and the string is attached to him. Kills the ignition.

Pull the wires off in the back and put them together to bypass it and try it again if that don't work go to the top of the forum adults only and the link for troubleshooting the starting problem is there.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Wiggle the throttle back and forth and make sure you are in neutral.

The kill switch is for a driver that falls overboard and the string is attached to him. Kills the ignition.

Pull the wires off in the back and put them together to bypass it and try it again if that don't work go to the top of the forum adults only and the link for troubleshooting the starting problem is there.

I've gone threw all of those steps, what i need to know is if that rainbow color harness that was replaced is some sort of new ignition wire, and what it connects too, also if there is more then 1 clip that hooks up to the back of the distributor, im well passed what the sticky suggested. The engine turns over, the throttle is in the middle or else it would not allow the motor to crank....


thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

I can't really tell anything from the pictures, too big and too blury, but. Disconnect the terminal off the coil that has the purple and gray wires to it. With the key on, do you have power to the purple wire, if not, crank the engine over and see if you get power to the purple wire while cranking.

PS: You should only have 2 wires going to the distributor on your engine and both on the same terminal the larger terminal on the distributor is not used.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Just to make sure you don't have spark, check it like this.
Remove the center (coil wire) out of the distributor. Hold the end of it about 1/2" from a good clean ground and crank the engine over. You should have a bright blue spark that easily jumps the 1/2" gap.
In this way, you eliminate any problems with the cap, rotor, wires and/or spark plugs causing the problem of no spark.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

I can't really tell anything from the pictures, too big and too blury, but. Disconnect the terminal off the coil that has the purple and gray wires to it. With the key on, do you have power to the purple wire, if not, crank the engine over and see if you get power to the purple wire while cranking.

PS: You should only have 2 wires going to the distributor on your engine and both on the same terminal the larger terminal on the distributor is not used.

I received no voltage when turning on the ignition to the purple wire, then i checked again while cranking the motor, i still did not get any voltage. By any chance are there any fuses for this, or just the relays/breakers?

Thanks for your help thus far don, and answer the question about the distributor, ill attempt to get better pictures of that ribbon wire with my digital camera.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Just to make sure you don't have spark, check it like this.
Remove the center (coil wire) out of the distributor. Hold the end of it about 1/2" from a good clean ground and crank the engine over. You should have a bright blue spark that easily jumps the 1/2" gap.
In this way, you eliminate any problems with the cap, rotor, wires and/or spark plugs causing the problem of no spark.

I can't do this being that im single handling this and i dont have someone to assets me.., however i tried doing this while everything was connected with a spark plug, and i was not getting spark. I did however just put my volt tester inside of the center wire plug to see if would pick up anything when i cranked the motor over, and the meter read dead again.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

If you didn't get voltage to the purple wire at the coil while cranking, then you may have a broken wire. The purple wire is connected to the starter solenoid which will bypass the ignition switch completely.

I would suggest you disconnect the purple wire from the starter, then do a continuity test on the wire between the starter and the coil.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

By any chance, just as another point of check, you wouldn't have the wiring schematics for the tether switch would you? Id like to check that as well, and make sure i can successfully rule that out incase there is a broken connection between that and the ignition. Also, on the back of the alternator, there is a purple wire, is that the same wire based off the schematics shown, ill do this check later on tonight and report back with my conditions and results. . I did read that thread of someone having a very similar problem, i did not note a broken wire, what i may end up doing is a jumper as well if thats possible.

Thanks again don, i hope im explaining everything correctly.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

The teather switch is not part of the Volvo electrical system. That's from the boat manufacturer. But if you don't have power to the purple coil terminal on the wiring harness when the engine is cranking, it's not the teather switch. Because you pick up power from the starter solenoid. If it was starting but stopping as soon as you let the ignition switch off, then you could possibly have a bad teater switch.
They are very simple to check. They have 2 wires going to the switch and the switch is a simple on off switch. Disconnect the wires from the switch and hook the wires together with a jumper wire or something and you should have power back to the engine.

There, I adjusted my drawing so it now has your teather switch in it.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

ok, so far i do have a reading going threw the purple wire. The boat got a little further this time. It kicked over, and it wanted to run, but i couldn't get it to stay on. I did try to jump the middle wire to the engine, and i did NOT see a spark cross out the wire,...yet prior to that the boat did have ignition...ill have to tinker with it a pit more tomorrow....

My positive battery cable is getting awfully hot as well.. I also jumped the tether switch......

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Ok, so this morning i finally got positive ignition. The boat fired up, and runs as long as i have the key in the on position. I read in a previous thread someone had a problem like that...(i think the wire that was coming off the starter was corroded. so i replaced the o-terminal., and or the tether switch was bad..i jumped that..

But now the boat will not remain on w/o the key in the "on" position......does that purple wire lead to the **ALTERNATOR*** as well?...

edit..alternator....

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

What I would do to check out your wiring, is disconnect the connector with the purple and gray wires from the coil.
Then turn the ignition switch to the run position. Start at the ignition switch with a test light or a meter and see where you loose power. It could be the switch, or any connection all the way to the engine. Even take the main engine harness connector apart and check it.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

What I would do to check out your wiring, is disconnect the connector with the purple and gray wires from the coil.
Then turn the ignition switch to the run position. Start at the ignition switch with a test light or a meter and see where you loose power. It could be the switch, or any connection all the way to the engine. Even take the main engine harness connector apart and check it.

Hmm..thanks don, i really appreciate your assistance. I made a slight mistake in the post above..i meant to suggest if the alternator is bad?....if the purple wire feeds off that.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

The alternator working doesn't power the purple wire, it does power the green wire for the fuel pump circuit. But, if you was loosing your fuel pump, the engine would continue to run for about 30 till the carb ran out of fuel. You are loosing ignition, so you need to check your ignition.
it also sounds like you have a lot of loose anc corroded connections in several places. corroded purple wire terminal on the starter, cables heating up, all pointing to an electrical problem to me.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting! **Update**

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting! **Update**

Yup, really seems like it now that im diggin further into it...I have pretty much taken off all the objects in the way from the coil to the alternator.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

***Are the wires behind the coil all grounds? It did seem like i had a slight shock when i reached back there with my hand. That's when i just started to remove everything out of that area to check, but..w/o removing the coil i really can't get a clear view, all i can see is a capped brown wire? And the rest all seem to be grounds.


**UPDATE**....so far i have literally followed the purple wire threw the entire hull, i have signal right from the wire at the ignition, all the way to the big round wire harness. Once connected to the plug were the 50 amp circuits are, i continue to check to the alternator, have single, then i continued to check from there to the plug that goes into the coil, signal right on there.

I then made sure the actual key part of the ignition is connecting correctly by checking the 3 tabs on the back, power to I power to S, and then once on the "on" position it does have power to the I.

Everything is functioning correctly as far as the purple wire goes.

My questions thus far--

The Gray wire on that harness that connects to the coil, what does it do?
Could the coil possible be bad? And how is it possible to check if it is bad?

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

The gray wire goes to the tach.
IF you don't have power on the Purple wire at the plug that hooks on the coil with the ignition on, then it WILL NOT RUN.
You already know it runs when in the start position. That means you are getting power for the ignition system from the starter, when it's not engaged you loose it. You either have a bad ignition switch or a faulty connection from the ignition switch pruple wire to the coil.

 

[Seadooman03]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

The gray wire goes to the tach.
IF you don't have power on the Purple wire at the plug that hooks on the coil with the ignition on, then it WILL NOT RUN.
You already know it runs when in the start position. That means you are getting power for the ignition system from the starter, when it's not engaged you loose it. You either have a bad ignition switch or a faulty connection from the ignition switch pruple wire to the coil.

I understand that it ran for a millisecond only when I held it on..so i knew it was getting spark... The purple wire has power all the way threw, i have 12.06 volts when the key is on. At first i just tested for a signal at every point..., now i tested for power and i have both, there is no break in that purple wire. I have power all the way to the coil wire harness clip when the key is on the acc/run position.

So that rules out the purple wire, tether switch (jumped), throttle, and the key part of the ignition.

Is there anyway to check the coil for it not being on the frits?

 

[Don S]

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

Re: 1997 Volvo Penta 4.3GL not starting!

How long have you owned this boat? Has it ever run for you?