'03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

[murkywater]

I have a 2003 boat with two Volvo Penta 5.0 GL-C's w/Holley double barrel carburetors. One of the engines will not stay started. Starter turns, engine fires, but cuts off as soon as ignition key is released. The perplexing thing is that every once in a while (after several days of attempting to start) it starts and runs fine for hours. Then, it will not start again after turning off engine. I have checked the fuses, wire connections, spark plugs, relays, ignition switch, kill switch, and alternator. I then switched to other fuel tank and drained the fuel filter thinking that the problem may be in the fuel system. Any clue what may be causing this?

 

[Don S]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Does this happen immediatly when you let the key off from the start position to the run position? If so, do you have an emergency kill switch (lanyard switch) on your setup?

 

[murkywater]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Yes, it cuts off immediately when the key is released. I do have a lanyard kill switch, but I have eliminated that as the problem, since I switched to the ignition switch and kill switch of the other engine and the problem persists.

 

[Don S]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Well, let's narrow it down a little then.
Next time it's acting up, put a jumper wire on the small starter solenoid terminal with the purple wire on it, hook the other end to battery + terminal and see if it will start and keep running.

 

[murkywater]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Thanks. I will try the solenoid jumper on Saturday since I have to work tomorrow. Is there a minimum gauge wire that I should use for the jumper? The distance from the battery to the solenoid is about 10ft.

 

[Don S]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Either 14 or 16 ga. will work fine for the test. If it does run there, you may want to make a longer jumper so you can hook it to the wire going to the kill switch (engine side) and see if it works there also.
If it works then, it is something in the helm wiring, not engine wiring side.

 

[murkywater]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Either 14 or 16 ga. will work fine for the test. If it does run there, you may want to make a longer jumper so you can hook it to the wire going to the kill switch (engine side) and see if it works there also.
If it works then, it is something in the helm wiring, not engine wiring side.

Where do I connect the other end of the longer jumper going to the engine side of the kill switch? Is this the purple wire that connects to the L2 terminal of the alternator?

 

[Don S]

Re: '03 Volvo 5.0 GL wont stay started

Where do I connect the other end of the longer jumper going to the engine side of the kill switch? Is this the purple wire that connects to the L2 terminal of the alternator?

Hook the other end to the battery + terminal. Same game, just a different place. You are basically eliminating the helm, all the connections at the helm, and the kill switch.

Yes, the L2 wire is the SAME purple all the way thru the system.