Eng acts like safety kill switch is engaged.

[johnbailey]

Volvo Penta 4.3 GL 1997
I replaced the starting relay and fuel relays as well as the starter. Boat starts for les then a second just like if you try to start it with the safety lanyard pulled. I checked it and also bypassed it. I am wondering if my coil is bad. According to the manual I should get 8 or so volts when the key is on. I do get 8 while cranking but milli volts when the key is on. Should I accept 8 with key on or only with key on and cranking. according to the steps posted below I think key just being on but I am not sure. Also if the purple cable coming into the coil should have 12 volts where would I trace that from. I get continuity form the ALT is that they supply for the coil or is it from the battery some how. Step 4 fails and I do not know where to go from there and the manual dose not go into detail.

here are the steps I found

1. Connect a multi-meter as per the manufacturers instructions.
   
   
2. Disconnect the purple and gray wire connector at the ignition coil.
   
   
3. Connect the positive lead on the meter to the terminal for the purple wire in the connector; connect the negative lead to ground.
   
   
4. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and check that the meter reads at least 8 V.
   
   
5. Plug the connector back into the coil and disconnect the pink and brown connector at the distributor.
   
   
6. Connect the positive lead on the meter to the terminal for the pink wire in the connector; connect the negative lead to ground.
   
   
7. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position and check that the meter reads at least 8 V.

Thank you for reading this and any help you can provide.

 

[alldodge]

Welcome
Might be the key switch. You should get 12V on the coil when cranking and 8V with key ON.

Need to see if the points are opening and closing.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard.

for a 1997, there should be electronic ignition.

are you looking at a factory manual? because 8 volts is for a points ignition

You are also posting in the OMC forum. will move to the VP forum.

 

[johnbailey]

welcome aboard.

for a 1997, there should be electronic ignition.

are you looking at a factory manual? because 8 volts is for a points ignition

You are also posting in the OMC forum. will move to the VP forum.

Thank you for the information. sorry for posting in wrong place. The manual is from https://www.selocmarine.com/seloc_online and says for my year and model it is coil and distributor. the next year is Eletronic ignition.

 

[johnbailey]

Welcome
Might be the key switch. You should get 12V on the coil when cranking and 8V with key ON.

Need to see if the points are opening and closing.

Thank you that is what I was thinking I am going to trace the wire form the key and see that is going on this weekend.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thank you for the information. sorry for posting in wrong place. The manual is from https://www.selocmarine.com/seloc_online and says for my year and model it is coil and distributor. the next year is Eletronic ignition.

the seloc manual is riddled with improper and wrong information.

Volvo Penta has had electronic ignition on the V6's since the 80's your 1997 should have the Delco EST dizzy

get the correct manual. https://www.volvopenta.com/en-us/your-engine/manuals-and-handbooks/

 

[alldodge]

Don't know what years the V8 GL-A and GS were, but drawing shows points. The GL-B was when EST was used

 

[Bondo]

I do get 8 while cranking but milli volts when the key is on.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... As Scott says, yer motor, being electronic igntion, you should see 12v, both during starting, 'n in the run position,.....
I'd be lookin' at the ignition switch 1st,....

and says for my year and model it is coil and distributor. the next year is Eletronic ignition.

Look under the distributor cap,....
If you don't see a set of points,... It's Electronic ignition,.....

 

[Scott Danforth]

Don't know what years the V8 GL-A and GS were, but drawing shows points. The GL-B was when EST was used

VP hasnt used points on any V engine since 1985/1986. they used a now obsolete prestolite dizzy before the EST

 

[Bt Doctur]

If you mean it will run if you hold the key to start and stop when you release the key, you missing coil voltage when you release the key to the run position.
If you have a coil you can access easily run a wire from the + battery to the + side of the coil for testing

 

[johnbailey]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I will follow the advise this weekend.

Scott Danforth thank you for the link to the proper manuals.​

I will post a update on this weekend.

 

[BRICH1260]

Had a similar issue a few years back, turned out to be a bad crank shaft position sensor.

 

[johnbailey]

Had a similar issue a few years back, turned out to be a bad crank shaft position sensor.

Thank you, I will add that to my list of things to check. Though I hope you are wrong

 

[QBhoy]

Hi..being fussy..with the lanyard pulled, the boat won't start at all..or sound even close to firing. are we saying that the engine will start for a second then cut out ? or not at all...instead she just cranks over and no sign of firing ? each of the two above situations would suggest very different paths of fault finding. The only exception might be if the lanyard and/or in gear interlock system is having an issue. This would cause such a thing...or perhaps an ignition sensor or its signal. Next in line would be a faulty ignition switch itself. Somewhere in the above will be a good place to suspect or blame perhaps.

 

[Donald0039]

Order or download the VP factory manuals. You may have to pay for some. Cannot always download them
Have you tried to jiggle the shift lever while still in N. Does it help? Interlock switch adjustment or defective.