Tips wanted...starting old volvo penta set up 5 years.

[RandyJ]

19' Bayliner Capri, AQ 125A penta engine, 270 outdirve. Not too sure about the 5 years but 3 or more for sure. This boat was a very nice boat when it was pulled out of the water. Now all the seats & upholstery are rotted. Had a big pile of leaves in it. The floor appears to be sound and the rot does not appear to have damaged the structural integrity of the hull. I just put a starter on it and will be trying to get it started tomorrow... Anything I really should pay attention to or do before starting or putting in the water? I'd really appreciate helpful info. I would take out the gas tank and wash it out if I could get it out...so I might just get it started using a 6 gal. tank from an outboard rather than taking a chance of sucking up all the garbage that most likely is in the old tank....anything else I should pay special attention to or look for? I've worked on lots of Mercruisers but this is my first Volvo. Anybody got an original steering wheel for this thing I'd be interested .... this one is totally rotted to pieces.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Tips wanted...starting old volvo penta set up 5 years.

Pull the spark plugs,put some oil in the cylinders and let it soak awhile.Then turn engine by hand.Change the oil and spark plugs,fresh gas and give it a try..
Good luck..8)

 

[Don S]

Re: Tips wanted...starting old volvo penta set up 5 years.

Personally, I would pull the spark plugs squirt a little oil in the cylinders and crank the engine with the starter and a fully charged battery, and let the oil pressure build up without the effects of compression. While doing that, check for spark. After that many years you may not have it because the points are glazed over.
If no spark, try sanding the points with some 220 wet & dry paper (dry) just to see if you get spark.
Put the plugs back in.
Use your 6 gallon aux tank and pump gas to the carbs.
The carbs DO NOT have chokes, so once you get gas in the carbs, pump it half a dozen times and see if it fires.
May take a LOT of pumping. to get going and will probably die a few times. They idle about 900 to 1000 rpm. thats normal.
Make sure you have water to it with muffs and warm it up.
Change the oil, give it a full tuneup,
Change the ujoint bellows, gear lube, etc. before ever thinking about going to the water.
Also install a new impeller.

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Tips wanted...starting old volvo penta set up 5 years.

Thanks... glad you recommended the bellows... I almost sunk my 24' Bayliner monterey when I first got it...exhaust and shift cable bellows were gone!..U-joint went out and tore up the transom mount... all kinds of problems... had cracked block and bad exhaust manifolds... replaced long block, new manifolds,...spent a wad just getting it going...then another $500 for upholstery materials and I did all the work myself..that $700 boat probably cost me $5,000 just to get it going...and still have starting problems because of corroded connections... also had to replace starter the second year I had it.