Volvo 2009 8.1GXI Hard Start

[czind]

Hard Start Issue
2009 Volvo 8.1GXI 400 hours.

Need some ideas or anyone have similar problem? Long post, sorry.

Turn on battery switch after 5 days of downtime typically, turn key and nothing, always happens on first attempt. Turn key again with 3 beeps and 4 or 5 long cranks, eventually starts after a couple of spurts. Happens whether engine is cold or warm.
Seems like increased throttle and starting on both batteries helps but doesn't completely resolve issue. The boat runs perfect once started!

Have had 3 different shops troubleshoot it with no consensus on a fix over the last 2 years. It started the first time every time prior.

Have done the following in attempt to fix and boat is maintained per Volvo's hours schedule:

Rebuilt fuel pump after one shop scanned motor with no codes, but found pump pressure low. Cleaned screen on rail although it wasn't clogged. Pressure is good.

Replaced spark plugs twice.

Batteries have been tested, 3 years old and are good, always on smart charger when slipped. All connections are tight. #1 is high CCA starting and #2 is deep cycle.

Replaced battery switch with new, all connections tight.

Replaced fuel relay switch.

One shop looked at kill switch and said it was good.

Fuel filter is replaced every year on winterize.

What do you all think I should troubleshoot next...Starter, ignition switch, cam sensor, ECM, injectors, etc.

TIA!

 

[alldodge]

turn key and nothing, always happens on first attempt. Turn key again with 3 beeps

Bad connection or weak battery

Does the tach show anything while cranking?

Take a spark gap tester and place inline with one of the plugs to see if it's firing while cranking

 

[QBhoy]

100% it’s a result of a compromised supply along the way. Be sure then double sure about your batteries there for certain. Especially with the mention of more than one battery. One less than good battery will compromise, level and weaken the other quickly. I won’t go over my old war cry again, around the absolute essential requirement for a tip top battery for any gxi or mpi (but if I did..it would certainly mention that the result is absolutely and exactly your current findings now)…I’d swallow some pride and rule it out with a borrowed and strong single known hood battery hooked up..or even jump cables on her from a running engine alongside..that would prove a point. Failing that…it’s going to be as a result of bad continuity at the terminals or cabling associated.
Sorry for the long boring story…but I preach about this all the time with these engines. Happened to me in the early years of my mpi and others I know then and countless times since to date. The absolute tell tale symptoms are seemingly healthy cranking to the ear…but not firing…and/or even more telling…is if she has a occasional tendency to sometimes cough a sign of life with throttle or at the moment the key is released from cranking (as the power released from cranking is then made available back to the ignition). As @alldodge once made me aware…if not the above alone is reason enough…the very fact that the injectors won’t even operate, should the system not sense or achieve a certain specific rpm when cranking. Honestly. Have a go with a sure thing strong supply of power. See what happens. All the best.

 

[czind]

Bad connection or weak battery

Does the tach show anything while cranking?

Take a spark gap tester and place inline with one of the plugs to see if it's firing while cranking

When starting after the boat has set for days, turn key and no beeps or cranking, the tach will .6 volts. Then re crank immediately, it will beep and tach shows 12.8.

 

[czind]

100% it’s a result of a compromised supply along the way. Be sure then double sure about your batteries there for certain. Especially with the mention of more than one battery. One less than good battery will compromise, level and weaken the other quickly. I won’t go over my old war cry again, around the absolute essential requirement for a tip top battery for any gxi or mpi (but if I did..it would certainly mention that the result is absolutely and exactly your current findings now)…I’d swallow some pride and rule it out with a borrowed and strong single known hood battery hooked up..or even jump cables on her from a running engine alongside..that would prove a point. Failing that…it’s going to be as a result of bad continuity at the terminals or cabling associated.
Sorry for the long boring story…but I preach about this all the time with these engines. Happened to me in the early years of my mpi and others I know then and countless times since to date. The absolute tell tale symptoms are seemingly healthy cranking to the ear…but not firing…and/or even more telling…is if she has a occasional tendency to sometimes cough a sign of life with throttle or at the moment the key is released from cranking (as the power released from cranking is then made available back to the ignition). As @alldodge once made me aware…if not the above alone is reason enough…the very fact that the injectors won’t even operate, should the system not sense or achieve a certain specific rpm when cranking. Honestly. Have a go with a sure thing strong supply of power. See what happens. All the best.

I suspected starting battery, high CCA, couple years ago and replaced. But did not replace the 2nd deep cycle as it was one year newer. Had both tested at Oreillys last year and the both were good. I think I will jump start as a test and if it starts immediately, invest in two new batteries.

 

[alldodge]

If Bats test good it could have a bad connection in the Bat cable it self. Sometimes the cable lug builds corrosion inside between the wire and lug

 

[czind]

Is there a way to test a battery cable prior to replacing?

 

[alldodge]

Is there a way to test a battery cable prior to replacing?

Take a digital voltmeter and connect + probe on the Pos bat terminal. Connect the - probe on the starter post. Crank the motor and see how much voltage your read. Should not be more then 0.5V

Can also do this with a load tester so it can give you more time to read the meter, or disconnect ignition so motor will not start

Remember to also check same with Neg Bat cable and reverse meter probes

If cables are the issue the ends can be replaced and not do entire cable

 

[alldodge]

And same method can be done with any wire/cable

 

[czind]

Take a digital voltmeter and connect + probe on the Pos bat terminal. Connect the - probe on the starter post. Crank the motor and see how much voltage your read. Should not be more then 0.5V

Can also do this with a load tester so it can give you more time to read the meter, or disconnect ignition so motor will not start

Remember to also check same with Neg Bat cable and reverse meter probes

If cables are the issue the ends can be replaced and not do entire cable

Thank you. One of shops I hired may have down this test, I will verify.

 

[QBhoy]

Check the voltage when you’re cranking. I’d try and isolate the batteries from each other and just use the cranking battery to see what happens. Then try the other battery too. If one of them or both of them struggle, you might be onto something then. All the above is the case, if you normally have them both linked out together to crank. If you get me ?