Volvo 4.3L not starting

brentcausey

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Apr 11, 2007
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I just purchased a 1998 18 foot Sun Bird runabout ski boat with a 4.3L volvo engine. According to the manual and the guy I purchased the boat from, I push the button on the shift and pump it several times and then pop it back into neutral and start the engine. The engine will run for 8-10 seconds and die off. It will do this several times. According to the "flood" instructions in the manual, If I push the shift all the way forward with the button pressed and start the engine and pop it into neutral as soon as it starts before it rev's too much, it will sit and idle fine. The guy I bought the boat from thinks it might be bad gas, but I don't think that's the case. Once it gets running, it runs fine. I can run up and down the lake and idle, it's just the whole starting process. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
 

bjcsc

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

4.3 what? GS? It could be a dirty idle circuit or a choke problem if you're carbed, which you are overriding with throttle in your second scenario...
 

tommays

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Your 1/2 right with the pumping BUT you need to leave it in netural AND leave the shift handle about 1/3 forward

The 1/3 is just a guess you will have to find a good spot that starts it with out reving the motor to high when it starts

When the motor starts it needs to warmed up around 1500 RPM for around 1 minute or more


WE are spoiled buy are EFI cars


Tommays
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to try with the shift 1/3 forward and see if that does the trick. I've driven many boats and never had a problem like this before, maybe it's just the nature of the beast. This is my first I/O the reast have just been fishing boats with outboards.
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

4.3 what? GS? It could be a dirty idle circuit or a choke problem if you're carbed, which you are overriding with throttle in your second scenario...


I believe GS, I know it is carbed. How do you fix a dirty idle circuit problem? It just seems to me like the idle isn't a good smooth idle. Once I run around on the lake for a couple of minutes I can drop it in neutral and it will sit in neutral fine. Sometimes when I'm first starting it'll idle and then as soon as I put it in drive it will slowly die off again.
 

bjcsc

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

You can only fix a dirty circuit by cleaning/rebuilding the carb.. Chances are you have a 4.3GS LK like mine, and the good news is I have all of the factory manuals (except the sterndrive - PJX instead). Do you have a 4bbl or 2bbl? I would make sure my choke was operating correctly first, then I would double check my timing/mani vacuum, and then I would start looking at the carb...
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

I'll have to check when I get home. I have the sterndrive manual as well as the original engine manual. I'm hoping just starting it with the shift 1/3 of the way fixes the problem. Once the engine is warm, I can run it and kill it several times and it works fine. Thanks.
 

Don S

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Have you checked/changed the engine fuel filter?
Have you done a tuneup lately? Cap, rotor, sparkplugs?
You should have a Delco EST distributor, so you will need to use a shunt for setting the timing.
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

No, I just bought this boat from a dealer who "looked over it" and " ran it " before he sold it to me. They supposedly changed the oil and ran it before he sold it to me. Funny thing was 3 hours later it wouldn't even idle. Since this is only happening before the engine warms up, do you think it could be the fuel filter?
 

Bondo

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

I'd be Looking at the Carb in General,+ the Choke in Particular,.............

Fuel Filter Should Always be Changed if there's even a Question about it......
 

Don S

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Since it only happens cold, I'm with bondo, look at the choke adjustment. Being too tight or too loose will cause your problem. As well as trying to idle it at idle. It's a cold carbed engine and should be run at 12 to 1500 rpm for a minute or so while the choke is opening before trying to get it to idle at 650 rpm.
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Thanks Guys! I'm going to try and let it run at a higher RPM for about a minute before I put it back into low idle. If that doesn't work we'll check the choke and then the carb. Thanks for all your input, man y'all are fast!
 

brentcausey

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Well, I tried putting the throttle 1/3 and it would run and run and run but as soon as I put it in neutral, it still died. I'm taking it to a mechanic to do whatever he thinks it might be, I don't have time or the patience to work on that thing right now. I'll let y'all know what it ends up being, hopefully nothing too expensive. Brent.
 

bjcsc

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Re: Volvo 4.3L not starting

Please do remember to post what the problem ended up being and what the fix was. Now that this forum can actually be searched, you may help a future boater. My guess is they will rebuild your carb. for slightly more than a new one would cost, ~$500. BTDT...
 
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