hand starting Volvo penta diesel

[Loren Beach]

With some web searching, I find that Betamarine does not provide any compression release scheme for their small diesels, unlike our old Universal (Kubota block from 30+ years ago).
Best to focus on having enough battery reserves and a well-working stater motor.
All that said, it is possible to start a diesel with no electricity at all !

With Poseidon-only-knows how much adaptation would be needed to the engine compartment of a smaller sailboat, you could change to a non electric starter. I found this video (and some others) showing a "spring starter" in use.
I had read about this basic concept previously, decades ago. Looks like it's still viable and available.

How Spring Starting Works | Kineteco

www.springstarter.com

Back to the "door we came in thru" I recall checking the action and little seals on the compression release lever assembly on our former 1988 Universal M25XP. I wanted to be sure that it never malfunctioned and harmed the valves when the engine was running. Note B: when we bought our boat, second hand, no cranking handle was included with it.

 

[Christian Williams]

After swapping the batteries for another set of known goods there doesn’t appear to be any increase/change in crank speed.
Maybe that’s a bit more evidence to suggest the starter is going out.

Several of us have had the starter motor rebuilt. In my case the change was astonishing--it cranked the engine like its hair was on fire, instead of the former tired uh-uh-uh. Diesels like a vibrant spin. I just took the starter to a local alternator repair shop, and the job was done in 15 minutes for $20 cash. (That's all I had in my wallet, he had asked for $30). All he did was take it apart and clean out years of gunk, then reassemble.

It was not easy getting the starter out from under the M25, but if yours is accessible a rebuild is worth considering.

 

[reginaldobaker]

Was able to mechanically rebuild and clean the starter - all the screws were crusty, ovaled out, slot heads but was able to get them all.
The armature seemed fine but the pinion side bushing/bearing is starting to disintegrate. There’s a couple mm of play in the starter shaft due to the ovaled bushing. After reassembling the starter still spins very slow - believe it to be something internal to the solenoid.
The solenoid can be found online but not the bushing/bearing and McMaster doesn’t have anything in a close size.

Oh well looks like a new starter will be the next step.

Was finally able to turn over the engine by hand using the crankshaft nut and a breaker bar - which is reassuring there’s likely not a hydro lock or seized condition.

Very good experience with things even though it doesn’t seem this OE starter will persist.

attached is a pic of the pinion bushing from before removal - it’s slow demise was tossing metal dust all over

 

[Robid]

Spent many years starting LISTER 3 cyl diesels on Lifeboats, Emergency Generators and such. These engines are air cooled and do not rely on a cooling system or battery powered starting system. Some have hydraulic hand pumped starters. We had problems in the North Pacific Alaska Waters due to cold temperatures and we rigged a 150W lightbulb in the engine compartment (Coast Guard hated it but accepted it with a quick release connection). The secret with any diesel as well as block temperature (or glow plugs) is to try and get the liners prelubricated and circulated. There are prelubrication accumulators that can help in this regard (they acquire lube oil under pressure and store the charge, when the engine is started the charge is discharged to help get all running parts lubricated. To start properly you would crank slowly by hand in order to get some lubrication started. Prime the fuel, throw about 5 cranks and flip the center decompression valve. The individ,ual decompression valves are best as they can aid in troubleshooting an engine. I just watched your video, that is what I would expect. If your resistance to turning over the engine is cyclical, then one cylinder could be hanging up. In a 3 cylinder, 4 stroke engine the firing is 240 degrees apart. I would look at the decompression mechanism. my 2 cents