N30 MKII Diesel Issues

simpsoned · #1 (**permalink**) 01-21-2011

Have a 78 Newport 30 MKII with a Volvo Penta MD7A diesel, compression start.
I have to crank it for a couple of minutes to get it to fire...which is not supposed to be that long...anyone have similar issues? My closest Penta diesel service is over on the coast, about 300 miles away...
Ed Simpson
Spokane WA

Faster · #2 (**permalink**) 01-21-2011

First off.. if you're really cranking for TWO minutes, make sure your water intake is closed until the engine fires. Otherwise you'll risk damage to the engine from raw water intrusion. This applies to cranking times any more than 10-15 seconds.

No glow plugs? Is this a winter problem or always? If it's all the time you may have marginal compression. Try keeping the engine compartment warm to see if that improves things.

simpsoned · #3 (**permalink**) 01-23-2011

Yes, really cranking for two minutes...especially when she hasn't been run for a couple of weeks. Yes, it is a compression start only...there are no glo plugs on the engine (even says so in the book)...have checked the filters and all that, but she still doesn't want to start "easy". One of my fellow marina mates has an identical engine in his Catalina and it fires in about 5 seconds...