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I have a volvo penta 2003 series diesel engine and I was wondering if anybody has heard of using a hand crank to start the engine. Is a manual hand crank available for this model? I thought that I read somewhere that the diesel engines w/out glow plugs could be started with a hand crank so you don''t need any other power source. I have a two battery bank on the sailboat currently and it is really tough to start w/out glow plugs in cold or cool weather and I tend to run the batteries down in the process. Just looking for feedback. Thanks
If you are having a great problem starting the 2003, it is probably a sign of a lack of compression - sometimes caused by glazed bores/worn rings, or burnt exhaust valves/seats - and maybe poor atomisation of the injectors. Glazed bores are quite often caused by running the engine to charge batteries or for motor sailing just to keep to a set speed.
I had this very same problem with our 2003 and those were the symptoms.
To start my engine, (before I had it rebuilt last year) it would take about 10 to 15 seconds and sometimes longer. I partially overcame the starting problem by turning the engine over decompressed - later motors did not have decompression levers - for 5 to 10 secs with throttle full and the stop/cold start activated.
I then brought the throttle back to the idle position, put the decompression lever to normal, gave it full throttle, pulled/pushed the stop/cold start, and then it would start after a few seconds.
Now, after the rebuild, I don't need the cold start, and with the throttle to about half, the engine starts immediately.
I would suspect that your engine has low compression, with maybe poor injector atomisation.
When running, all the 2000 series engines I have seen - and there are a great many of them here in the UK - smoke slightly and give off a slight sheen on the water, and leave the stern area dirty!!. Even mine after a complete rebuild.
Even though spares are expensive, it was far cheaper to get our engine rebuilt than replaced with a more modern motor/shaft/prop/beds.
regards,
Philip
Westerly Konsort Duo, Oyster
