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Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en]
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Gas Engine overheat diagnosis
Gas Engine overheat diagnosis
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Overheat Diagnosis
- 1 -
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 2
Six Step Troubleshooting Method............................................................................................ 3
Diagnostic Tips ........................................................................................................................ 4
Clear Hose Testing Equipment ................................................................................................ 5
Clear Hose Setup (Pump) ....................................................................................................... 6
Clear Hose Setup (Engine) ...................................................................................................... 7
Gauge Readings at the Raw Water Pump............................................................................... 7
Troubleshooting Raw Water Cooled Engines with Clear Hoses and Gauges ......................... 7
Troubleshooting Closed Cooling System Engines with Clear Hoses and Gauges .................. 9
Water Inlet System Flushing .................................................................................................. 11
Water Inlet System Testing ................................................................................................... 13
Leak Checking and Flow Checking Exhaust Manifolds and Risers ....................................... 13
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 14
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Overheat Diagnosis
- 2 -
Introduction
This short course is designed to assist the technician in the diagnosis of an EGC engine that
has/is overheating.
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 4](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/4/4.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 3 -
Six Step Troubleshooting Method
The six step troubleshooting method is a proven method that if used properly ensures that
the problem is resolved is a timely and orderly manner. The steps are listed and explained
below.
Step 1: Verify the customer’s concern
Make sure that the customer’s concern isn’t a normal condition. If it is an
abnormal condition, check for any stored overheat DTC’s. Record the DTC
number, name and the number of engine starts since the code last set. Lake or
test the boat and see if it overheats.
Step 2: Determine any related symptoms
Is there anything else happening at the same time that might be related and if
so, how could it be related?
Does it only overheat when on a plane? Does it only overheat after a long run
when pulled back to idle?
Step 3: Analyze the symptoms
How or do the symptoms relate? What are the possible causes?
Step 4: Isolate the problem
Use approved diagnostic methods and tests (such as clear hose testing) to
arrive at a logical diagnosis. Ensure that you have found the “root cause” of the
problem not just the damage that resulted from the problem.
Step 5: Repair the problem
Repair or replace the broken or damaged part or parts.
Step 6: Verify the repair
Re-run the boat under the same conditions that it failed previously to ensure
that what you did fixed the problem. Nothing destroys customer confidence
faster than having to make repeat visits to the repair shop to have the same
problem “repaired” again.
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 5](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/5/5.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 4 -
There is no set time that each one of these steps will take. Each problem is different. One
problem make only take 5 minutes to get from step 1 to step 5, others make take hours.
Diagnostic Tips
At some point during the testing, the following items will have to be checked. The problem
must be diagnosed before repairs are made. Do as much non-destructive testing as possible.
Destructive testing is definded as: “let’s take the water pump apart and see if it looks ok”, or
“let’s split the drive apart and see if the sealing between the two halves looks ok”. Non-
destructive testing includes but is not limited to: installing clear hose to see water flow,
installing a gauge on the engine block to see what pressure the cooling system has or using
an infrared heat gun to find hot spots or a hot riser.
• At some point, always check the raw water pump impeller for damage.
The Volvo Penta maintenance schedule requires the raw water pump impeller
be replaced every 50 operating hours or once per season, whichever comes
first.
If the engine has overheated the odds are high that the impeller has suffered
some kind of damage.
• Check the ECM for DTC’s
There are three different overheat DTC’s that could be stored in the ECM
All three are “never forget” codes
DTC 2428 EGT (exhaust gas temp) High
• This code sets when riser switches close
DTC 0116 ECT higher than expected 1
• This is a mild overheat
DTC 0217 ECT higher then expected 2
• This indicates a serious overheat
The number of times the engine has been started (and run) since the
DTC set is also recorded with the DTC
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Overheat Diagnosis
- 5 -
• Check the riser temperature switch circuit operation
The circuit status can be viewed with the scan tool as “EGT Switch Input Volts”
5 volts indicates that both switches are open. They are normally open
switches that close when riser temp gets too hot.
0 volts indicates that one or more of the switches is closed or the circuit
is shorted to ground
• Disconnect one switch at a time while watching the scan tool and
see if the voltage returns to 5 volts
• If both switches have to be disconnected before the voltage
returns to 5 volts, then both switches are closed (overheat
condition)
• Inspect all hoses for cracks and/or loose hose clamps
Scheduled maintenance requires that they be inspected and tightened every 50
hours
• Ensure that the blue flush cap is secure and not leaking.
A leak at this cap will cause an overheat condition because the raw water pump
will suck air at this point.
Clear Hose Testing Equipment
The following equipment is needed for clear hose testing:
• 2 - 4” pieces of 1 ¼ ID, clear, reinforced hose.
• 2 - 3” pieces of 1” ID schedule 40 PVC pipe.
• 2 - 4” pieces of ¾” ID clear, reinforced hose.
• 2 - 2” pieces of ½ inch ID schedule 40 PVC pipe.
• Hose clamps to fit the 4 hoses (8 clamps total)
• 1 - 0-30psi pressure gauge plus fittings to connect to hose.
• 1 - 0-30”Hg vacuum gauge plus fittings to connect to hose.
• 9 to 10 feet of ¼ inch hose
• Two 1/8” NPT hose barbs (¼” hose)
• Shrink wrap tape or duct tape
• Hose pinch off pliers
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 7](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/7/7.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 6 -
Clear Hose Setup (Pump)
Install the large clear hose and large PVC pipe, from the list above, as depicted in figure 1
below.
Figure 1 Installing Clear Hose at Raw Water Pump
This installation will allow the technician to see either water flow or air going into the pump or
coming out of the pump. The gauges are used to see if there is proper pressure in the
system.
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 8](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/8/8.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 7 -
Clear Hose Setup (Engine)
Additional clear hose can be added between the thermostat housing and the exhaust riser(s)
as shown in figure 2. This setup is useful in determining if there is air being injected in the
cooling system from inside the engine.
Figure 2 Clear Hose Setup on the Engine
Gauge Readings at the Raw Water Pump
Pressure and vacuum readings should be taken with the vessel moving at idle and at 3000
rpm’s. If equipped with an SX-M or DP-SM drive, readings should be between 2”-19”hg
(vacuum) on the inlet and between 2-10 psi on the outlet (with the low reading being at idle
and the high at 3000 rpm’s). XDP-B drives should read between 1”-5”hg (vacuum) at the inlet
and between 2-12 psi at the outlet.
Troubleshooting Raw Water Cooled Engines with Clear Hoses
and Gauges
Start the engine and warm it up. Bring the RPM to a high idle. Look for air coming in or out
of the raw water pump through the clear hoses. You can now determine if you have an air
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 9](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/9/9.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 8 -
leak before the pump by seeing air present on the inlet side. If air bubbles are seen on the
outlet side only, the seals in the seawater pump are drawing air.
If the pump impeller is slipping its hub, there would be no air in either clear hose but the inlet
and the outlet pressure gauges would show a problem due to the low outlet pressure.
If the vacuum is high, there may be a restriction on the suction side. Inlet system flushing and
inspection will need to be performed. If the vacuum is low and or there is air coming into the
pump, then you will need to pressure test the pump’s inlet system. If the outlet pressure is
high, there could be a restriction in the pump’s outlet system. Hoses, manifolds, risers or
engine block could be the cause. The engine block may be full of sand from a grounding.
If there is no air in or out of the pump, but you have air coming out of the thermostat housing
clear plastic hoses, the problem may be a leaking head gasket, cracked head or cracked
block.
Before the engine gets disassembled looking for the cause, further nondestructive diagnostic
testing must be done to determine the exact location of the problem. To do this, disconnect
and tie up the two bypass hoses as shown in figure 3. Top off the water in the block through
these hoses.
Figure 3 Preparing to Leak Check Engine
![Volvo Penta - Gas Engine overheat diagnosis [en] preview img 10](https://cdn.static-repo.emanualonline.com/Other/NASa/DBM/490726-Volvo_Penta_Gas_Engine_overheat_diagnosis_en/10/10.jpg)
Overheat Diagnosis
- 9 -
Next, use a cylinder leakdown tester to pressurize each cylinder, one at a time, using the
tester’s operating instructions. As each cylinder is pressurized, watch the water level in the
bypass hoses. If the water level rises when pressurizing a cylinder, then that cylinder is
leaking compression into the cooling system. Be sure to conduct the test on all cylinders and
record the results for future reference. If a leak is found during this test, engine disassembly
will be required to pinpoint the exact cause of the leak.
Troubleshooting Closed Cooling System Engines with Clear
Hoses and Gauges
One tool that can be used on this type of cooling system is a cooling system pressure tester
(VP P/N 885531 or equivalent). This type of tester screws on in place of the reservoir cap
(figure 4). CAUTION : the reservoir operates under pressure and the contents are hot.
Do not remove the cap from an engine that has been run recently. Serious injury could
result.
Figure 4 Reservoir Cap
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$26.99
- The Volvo Penta Gas Engine Overheat Diagnosis is a comprehensive manual designed to help diagnose and resolve overheating issues in Volvo Penta gas engines.
- It offers step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting and repairing engine overheating, ensuring smooth and efficient engine operation.
- This manual covers various models including the Volvo Penta AQ130, AQ205, and AQ271, providing detailed diagrams and illustrations to aid in identifying the root cause of overheating.
- By using this resource, owners can avoid guesswork and costly repairs, making it valuable for both professional mechanics and DIY enthusiasts.
- It is available as a downloadable digital file, providing instant access for users.