Here's my problem. I have a 32' albemarle with 3116's. Two weeks ago we took the boat offshore and fished all day. The boat ran great. I pulled up to the fuel dock and filled up. Jump in the boat and start the port engine no problem. Try to start the starboard engine and all it will do is crank. So I pull around into the on one engine.
The next morning I tried to start the starboard engine but had the same results, cranks but will not start. I decided to check the fuel pump, it was pumping fuel. I noticed a fuel hose that had some chafing and decided to replace it.
I put one end of the new fuel hose on and decided to crank the engine to get the air out of the line. Well don't you know the damn thing fired right up. Later that morning I ran all the way to hell's gate and back. About an hour. Tied up at the dock shut it down and both engines started right back up.
Yesterday I get on the boat fire up both engines no problem. I was just going to run to wanchese and back to clean the crap off the bottom. Halfway there while at cruise the starboard engine shuts off with no warning. I stop the boat and restart the engine no problem. I continued on to the wanchese channel and turned around and went back the canal tied up shut it off and started both engines again. no problem.
I have no idea what to check or what to tell the cat guys to look for. Sorry about the long post. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
It's an outside chance but check the injector cups.
When I owned a 3116 the mechanic found cracks in the injector cups which the injectors sit in and it was causing it to suck air and have the same problem you are describing.
Check the ra-cor's. I dont mean the filters, I mean the actual racor filter and the float valve that is inside. It can suck air. If it doesnt fit tight, it leaks air and loses prime. Cause of this is particals in fuel such as hard parts of metal, or excessive algae. I had this happen to me and I simply took the entire unit apart and replaced everything. It works sort of like a toilet in that the float valve seats and keeps air from entering fuel system. If it starts and then wont start later, I'll bet thats it. If what troy said was the cause, You would have fuel in the antifreeze overflow bottles. I also had that issue with a 3116. Check the seal in the ra-cor. Its like a small ping pong ball. Take it apart, you will see it. ps, Troy how are you. Missed NC this year. Maybe next. take care.
Last edited by hubris 1; 09-08-2009 at 10:24 PM.
Reason: I'm not done yappin,
We have the same boat, same engines and a similar problem has happened to us. Check the solenoids (and wiring going to/from) installed by Albemarle and bolted to the engine near the rear engine mounts...this is where they are on our boat anyway. There are two for each engine...one is for the starter and one is for the ignition/fuel pump...you'll need to trace some wires to determine which is which. If the starter solenoid is OK and the ingnition solenoid is not, it will crank but not start. We had a corroded connection on the ingnition/fuel pump solenoid and this would shut the engine down every once in a while. We replaced the solenoid (Normally open Cole Hersee 24117) and found the bad connection in the process. It could easily be the solenoid itself... Hope this helps.
Glad you got it sorted out. Electrical problems can be a bi!#@$# sometimes. We made a chematic for our boat starting system...if I can dig it up, I'll send it to you if you would like...
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