2gm20f will not start

[CharlieAnn]

found peacock open and drained all engine coolant, engine over heated and shut down, closed peacock filled engine with antifreeze, engine started run fine for 15 to 20 minutes and it I shout off. next day it started up ran for few minutes and sputtered and stopped running. Now it will not start at all. what should I start to look at to get it running?????? 1997 Hunter 310

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

found peacock open and drained all engine coolant, engine over heated and shut down, closed peacock filled engine with antifreeze, engine started run fine for 15 to 20 minutes and it I shout off. next day it started up ran for few minutes and sputtered and stopped running. Now it will not start at all. what should I start to look at to get it running?????? 1997 Hunter 310

Are you sure of the sequence of the events? It seems more logical that it happened like this;
engine over heated and shut down, found peacock open and drained all engine coolant, closed peacock filled engine with antifreeze, engine started run fine for 15 to 20 minutes and it I shout off.

I am wondering if your issue isn't separate from the overheating. It sounds like the engine is starving for fuel or air?
Is the fuel shutoff working properly? Did you do a fuel filter change and leave the shut off valve closed?

Just brainstorming here.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Insufficient info to guess

 

[CharlieAnn]

Are you sure of the sequence of the events? It seems more logical that it happened like this;
engine over heated and shut down, found peacock open and drained all engine coolant, closed peacock filled engine with antifreeze, engine started run fine for 15 to 20 minutes and it I shout off.

I am wondering if your issue isn't separate from the overheating. It sounds like the engine is starving for fuel or air?
Is the fuel shutoff working properly? Did you do a fuel filter change and leave the shut off valve closed?

Just brainstorming here.

The shut valve open, I have ordered a new filters, waiting for them to come in, then I will install and bleed the system and hope engine will start...

 

[Tally Ho]

Way too many variables to hypothesiz.

I ran my 2GM20F low on AF in the HX the day I took delivery. It never shut off (there must have been some coolant in the tank), but the alarm went off. I throttled down some, but kept motoring in some rough seas to the next marina 20 miles or so). After it cooled down, I found the HX with no (or very little) liquid in it. Filled it, and motored home the next day with no issues (40 miles or so).

Many things could be wrong, including warping the head, burning valves, somehow scored a piston, or damaged a ring and lost compression, etc. etc.

Or it could be totally unrelated to the overheating.

It doesn’t start…but..
Does it turn over normally when you try to start it?
Does it make any unusual noises when you turn it over?
Can you check to make sure you have fuel getting to the injectors? Try bleeding them and see if you are getting fuel?

Don’t crank it over forever with the raw water intake valve open…sure way to do something else bad to the engine...hydro lock.

hope you can figure it out. May need a mechanic to look at it.

but keep us posted as you try things and maybe we can get enough details to point you in the right direction.

Greg

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

There is no high temp. shut off on the 2GM20F that I am aware of, other than the engine seizing due to high temp. warpage. I've got to agree with @Tally Ho, way to many variables to start guessing what's happening now.

I will install and bleed the system and hope engine will start...

Be sure to vent the secondary and primary filters of all air before starting the engine. You might even keep venting the secondary filter if you're seeing a lot of air when you hand pump the lift pump. You may require a new nylon gasket for the air vent if your current gasket is a copper washer.

Don't try to start the engine until you are sure you have eliminated all air possible using the filter vents.

Keep us updated and we'll try to offer help.

 

[CharlieAnn]

As I am waiting for fuel filters I decided to pull the injectors and inspect and clean them. After getting them out and looking at them, the bottom with the needle sticking out the bottom had a lot of carbon build up. I soaked them in brake cleaner solvent. took them apart, one of the injector needles was stuck, got it loose cleaned the needles so they moved freely. put back together. will install them when I do the filters. The cylinder that the needle slides into is brass with the bottom is a dark blue, looks like they have been very hot. I don't know if that is color they should be. the engine is 1997 yanmar 460 hours.

 

[BigEasy]

As I am waiting for fuel filters I decided to pull the injectors and inspect and clean them. After getting them out and looking at them, the bottom with the needle sticking out the bottom had a lot of carbon build up.

I would send them to a local shop or UPS them to a shop that specializes in repairing injectors. Proper operation of the injectors to atomize fuel & spray in a specific pattern is critical to the operation of the motor. It is not something that you can calibrate at home. I sent the injectors for my Yamaha outboard a few years ago to a facility in Florida; my recollection is that the rebuild cost, calibration & before / after test report was approximately $35 each.

 

[jssailem]

Your diesel engine is a simple system. It wants Air, Clean Fuel, and timed compression. But, it wants it in specific volume and at the right time.

From your description of progressive shutdown to finally not starting, I’d lean towards the fuel being the suspect. Likely not enough. Based on the concern for a filter and the steps to stoppage.

As @BigEasy shares, fiddling with injectors is filled with problems. Certainly you can await for the filter, replace it, bleed the fuel lines of air and try for a start. If it does then great. Monitor your consumption.

A bad injector can cause excessive fuel consumption, unburnt fuel on the water, black smoke.

Service the injectors. Best practice would be to send to a shop that has the equipment to assure you are getting the proper pattern and amount of fuel sprayed from the injectors. They would also be able to resolve the “blue” metal question.

good luck.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

As I am waiting for fuel filters I decided to pull the injectors and inspect and clean them.

If I can make a suggestion here : "DON"T TAKE ANYTHING ELSE APART IF YOU WANT THIS ENGINE TO RUN AGAIN"

As has been stated before, "taking your injectors apart is a big NO NO." You don't have the equipment to check the injectors after you've taken them apart :

You are setting up a situation where you have more than one reason for your engine not starting. I would suggest you tackle one item at a time, such as fuel at the injectors and prove that out before moving on to something else. Unless you can approach this in a orderly fashion, you will soon be calling in the high priced help.

With injectors which are likely screwed up at this point, I would suggest sending them off to a shop and having them set up.

Also, when working on the 2GM20F or any other engine, always start with the easy stuff first. It's also the cheapest stuff to inspect as well.

- Did you bleed fuel at the injectors to check the fuel/air situation ?

- Did you look at your fuel filters before just ordering up new filters ?

- Did you check your mixing elbow ?

- Did you check the voltage at your starter motor ?

- Did you check the engine RPM when driven only by the starter ?

the engine is 1997 yanmar 460 hours.

Your engine is not even broken in yet or the hour meter is broken. And then there's the matter of no high temperature alarm.

 

[BigEasy]

If I can make a suggestion here : "DON"T TAKE ANYTHING ELSE APART IF YOU WANT THIS ENGINE TO RUN AGAIN.
With injectors which are likely screwed up at this point, I would suggest sending them off to a shop and having them set up.

Cool thing about the injector shop that I sent my Yamaha (115hp) injectors to. They test the injectors on their computer monitored machinery, before servicing for flow, pressure, spray pattern, etc; approximately 5 parameters. After disassembly and cleaning, the filter, spring, & nozzle are serviced or replaced. After re-assembly, it is rechecked on their test equipment and provide a print out for you to compare before & after results as well as recommendation to purchase a new injector if it the results are not satisfactory.