Starting the MD6A

stevebirch2002 · Nov 16, 2003

Hi Garry

You are correct in that the MD6A is started at zero throttle due to the
pitch of the combi. The main trick is to raise the decomporession lever
that is located at the the aft of the rocker box cover. Hold this open
until the engine is spinning fast then drop the lver down. You seem to
need three hands to do this but you get used to it. This enables the
engine to really turn over fast before the compression coming in. This
should cure your problem.

If it is a compression problem then it will be very expensive. Spares
are a terrible price and it is worth then thinking about a new engine.
Look at www.albinvega.co.uk http://www.albinvega.co.uk/ on engine
swap etc.

Hope this helps

Steve Birch Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

emmajen5 · Nov 16, 2003

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your quick response. I'm aware of and use the
decompression trick but I'm afraid it doesn't solve the problem. The
only thing that reliably gets it started is a quick puff of starting
fluid in the air intake. I know this not a good idea but it works.
I've looked at the Beta engine conversion you offer. I think this
might be the answer in the long run. It looks very nice, but for the
short term we'll just keep nursing the Volvo along.

Garry
"Raven" Vega 2427

wso_ornbau · Nov 16, 2003

Garry wrote:
....

elrond8177 · Dec 2, 2003

Excuse the late reply. I'm about 75 messages behind in
my reading these days!
Talking to a 'Volvo mechanic' in the Houston TX area
he told me not to use starting fluid as I had been
using to get mine started. He suggested instead using
a spray of WD40 since it is not as explosive and
potentially damaging to the engine. I haven't tried
this. Anyone with a comment???
My hard starting problem eventually went away a
little at a time. First the battery was weak. It would
only charge to about 12.5 volts. It should be at least
a solid 13.5 fully charged. It would crank ok but I
guess it just wasn't fast enough. Second was the fuel
system. I changed the filters twice this season and
when I did I took the water separator completely apart
and got it squeeky clean. Also be sure to add some
fuel conditioner every time you fill or even top off
the tank.
John
Southern Comfort Too
V2931

imbissfrank · Dec 2, 2003

John,
About 15 years ago, I also had a very very tired MD-6B, that finally gave up the ghost while I was trying to get down the waterway somewhere in the Boca Raton, Florida area. After trying every trick I could think of for two days, I gave in and called in a "certified" diesel mechanic. After a few hours, basically repeating what I had already attempted, he broke out the starting fluid, and repeatedly used it for over an hour. Each time, the engine "almost" started. He gave it one final mighty blast of starting blast, and while it didn't explode, it sure sounded like it. So much for my Volvo. I now have a Westerbeke 13HP, a mistake, but I let him talk me into it. I've heard of using WD-40 (spray some into the engine intake), but I have no personal experience with it. If you use it , I am sure the group would love to hear of the results.
Frank Gallardo Jr, V-2184, Cin Cin"John R. Devany" elrond8177@... wrote:

tlochhaas · Dec 2, 2003

imbissfrank@... wrote:

imbissfrank · Dec 2, 2003

Tom,
Maybe I was a little hasty in my criticism. Maybe I just got a lemon. To tell the truth I was ecstatic with its performance the first 4 months, Cin Cin felt like she would get up on plane!!! But one Sep afternoon, I was trying to get the hell out of Miami (1987), with Hurricane Emily hot on my heals. After she passed I was returning to Dinner Key anchorage, when the engine started heating up, to make a long story short, the seals in the raw water pump allowed raw water to enter the engine, and the engine oil looked like and had the consistency of silver peanut butter!!!! After repeated flushing of the engine, it happened about 3 years later, then the last time in the Bahama banks (of course I didn't have a spare)in 96. I of course reverted to nuclear power and returned to Florida. After the second time, I have had continued starting problems, which I attribute to lack of compression (sticky rings?). A few eye droppers full of 40 weight oil in the glow plugs and she fires right up. Also the electric fuel pump and filter completely rusted through, and the cost of original replacement led me to NAPA and some quick jury rigging. The fresh water exchanger had to be replaced next after developing some pin hole leaks that became major. Westerbeke redesigned it and the new one cost somewhere in the neighbor hood of $400., I don't quite understand why some nuts and bolts are metric and others are SAE??? One has to carry two sets of sockets, etc. To this day, I still have to take the glow plugs out and put oil in in order to start. Like I said, I probably got a lemon. Oh almost forgot, I can't stop the engine with the engine stop, I have to cut off the fuel supply or allow air to enter the system, also a pain, could be a dangerous pain. The stop lever is totally worn, and although I have parts manuals, it is not listed anywhere in the manual, and I have not been able to jury rig anything as it is directly behind/next to the motor mount. Incidentally I have spare manuals. Anything else?? give me a little time, I will think of something. ha ha
Frank Gallardo Jr V-2184, Cin Cin

Tom Lochhaas toml@... wrote:

nhrjw · Dec 2, 2003

It all depends on your definition of "cold". Diesels are generally
hard to start, and if the ambient temperature is below 50 deg, you
might want to try a shot of starting fluid. You might want to try
that anyway, if it runs fine other wise, which it sounds like it
does. Just shoot a little into the intake manifold.

Jeff Noland
X Vega 1472

emmajen5 · Dec 2, 2003

John,

Late or not, I appreciate your reply. I've also heard of the WD 40
solution although I haven't tried it yet. I recently talked to a very
seasoned Volvo mechanic here in town and he said that in his
experience the truth of the matter is that MD6 and 7 can simply be
difficult to start when cold, particularly as they age. He
recommended keeping a heater on the motor and, if one needs to, use a
small puff of starter fluid. He said that where people get into
trouble is when they load the motor up with too much of the stuff.
According to him, there is, in fact, a particular truck diesel that
has what is a called a "Quick Start" button which is simply a
calibrated injection of either.

I left a space heater directed at the motor overnight last night and
it started up much easier this morning. I used one small puff of
starter fluid.

Garry
"Raven" Vega 2427

franrides · Dec 2, 2003

does anyone know if there is a mdl. # for the water impeller for the gas
engine ??
and is it available locally from auto parts store?

thanks,

larry lake
albin # 1081

bbach1949 · Dec 2, 2003

Some diesels are easy to start ( Yanmar in my Vega and a Perkins in my MF
tractor) and some are not so easy ( a BMW in a friend's Pearson Flyer and a
neighbor's Allis Chalmers tractor). The neighbor uses a little shot of starting
fluid, and the tractor is way older than he is. Bill Bach, V1071

imbissfrank · Dec 2, 2003

John, although my engine has glow plugs, they really weren't necessary in Florida, I had disconnected them electrically for some reason or other, and with the boat now on the North Sea it got a little cold a few weeks ago, and she simply would not start no matter what I did. Don't ask me why I didn't simply hook up the glow plugs duh????? At any rate I ran home and picked up a hair dryer/blower and directed it at the air intake for about one minute, and she fired up instantly. The hair dryer has a permanent place in my tool box!!, and I will hook up the glow plugs.
Frank Gallardo Jr, V-2184, Cin Cin

"JenCluff ~ G.McKevitt" Garry_McKevitt@... wrote:

elrond8177 · Dec 3, 2003

Frank,
I can attest to the effect of air temp on diesel
engines having spent 10 years on Cape Cod with a
diesel pickup truck. I used a bolt-on heater attached
to the lower block for extreme conditions and glow
plugs year round. The key factor here is the have free
flowing oil available on startup to cut down on
initial wear. There were also many people who used a
plug-in dipstick heater but I'm not sure if these are
still available anywhere. Now I'm living in Houston,
Texas where the climate makes preheating the engine
unnecessary. Now I find the most important items are
clean fuel, clean injectors and a healthy battery.
Treated properly most diesel engines will outlive
their owners.