Volvo MD2030C won't start

[alpal]

Hi all,

I have a Volvo MD2030c that stopped running suddenly after an hour running after a fuel filter and oil and filter change. I have replaced all fuel lines and the filters again, and fitted a new fuel lift pump, and then had the injector pump checked, and new seals kit fitted. On a bench test the injector pump works well, but when fitted back into the engine there is not enough fuel pressure to pump fuel to the injectors. Checking the injector cam, and govenor seems to show everything is OK, so i and my mechanic are at a loss as to what has happened. I am wondering if anyone else has come across this issue, and what they did to resolve it?

cheers

Alan
s/v Cat Magic

[senormechanico]

Could be the line to the injection pump have somehow gotten clogged / kinked?

[alpal]

Thanks for your suggestion senormechanico, but the injection pump has been taken apart and new seal kit etc fitted and tested ok.

Today i finally bit the bullet and pulled off the timing cover to find that the governor has two ridiculously small springs that keep it tensioned correctly to open the throttle on the pump. One of these had broken, and the other just about so! So the result is the pump was not in the run position when trying to start, and therefore no fuel getting to the injectors. It is a fairly major job to fix this, and I wonder why Volvo/Perkins use these flimsy springs in marine engine that are capable of doing thousands of hours, often in remote areas.

cheers

Alan

[senormechanico]

I didn't know about the governor, but if it's indeed between the lift pump and the injection pump, I was on the right track...

Glad you found it and I'll salt it away for any future problems with my MD2020.

[alpal]

The governor(also called regulation system by volvo) is a system of levers under the timing cover that controls the fuel output from the injector pump, it is not located between the lift pump and the injector pump. The throttle control connects through the governor to increase/decrease the amount of fuel delivered to the injectors by the injector pump.
These 2 springs that control the tension of the governor arm that connects to the injector pump cost about $8-9 AU dollars each, but it will cost a few of hundred dollars to replace due to needing to replace 2 gaskets, 2 seals, and 2 O-Rings, and an hour or two of labour to replace them!!!
A bit ridiculous in my opinion.

cheers

Alan

[deblen]

http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/Vo...0-20-30-40.pdf

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by alpal

The governor(also called regulation system by volvo) is a system of levers under the timing cover that controls the fuel output from the injector pump, it is not located between the lift pump and the injector pump. The throttle control connects through the governor to increase/decrease the amount of fuel delivered to the injectors by the injector pump.
These 2 springs that control the tension of the governor arm that connects to the injector pump cost about $8-9 AU dollars each, but it will cost a few of hundred dollars to replace due to needing to replace 2 gaskets, 2 seals, and 2 O-Rings, and an hour or two of labour to replace them!!!
A bit ridiculous in my opinion.

cheers

Alan

Good find!

Yes, the whole govenor/throttle linkage on the MD series is really Rube Goldbergish. Gotta be a much cleaner way to design it.

[Emmalina]

I could be on overkill here but I carry a spare injector pump.. Might be worth you trying to find one from an old engine if you think it may be a problem again. Then you can get it rebuilt and wrap it up nice and tight in diesel soaked cloths.

[alpal]

Originally Posted by Emmalina

I could be on overkill here but I carry a spare injector pump.. Might be worth you trying to find one from an old engine if you think it may be a problem again. Then you can get it rebuilt and wrap it up nice and tight in diesel soaked cloths.

Thanks Steve, but it isn't the injector pump that's the problem, just the crappy design of the regulator/throttle assembly, and the piddly springs used in it.

cheers

Al