Yanmer Turns Over Won't Fire

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Cadence

We have been kidding about push or pulling the stop lever/cable whatever. A diesel only needs two things fuel and air. The stop lever/cable is air. I've kicked myself more than once on trying to start with it not pushed. check that linkage. It could be a simple fix. Hell, they will run on sump oil with worn rings.

PS, try over riding the governor if you can.

[allanbranch]

I'll try to crank it tomorrow, I did get out to the boat and get a picture of the model.

I'll certainly keep everyone updated and I really appreciate the feedback and wisdom.

[allanbranch]

Also what is this little "thing", is that a bilge switch?

[misssherry]

I have the same engine, yanmar 2gm20f. Your fuel shutoff knob should be on the engine panel in the cockpit. My starting problems have always been "air in the fuel lines" related. Air can be getting in anywhere from the tank to the injector pump. As others have said, bleed the fuel lines and it will probably start. Then the tough part is finding where the air is coming in so that it will start the next time. Lots of threads out there on how to troubleshoot that. No idea what the switch is in the engine compartment,,, turn it on and listen. I don't like the looks of the red wires running across the engine supports.

[Neo]

Originally Posted by marlinmike

hire a mechanic for an hour to go through everything, obviously you missed that first lesson when buying it.

+1
We also hired a diesel mechanic when we started out. He showed us how to check the oil, change the fuel filters, bleed the system, change the impeller, start the engine, and gave us all the necessary information for general maintenance and told us how to avoid trouble. Basically we got all the work done and lesson at the same time. He told us everything that has been suggested in this thread plus. And he gave us an assessment of the engines general condition. Only cost about $150. Took lots of notes and pictures.

[tdh1849]

Just a suggestion but get the phone # for, " Complete Yacht Service" the local Yanmar dealer in Ft. Lauderdale, ask for the owner Mark, " USMC" and tell him Pat N, now in Tampa told u to call.
He knows all there is to know about Yanmars................

[01kiwijohn]

If it ran before, I would suspect that it doesn't need bleeding. Others have covered the waterlift muffler issues, so be careful to follow their advice.
You don't give a model, but I would guess, from the boat type, that it is not the latest version so probably has a stop cable.
Look at the fuel injection pump; there should be TWO cables connected to it. 1) A larger one which goes to the control handle, and is the throttle. Check that the little lever, on the pump is actually at the wide open position when the lever is at "full throttle". 2) The smaller cable will be the fuel shut off, connected to another lever on the pump. Make sure the lever is actually in the STOP position when the button is pushed in. Sometimes, the cable can fray and cause the shut off control not to return to it's RUN position when the button is pushed in.
You are in Florida so pre heat should not be an issue if the motor is in halfway decent shape. (it was running!). Just make sure the batteries are charged, and the cranking speed is up to snuff. ( You can verify this by operating the de-compression levers, then, while cranking the engine, flip them back off, one at a time. The engine should begin to run on just one or two cylinders as you do this.)

[allanbranch]

Originally Posted by shakey doug

Yanmar have made many models,with that clue we may be able to walk you through the model starting sequence and quirks.

Its a Yanmar 2gm20f.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by 01kiwijohn

If it ran before, I would suspect that it doesn't need bleeding. Others have covered the waterlift muffler issues, so be careful to follow their advice.
You don't give a model, but I would guess, from the boat type, that it is not the latest version so probably has a stop cable.
Look at the fuel injection pump; there should be TWO cables connected to it. 1) A larger one which goes to the control handle, and is the throttle. Check that the little lever, on the pump is actually at the wide open position when the lever is at "full throttle". 2) The smaller cable will be the fuel shut off, connected to another lever on the pump. Make sure the lever is actually in the STOP position when the button is pushed in. Sometimes, the cable can fray and cause the shut off control not to return to it's RUN position when the button is pushed in.
You are in Florida so pre heat should not be an issue if the motor is in halfway decent shape. (it was running!). Just make sure the batteries are charged, and the cranking speed is up to snuff. ( You can verify this by operating the de-compression levers, then, while cranking the engine, flip them back off, one at a time. The engine should begin to run on just one or two cylinders as you do this.)

Yes, very good advice IMO.
As we now know, it's a 2GM20F and these start pretty easily.

Here is a picture of the injection pump which is on the RHS of the engine towards the front. Easy to find as the fuel line from the engine mounted fuel filter goes to it . The lever at the top is the throttle and the small lever at the bottom is the fuel shut off (or stop) lever. The fuel shut off lever has to be fully forward for the engine to run.

Note that this picture is of a 2GM20 which almost the same as the 2GM20F. The F indicates fresh water cooling so you won't see any heat exchanger in the this picture

[Wotname]

Here is a top view of my 2GM20 in case you have other questions about the engine in general.

The air cleaner was off on the day the photo was taken

[Halifax Sailor]

mine is a ysb 8 circa 1980. so far no issues but always checking, my experience, grew up with diesel tractors on the family farm.

how about either fuel starved or decompression lever is stuck open?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Halifax Sailor

mine is a ysb 8 circa 1980. so far no issues but always checking, my experience, grew up with diesel tractors on the family farm.

how about either fuel starved or decompression lever is stuck open?

Maybe more complex that a tractor? I'm with you. Had both a tractor and small dozer never had an engine problem even though they where beat when I bought them. Now smoke? Out in the woods who cares? Seems both would smoke on start up. Nothing complex with them however.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Here is a top view of my 2GM20 in case you have other questions about the engine in general.

The air cleaner was off on the day the photo was taken

Oh baby...nice engine...air filter is off...do you have any pictures with more parts removed...oh yeah...check the oil...check it good...

This is a weird forum.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by allanbranch

Also what is this little "thing", is that a bilge switch?

In the attachment that accompanied this post, I can just see the engine stop (fuel shut off) cable and the soild wire has a small bend in it. As this is a push to run cable, maybe the stop lever has not fully returned home.

Pretty hard to tell as there is not detail in the picture but does lend very very slightly to the problem being with this lever.

[Halifax Sailor]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Maybe more complex that a tractor? I'm with you. Had both a tractor and small dozer never had an engine problem even though they where beat when I bought them. Now smoke? Out in the woods who cares? Seems both would smoke on start up. Nothing complex with them however.

Had Perkins, Detroit and John Deere engines. all were far more complex than mine and most Yanmars i have seen. Older model Yanmars are just air and fuel with a "spinny thing" that goes around in the front.

If it won't start, fuel or air, compression next (lever not right ? ). when our old motors would not shut off, cables broke, we used to hold a glove over the air intake and that shut them down pretty quick. And this is in the great white north, 12 months a year, NO GLOW PLUGS either, oil heaters, small sprays of WD-40 or started fluid on those days below -20 C.

Good fuel, clean air, change the oil, my Great Grand Kids may change it out if it breaks then.