Yes...another tune-up question

[cmartin]

About to do my first tune-up on a 1995 Volvo 3.0L i/o. I'm fine (I think) with all the procedures in my manual. I just wanted to ask if I'm going overboard. The only thing not running right is it wants to die at idle when I shift into gear (f or r). Here's my plan:

- Replace the flame arrestor (one of the metal posts that holds the top on is broken off and rattles around in there and left a hole where it was...it's kinda dirty too)
- New fuel pump filter
- New carb fuel inlet filter
- Maybe add a water separating filter (haven't specifically looked to see if it has one but don't remember seeing one in there)
- Check belts/hoses
- Check cylinder compression
- Check plugs (previous owner said he just put new ones in)
- Check plug wires
- Check/adjust timing and idle speed
- Replace all oil + engine oil filter
- Distributor parts
- Carb cleaning
- Replacing the fuel

Not sure about the following:

- PCV valve...should I check this, just replace it or leave alone if not suspected of causing problems?
- Idle mix...the screws are plugged over (appears to be a factory protection to keep dingalings like me from getting to them and messing them up). Should those never need adjusting?

Am I going overboard? The motor's not old and not running badly other than the idle issue, but I can't verify to what extent any of this has been done before. Anything else big I'm missing?

Thanks in advance. Chris.

 

[bamadave]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Does it die everytime you put the boat in gear, forward and reverse?

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

If I let it warm up for 5 min or so, then when I put it in gear, if I gun it to quickly get the rpms up, then no problem. After running a while, I can put it in neutral and it will idle out of gear fine, but the idle rpm is way high (because I adjusted that up thinking it might be the problem).

With my fancy new inductive timing light, the neutral idle is around 1000 rpm. Haven't measured it in gear in the water.

I've got to be running a while though to be able to put it in f or r and leave it at idle speed and have it not die. Before I upped the idle rpm, it wouldn't idle in gear at all, even when warm.

I just bought the boat from a private owner and I've wondered if it could be just old gas.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

It should NOT have a PCV valve on a marine engine.
Leave the sealed mixture screws alone....

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Far from going overboard, it sounds like a good plan to me. Having said that...

- Check plugs (previous owner said he just put new ones in)
- Check plug wires
- Check/adjust timing and idle speed

What will you do to check the plugs and wires? I would simply replace the plugs - and you can do an ohm test on the wires... or simply replace them as well.

Your idle is set WAY too high. A good tune up will go a long way towards fixing your problem I'm sure.

Why replace the gas? Is it old? You might try running the engine from a remote tank (temporarily) to see if that helps. An outboard portable tank works well.

 

[enginesilo]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Great plan. Can you share what manual you have, or what is best for the 3.0L? I own a 2005 Searay 180 sport and need a manual. I am following along your post since I will need to do this eventually.

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

What will you do to check the plugs and wires? I would simply replace the plugs - and you can do an ohm test on the wires... or simply replace them as well.

My SELOC manual (I know, I know...I need the OEM manuals and I'm gonna get them...I promise) has pretty good documentation on inspecting the plugs. If the previous owner was honest and just replaced them right before I bought the boat, the plugs will tell. And yes, resistance (according to the manual) is how to check the wires.

Your idle is set WAY too high.

Is there any correlation between the idle RPM in neutral and in gear? I haven't taken my dwell on the water so I've only checked RPM in neutral. Gonna do it the right way though (in gear, on the water) as part of the tune up.

Why replace the gas? Is it old?

I have no way to prove one way or the other. I've burned thru most of the tank. If I had a pump, I'd pump the rest out and just refill with fresh stuff the next time out. I don't yet have a good feel for the accuracy of the fuel gage, otherwise I'd run to near empty (close to home obviously) then just fill up with new gas. Fuel gage bounces around quite a lot.

Thanks for the tips. I will definitely update this post with what I'm sure will be an adventure in my first tune-up.

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Great plan. Can you share what manual you have, or what is best for the 3.0L?

I think I have no chance of ever moving up in rank on iboats if I don't say that you HAVE to get the OEM manuals. Just kidding. I have the SELOC. I dumbly figured they were all pretty good and I'm not the patient type when I get a new toy. Actually I've been pleasantly surprises. You do have to tolerate the fact though that they cover a broad range of engines, so there's a bunch of stuff in there that won't apply to your motor.

Also, they presuppose you know some (what they think is) basic stuff about your motor. For example, in my manual they say "if you have a BID ignition system, you have to bla bla bla..." Needless to say, on my list of things to do is (1) figure out what a BID ignition system is and (2) look and see if my boat has it. But I'd guess the Volvo OEM manuals would assume you're a mechanic and would presuppose even more prior know-how.

Since buying our boat, a whole new world of opportunity to spend money has opened up for me. Manuals, covers, gages, cupholders, reflectors, Nav, ice chests, tubes, ropes, chains. I could almost open my own satellite West Marine in my garage.

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

It should NOT have a PCV valve on a marine engine.

Then my buds at SELOC are smokin' doobies. From my manual:

"Most engines covered here are equipped with a positive cranckase ventilation (PCV) circuit that utilizes a PCV valve in the rocker cover...."

If I read my manual right, mine is an L-shaped connector in the cylinder head cover that has a short hose that mounts to the side of the flame arrestor. They even detail a pretty simple procedure to check to make sure it's functioning.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Usually from the factory that is just an empty pcv case just using the elbow fitting, no check ball or spring inside.

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Usually from the factory that is just an empty pcv case just using the elbow fitting, no check ball or spring inside.

So if there are no obvious cracks in the elbow or connection to the hose or head cover, no need to worry about replacement?

 

[Maclin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Just take them out and have a look-see, but I am curious to know what symptom you have that you have traced to those?

 

[bomar76]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Then my buds at SELOC are smokin' doobies. From my manual:

Here is a little heads up information for ya....
SELOC and their half breed cousin Clymers "manuals" are absolutely worthless and full of misinformation.

Throw that waste of paper in the garbage and get a real factory manual, then you can quote. a manual.

 

[cmartin]

Re: Yes...another tune-up question

Just the rough idle. Being such a passive part, if it's just an empty elbow, it seems pretty unlikely that's the problem. In fact, I probably won't even mess with it (other than look inside to see if anything's in there).

All of the advice on this forum has been to do a thorough tune up (since I can't verify when or if this boat has ever had a proper one).

I'll update the post once that's done. At my skill level, that might not be anytime soon though :redface: