Volvo Penta 2002 slowing down and stalling

[technodom]

OMG, So much help, thank you guys.

Kacecar, your description is exactly what is happening to mine. I think I might start there with the fuel pump.

I checked the breather pipe and it is clear. I've also got hold of the old owner who said he didn't know of any issues however when he first got her in 2006 she was doing a similar thing. He said the problem was down to a long screw in the top of the engine (fuel) filter that was not undone enough when bleeding the system, by undoing it fully and bleeding the system it resolved the issue. Firstly, this tells me he has only ever had the engine serviced once in 6 years! Not good, but then I have had the engine serviced so this could be the issue, plus no doubt 6 years of debris and gunk running around the fuel tank and fuel system. So the question is, who to get to clean the engine out, is it a mechanic job or something I can do, if I do it do I need specialist tools.

Thank you again, I will feed back when I've had a chance to look into it more.

[West Coast]

Lots of them are 20 years old and the diaphrams are giving up. A new pump from Keypart is only £71.89.

I think this is probably worth having - if nothing else, sods law will kick in and the existing pump will continue to work perfectly well

[LONG_KEELER]

If the lift pump has a top centre bolt then the gauze filter may be dirty.
No bolt no filter!
.

Snap !

Stopped the engine on two occasions for me. Totally clogged.

Took out the gauze filter for good and went for higher micron primary filter.

No problems since for seven years.

[technodom]

This may be a silly question but I take it I can do most of these things you have all described. I take it standard practice is to disconnect the battery first, will I need to do these checks in any particular order, or is it one at a time, put it all back together and test. Then repeat for the next check? And will I need any specialist tools. I've heard mentioned a company called "keypart", I take it they are the go-to suppliers for you guys?

Thank you

[MoodySabre]

Keypart give good service and sell lots of bits that VP either don't do any more or charge a fortune for. They used to send your first order post free.

It wouldn't have occured to me to disconnect the battery.

[Easticks28]

Keypart give good service and sell lots of bits that VP either don't do any more or charge a fortune for. They used to send your first order post free.

They currently have a 'seasonal offer' - free postage.

[technodom]

An update, Marine Power whom did the engine service noted in the survey I had done and in their inspection report that the bleed screw on the fuel filter is in fact a bolt and not a screw as it should be.

The previous owner has now got in touch and said nothing was wrong with the engine pre-sale however he mentioned when he had a similar problem a few years back and it was down to this bolt not being opened far enough when bleeding the system. Not sure on this but am going to replace the fuel filter for peace of mind anyway.

And then on re-reading the survey, they had noted a cooper return pipe underneath the exhaust looked "kinked and crushed possible restricting the flow of diesel", now that does sound promising.

So Marine Power are coming down to Chichester Marina tomorrow, to firstly put in a jury rig, to test if it is the engine or fuel system. Then if it is the fuel system as hoped then a new fuel filter and new return pipes. Fingers crossed.

[SimonD]

Definitely no expert, but for what it's worth.... The previous owner says there was no problem when he sold it. I'd take that at face value and look to the work that's been done since you bought it. It could be that the filters have not been tightened sufficiently allowing air to leak in or not bled the system properly. Doubtful that he/she touched anything else so, I'd start there. Try reseating or nipping up the primary filter. The secondary one is after the pump, so shouldn't allow air in, but check it anyway - it simply screws on. Then re-bleed the system. If none of that works, turn to the other suggestions here.

[DJE]

If the filter's clean and there's nothing else obviously amiss, it's worth remembering that quite a number of tanks have an undocumented strainer in the fuel outlet. This can obviously cause problems if it blocks and if you don't know about it, it can be quite hard to diagnose.

That's what stopped mine in a flat calm in the middle of a busy shipping lane! Somebody had fixed a bit of gauze to the end of the fuel take off pipe inside the tank.

[nigelmercier]

A new pump from Keypart is only £71.89.

KeyPart are excellent, see http://www.keypart.com/volvo-penta.

However, you can often buy Volvo parts cheaper elsewhere, as many engines were once used in road vehicles. For example, I bought this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220883944193 for my MD22, cost about £30.