D4 engine cut to idle

[Tardis]

In October, after a long layup we took our Cutwater 28 for a cruise. After 2 hrs at 6 knots we increased speed to 15 knots. A minute latter the engine very suddenly dropped to idle speed. There were no alarms and no indications of trouble showed on the engine display. Attempts at increasing speed afterwards caused a progressively quicker return to idle speed. We returned to our slip only able to go at idle speed - approximately 4 knots. Changed out fuel filters and filled with fresh diesel but the same thing happened again next trip. Nearest Volvo repair is 1.5 hr away, and waiting for him to arrange a trip to our slip. Any suggestions?

 

[ronnieg]

Can you check and see if there are any codes on the Volvo Display?? If there are no codes the only thing I can think of are something clogging the water intake.
Please feel free to contact me and we can go over some trouble shooting

 

[wthron]

Another boat, another time so take that into account with my comments. Years ago, we were going to take a Slickcraft 236 Sport Fisherman to Bimini out of Miami. (Boats trailered out of Chicago) Increasing RPM after a couple minutes resulted in a drop to 1300 RPM with more attempts resulting in the same. Returned to the ramp and trailered down to Islamorada where we traced the fuel supply back into the fuel tank. At the tank line end, there was a small screen filter that had more trash plugging it up than one would ever believe. Trashed that filter and never had that problem again.

Recalling that experience I asked Cutwater if our boat also had such an in-tank filter and the answer was affirmative.....the tank does have an intake filter!!!!!! I have not verified this in our boat.

Recommend checking this possibility before more costly and inconvenient efforts.

Good Luck

 

[pleeson]

Please let us know the end result so that we know where to start if this problem repeats for anyone else! Gnome good suggestions here.

 

[Tardis]

UPDATE: Mixed reviews on what might have been the problem. Cutwater suggested in might be bad fuel or an obstruction in the fuel tank pickup (see wthron comments above). In Feb Superior Diesel came by and did a sea test with me. Of course the problem did not re-occur. They said all engine codes were right and fuel was fine. They suggested that there might have been an obstruction (growth) near the water intake, which is now gone. (Boat has been idle but in water since this happened last fall, but has been bottom cleaned twice). Regardless, not much more to say unless it happens again.
Thanks for your sugestions.

 

[Tardis]

Problem Solved!
Cutwater factory contacted Volvo and they sent their area Field Service Engineer from Atlanta (Brian Brabeau). He hooked up diagnostics and we went for a cruise. Ran fine for the entire cruise until just as we were returning to the marina, where fortunately the problem decided to show itself. Brian worked on it the rest of the afternoon, putting the engine through its cycles and checking codes. Stopping for the day he said the fault appeared to be somewhere in the main wiring harness. The next morning he found it.
There were three contact pins that were not getting captured in the socket. When you plugged the socket in, these three would push back. They could make loose contact for a while but would occasionally lose the connection causing the engine speed to drop to idle.
Brian worked on the pins and socket to try to get them captured but no luck. So he ordered me a new harness. He came by again a week later to install it. After several hours of running at various speeds on two different days it appears that the engine now works fine.
Very happy with the response from Cutwater and Volvo. Just in time for boating season.

 

[CORPSVET]

I have said it before, but what a Great company to work with! When people ask about CORPSVET, I SPEND AS MUCH TIME TELLING THEM ABOUT THE FANTASTIC SUPPORT as I do about the boat.
Dave