Cummins Marine Diesel Repower Specialists Forums Cummins Marine Engines Still on the hook, things not getting better

  • This topic has 20 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 4 years ago by Paul.
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  • #66565

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Think it’s time to call around and get a professional diesel mechanic out to the boat.

    If you were following my other thread you saw that my stbd 1999 330 HP 6BTA 5.9 M3 fried the fuel solenoid. Port engine working fine. My solenoid (original) was obsolete of course and the replacement I’ve gotten from the local Cummins distributor doesn’t fit. So I decided to cut my losses and tie wrap the fuel lever in the up position and just get to a marina and get this all figured out.

    Tie wrapped the lever, my lovely wife turned the key at helm, normal alarm buzzers at the helm, but engine doesnt begin to start. No starter rumble, in fact the only noise is a few intermittent clicks around the engine before I had her turn off the key.

    Thoughts? I can only guess the fried solenoid did more damage (electrical) then I can figure out. I did reset the big red 10 button on the engine – figured that had tripped when I couldn’t get normal alarm buzzers at the helm

Viewing 20 replies - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)
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  • #67163

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Home with out issue

    While we didn’t make it as far south as we had hope, we did find that (aside from the mechanical issue, that I can only hope/think is just something that couldn’t be prevented?) everything on the trip went well. Our year plus of local ‘practice’ and couple of months of voyage planning paid off. We had no navigational or other mechanical issues. No surprises at all. We’re ready to head south again after hurricane season.

    #67064

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Now that’s better, great pic!

    #67018

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Successful first day back underway

    71nm in 9 1/2 hours … up the same track. No boat issues. Anchored for the night in Vero Beach FL. Should be home tomorrow.

    #66947

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Good for you. Safe travels. Post a fun pic or two along the way!

    #66946

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Repairs complete – underway Tuesday morning.

    Well, it certainly took longer than I expected (mostly waiting for a mechanic since I’m not skilled or limber enough to have completed the repair and a weekend lost due to a wrong starter being pulled) but everything is buttoned up and tested and we’re ready to get off the dock and underway again.

    #66900

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Air Heater … should I stay or should I go?

    Are you repairing the air heater circuit or just abandoning it.

    I’ve gone ahead and fixed it for now … but as you note the need to pre-heat here in FL is certainly over rated. I’ll do some reading up when I get back to home port and make a decision then, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to ‘simplify’ a mechanical device when ever you can, and removing/disabling an item that’s not needed sure makes sense.

    #66885

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Paul, Thanks for keeping this thread full circle and photos too.

    Are you repairing the air heater circuit or just abandoning it. A lot has been posted on the inherent problems with the setup and options to fully abandon or manually control. Based on your location my opinion is to remove it all, and now is clearly the time.

    #66876

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Getting closer

    Reading my last post I realize I misspoke in a couple of places.

    Yes, starter is fried, but the two burned mag switches (not solenoids) are both for the air heaters.

    Mechanic here again today – mag switches replaced, old starter removed, but of course new one doesn’t seem to be the right one – has twelve teeth, old fried one has ten. Mechanic taking back to parts guys and hopefully back with new starter to install on Monday evening.

    #66774

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    No longer on the hook – Moving towards a solution – fingers crossed.

    TowBoatUS to marina and hired Diesel Max.
    Starter dead (good 13v to it, jumped across, no nottin’).
    Starter solenoid fried …
    Air heater fried (pretty sure that’s what the mechanic said the other toasted connection was).
    ==>sourcing parts

    On the good, lighter side of life, and please jab away at the stupid old fat guy for this mistake. The fuel shutoff solenoid is in – fits perfectly in fact. So, here’s what dummy me did. If you recall, I couldn’t get the replacement mount to ‘mount’ to the engine – holes didn’t line up … ahhhhh, well, dummy me was trying to mount the new mount to the old mount. Removed old mount, installed new mount, that simple. A bone head move for sure that would have cost me some days if there wasn’t the starter problem which is the underway limiting item still.

    #66611

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Paul, As to you your questions as to the specifics of what Seaboard has in stock, best to call Kevin in the shop.

    #66604

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    Starter Questions–"Click-Click"

    This is what I “see” — starters that have been replaced and are operating in a very high moisture environment or getting sprayed with saltwater..Not good!

    I do not see the magnetic switch that operates the starter itself– Find it–it is below the starter.

    What do you from here?–Remove every wire you see, clean and coat all with a petroleum based dielectric and reassemble ( like Corrosion X) –Post new pics..

    Tony

    #66588

    glenn111
    Participant

    I thought I sent this earlier, but I don’t see it….so here it is again. Forgive me for the redundancy.

    Paul, Looks like you have other more important issues now, but just to add some help in finding a replacement Solenoid that should work with your boat – when you have time. You can google “cummins fuel shut off solenoid 3919422″. It will come up with multiple results. Make sure – 2.5″ bolt spacing, 3 round pins, part #, 12 V and a”round” connector on the shaft end to match the pin on the shut off leaver. Some have a square end on the shaft that is probably used in Auto applications. If the modification kit from Seaboard works…that surely is the best solution.

    Here is a pic of the one we have and the newer one from Cummins/Seaboard.

    BTW, you may have to make some adjustments (I did) to the solenoid to make it move smoothly with the shut off leaver. Perhaps adjusting the travel of the metal rod that connects to the leaver or slightly shimming the solenoid where it mounts to the base plate. Shouldn’t be too difficult on the Stbd engine.

    Good luck.

    #66584

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Not plug and play – but workable? Or return it?

    Rob, agreed, not plug and play even with the bracket that came with the new solenoid. So, is the part I have unusable and something I should take back (at least get a little money out of it) and if so, do you guys have a replacement that will fit available – or will that adapter kit you mentioned in your first reply to my earlier thread ‘fit’ this one so it will work? I’m a bit leery since the pic of your adapter kit looks a lot like the bracket that was included with the solenoid I got.

    #66583

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Paul,
    Sorry to hear the parts monkeys did you wrong. There was no joy in writing my initial post that what was on it’s way to you was not a plug/play replacement. Ironic that you were fortunate it was the starboard fuel solenoid for easy centerline access and now we have to venture to the other side of the engine … this is supposed to be fun, right? At least with a twin screw you always have both sides of the engine at centerline for easy viewing and understanding before heading over to the dark side.

    As to the new issue, things look like they are suffering a bit from less than ideal ambient conditions — have you tried disconnecting, spraying/cleaning, reconnecting all connections? Including the main ground cable from the battery to the engine. If you need a stick just to take a photo I can imagine this is easier said than done..

    Based on your second photo (the one of the port engine starter) it looks like you have the later setup with the bracket under the starter for the ECM & grid heater stuff. That is good, as you have 3 mag switches – 1 for the starter and 2 for the grid heaters. So you have 2 potential spares if it turns out to be a bad mag switch. (#3916301) I say potential because one (or both) of them could be bad and you might not know it.

    You can try jumping the big lugs on the mag switch to see if the starter spins. A small open-end works well. Just be sure it’s the one for the starter, not air heaters.

    (BTW, always helpful for us if you include engine serial number)

    #66577

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Easy one on port

    If you could point out what’s needed in this shot I might be able to do better on starboard.

    #66575

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    Not sure this is good enough, I\'m shooting blind

    Here is a first attempt guide me for a better shot of what you’d like to see please.

    #66574

    Paul
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Changes in L'Attitudes
    Engines: Twin Cummins 330HP 6BTA 5.9-M-3
    Location: Merritt Island, FL
    Country: USA

    First time I wish I owned a Selfie stick

    I’ve never ventured outboard before, real tight out there, but I’ll give it a go.

    #66572

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    If he is hearing “clicks” near the engine, then this would not be the neutral safety switch “interlock” circuit…………..

    Tony

    #66571

    glenn111
    Participant

    Make sure shifter in Neutral.

    #66566

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    I will get you “started”, but you need to help me help you.

    1) I want a really good pic of the starter and the mag switch below it.. Clear and in-focus.. Look at the attached.

    Yours may be and earlier version, but that that not matter

    Tony

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