Engine Stall

[Capt Paul]

I have had my boat since 2005 an have put at least 600 Hrs on the engine since then, Yanmar 6LP-STE. This weekend I took it for a little ride up and down the Oakland estuary out to the Bay Bridge. On the way back doing about 8 knots about 2000 RPM or so, the engine just died, no hesitation, no warning lights, nothing., it just quits.

I slip it into Nuetral and it start right up, and I can bring it up to normal cruising RPM of about 2800 RPM no issue. bring it all the way back to the dock under lower RPM and still no issue. Very strange

Anyone ever experience this??

Paul

[jcollins]

Paul,
What was your fuel level at the time? I had a similar problem that turned out to be an "O" ring gasket in the Racor priming button leaking air. Mine didn't stall but it was irractic at idle speed. Over 1400 RPM it was fine. It only happened at <less> than 1/2 tank of fuel. There's a post around here about it.

May or may not be the same thing but it sounds like air or could it be a piece of dirt?

John

[Denis]

If I were you I would check:

Spark plug wires
Spark plugs
Distributor
Points,
Condenser
Rotar
Coil
Ethanol in the Gas ...

Oops, I must have had a flash back

Seriously though I am not familiar with the Yanmar but how is the fuel cut off done when you want to shut off the engine? Since the engine ran fine up to and after the event it really does not sound like air in the fuel, but it could be a fuel cut off solenoid or something like that. Just a thought. Denis

[chiefrcd]

Fuel Filter check and change would be my first guess. I've had similar issues with a Cummins diesel.

[ScubaPete]

This is a diesel right??? If it is, you can forget about any spark plug or ignition issues. I would focus on the fuel shutoff solenoid. It may have shorted out and quickly shut off all fuel supply. A loose or worn wiring could have caused it to lose power and spring shut. I don't think it was something more serious since it started right back up and ran well afterwards.

[Rx-scape]

I had a similar stall after a service with change of fuel filters it ran fine for over 10 hours, but the engine fuel filter o ring had a piece of dirt, and would suck air at over 3200 rpm. It would start up and run at lower rpm, could not tell there was air in the filter by purging with the priming pump. Cleaning the engine filter o ring took care of that problem.


The fuel shut off solenoid needs to have current to it to stay open, the current cuts off and the solenoid closes engine stops. In the wire from the battery to the fuel shut off solenoid, there is a relay you turn the key on it closes and sends current to the solenoid, the engine will start, turn the key off relay opens cuts the current off engine stops. I had corrosion in the relay it would not close and would not start. This happened at the dock, it started ran for a while and stopped and would not start. There is also a plug in the wire close to the oil filter, just a disconnect, from the back of the plug a single wire to the fuel shut off solenoid, and the wire from the battery to the front of the plug. In changing the oil filter i knocked the plug loose the engine would start then shut off, then start ok.
This is probably not your problem but it is something to check

[Capt Paul]

Thanks to all for your inputs, I will look into all fo them when I am able to get down to the boat again.

Regards,

Paul