Simms

[kjg1951]

My diesel mechanic retreaded the drain plug and installed a new bolt .... Now he can't get the engine to start ??? I have a 120 hp ford Lehman .. He drained the oil agin to see if any of the shaving were in there nothing was seen ... Any ideas of why it will not start ?? He has made sure there is fuel and has bled all lines ...... Thanks for your suggestions
Kevin g

[Mark Deeser]

I'd have to stay with the oil. My engine has a low pressure shut down, until oil pressure comes up it will not start. Do not have the Lehmam but it sounds like a good jumping off point. Mayhapps someone will have a better answer, but sensors stick and fail. Thanks, Mark.

[Tree]

Kevin, are you sure he's not pulled the rack back on the throttle cable so it's up against the mechanical stop?

[jleonard]

Bleed it out again. Lehmans are very sensitive to air.
Make sure the stop solenoid is not engaged.
Make sure the battery is good and the starter is turning it over fast enough.
Oil pressure has nothing to do with starting on a Lehman.

[Tree]

Is there possibly an override so you don't accidentally start the boat in gear?

Otherwise all I can think of doing assuming it's not fuel is take the boat out of gear, apply some throttle and I seem to recal the Simms minimec pump had a button on the side for cold start? Might be worth pushing that in before firing up.

[jleonard]

Is there possibly an override so you don't accidentally start the boat in gear?

Otherwise all I can think of doing assuming it's not fuel is take the boat out of gear, apply some throttle and I seem to recal the Simms minimec pump had a button on the side for cold start? Might be worth pushing that in before firing up.

Mine has no neutral safety switch and one time mine would not start because with the additional load of the tranny spinning the prop, the engine did not turn over fast enough to fire up.

Pic below showing the cold start

[Panhdjoe]

I assume you are talking about the oil drain on the Injection pump. The drain plig on my pump was also striped from over tighting when we got the boat. It was so bad I was surprised it had not fallen out. If he did not coat the drill and tap with grease to catch the chips it is likley to have scatered them around inside the pump which I belive could have caused damage. After drilling and taping for a 1/8 NPT pipe plug with the tools coated with grease I flushed the pump with diesel fuel and got a few grease coated chips out installed a plug with a nipple on it so I could use a drain hose. I filled with a pint of 40wt and cranked it up no problem. Its been sevral hundred hours of operation snice with no problem. That operation its self would not introduce air into the system. If the fuel filters were also changed at the same time the starting problem could well be air in the system, as a previous poster pointed out this engine can be a bear to get bled out. Keep bleeding with the little lever on the fuel pump till clear fuel comes out of the top of both filters, Chanking up the engine some by spraying caned carb cleaner at the air intake during cranking can help get it going sometimes. (do not use starting fluid) I don't understand why anyone would change the fuel filters befor cranking up after the pump repair, now its impossible to know wich operation caused the no start problem. I suspect air in the system is the problem rather than pump damage.
My 120hp Ford Lehman will start right up in tempratures around freezing without using the cold start enrichment button, in fact I have never used it. Keep Bleeding. And make shure the battries are strong.

[kjg1951]

Update .... Mechanic has removed the Simms pump and it is now at a certified fuel injection shop until lit is given a clean bill of health ....

Kevin g
New bern nc

[jleonard]

Any update?

[kjg1951]

the simms pump had to be rebuilt ,which was done by a certified injection dealer. What had happened was the mechanic after rethreading the drain plug had put in a screw that was a tad to long and that is what caused the engine not to start up and I am guessing messed up the insides.... the mechanic was a honest mechanic and did not charge me for his labor nor the rebuilding of the pump ... I will run the boat ths weekend has he will check it after 10 hours ..
Kevin g
new Bern NC

[Tree]

Can't be fairer than that.

[Jeremyvmd]

Glad you got it sorted...that's one standup mechanic!

[jleonard]

Yes kudos for the mechanic for owning up to his error.
Can you find out what the longest length of bolt that can be used?