Engine won't shut off?

[jhance]

Tied to the buoy on the way back from the rendvezvous and engine didn't want to shut off. I was on the upper helm when shifted into neutral. Went down to lower helm and tried to stop engine but no luck. I was definitely in neutral but I did notice the lower helm gear shift was forward a bit more than preferred. I shifted into reverse after confirming in neutral, at lower helm, then back to neutral, and then I was able to shut off the engine. Was the lower helm gear shift possibly out of whack and preventing the ignition from operating because the ignition was thinking I was still in gear?

Anyway, got me thinking... in case the engine won't shut off, is there a preferred method to stop the engine (or if the ignition fails completely)? I believe there is a fuel lever of some sort on the port forward part of the engine that you can activate to starve the engine of fuel? But then you would need to bleed the injectors I assume if you did this? Of course you could just turn off the fuel valves. I'm sure there is an easier way?

[rbunz]

Jamie,
Another way would be to pull the air filter and block the intake with a plate. That way you wouldn't have to bleed the system.

BTW - I might have a switch disconnected on my shifter. I can shutoff the engine with it in gear. This was called out on my survey but I didn't see it as an issue and never fixed it.

//Rick

[jhance]

I have the Walker AirSep filter but that should still doable... I'll keep it in mind. Was wondering if there is a way on the electrical side to shut it off?

Missed you guys at the rendezvous!

[rbunz]

There must be but you would have to go into the VP wiring harness to figure it out. I almost stopped in today in Olga but ran out of time. I saw Tim was on the same ferry this morning

//Rick

[rwidman]

Shutting off the engine has nothing to do with the shifter.

There is a "fuel shutoff solenoid" attached to the injector pump. Turning the key switch to the shut down position sends power to that solenoid which engages and stops the flow of fuel to the engine.

Failure to stop the engine can be from a defective switch (either one), loose or disconnected wiring (at the switch or the solenoid), no power to the circuit, or a defective or blocked solenoid.

Volvo's price for this solenoid is nearly $500, which is about $450 more than other diesel fuel shutoff solenoids sell for.

Mine wouldn't shut off and I did all the electrical checks and determined that there was power to the solenoid and the solenoid coil had continuity. I started to remove it but couldn't get it past some other components and fuel was leaking out so I tightened it back up. It's been working fine now for over a year and a three month cruise where the engine was shut off nearly every day.

[jhance]

Engine won't start if shifter is not in neutral. I imagine the same is true when trying to shut off? I believe so because I can pop it in gear for a second, then back to neutral, and no problems shutting it off. Seems to happen when I shift into neutral from Fly bridge and shut off from below. doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it sure looks like lower helm shifter is not fully in the neutral position even though I know I am.