Opinions on Volvo-Penta diesels?
Jonathan
Am considering buying a reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2B (I believe it is
25 hp) diesel to replace a 36 year old Universal Utility 4 in my wooden
sloop.
Can anyone tell me anything about these engines? Ie reliable or not,
etc. Obviously someone took it out of their boat for some reason....
Any info, thoughts, experience would be greatly appreciated....
thanks
Jonathan
Walt Bilofsky
Jonathan <jons...@tiac.net> wrote:
>Am considering buying a reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2B (I believe it is
>25 hp) diesel to replace a 36 year old Universal Utility 4 in my wooden
>sloop.
>
>Can anyone tell me anything about these engines? Ie reliable or not,
>etc. Obviously someone took it out of their boat for some reason....
>
I' know nothing bad about Volvo engines, but better bring lots of
kroner with you when you go to buy parts.
Walt Bilofsky
Golden Phoenix (Cape Dory 30 Poweryacht)
San Francisco Bay
Quartermaster for the rec.boats burgee: See http://www.idiom.com/~bilofsky/rbburgee.htm
Visit the Calif. Cape Dory Owners' Web Site at http://www.idiom.com/~bilofsky/ccapdory.htm
cusdn
Most people remove them for a few reasons that include failures. The
head gaskets tend to go from corrosion. They use starter generators
that are a problem charging and starting. The heads can be planed
and the valves redone which usually resurects these fine diesels
for another twenty years. We have also found that many boats that
had these engines installed are grossly underpowered so the owners
tend to upgrade to Yanmars and others. We have a guy who buy repairs
and sells them and sometimes gets trades for larger ones and the smaller
ones are OK. He upgrades them with a ring gear and starter as well
as adds a Delco alternator. With the old system you were lucky to get
a 10a charge.
Bryon Kass
webmaster and
Custom Design in
THE ENGINE ROOM http://www.ici.net/customers/cusdn
Eric Lamoray
Jonathan wrote:
>
> Am considering buying a reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2B (I believe it is
> 25 hp) diesel to replace a 36 year old Universal Utility 4 in my wooden
> sloop.
>
> Can anyone tell me anything about these engines? Ie reliable or not,
> etc. Obviously someone took it out of their boat for some reason....
I have been doing battle with an MD2B now for about 9 1/2 years. In their
day they were about the best choice but they are far eclipsed by modern
technology! The only reason I have not consined mine to the deep is that
I cannot yet afford to replace it and I will not face coastal cruising
without it! The parts for Volvo diesels are absolutely astronomical in
price. (like $50 a piece for a head gasket and you will need 2!) The
transmissions are very weak, I have used up 2 so far. Wrap a line in your
prop and it's gone. I have yet to meet any mechanics who think alot of
them either. You might want to look around for a used Yanmar or Perkins!
Eric
Dave DeWolfe
I had a 10 HP MD6B, with raw water cooling. It died suddenly, at the
age of 17 years, because the water jacket corroded thru and let water
into the crankcase. A real mess. I decided not to replace it with
another Volvo because of what I feel to be a poor reputation in this
area, and by the extremely expensive parts and service.
It was replaced with a Yanmar 2GM20F 18 HP which has a heat exchanger
and is smoother and quieter.
--
Dave Dewolfe
Coordinator of Distance Education and Educational Technology
Continuing Education, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada, B0P
1X0
ph. 902.542.2201x1178 fax 902.542.3715 Internet:
dave.d...@acadiau.ca
Check out URL: http://dragon.acadiau.ca/~conted/conted.html
Thrumcap
My MD29 is now 21 years old. It has taken me to the Bahamas twice from
Me. We lived on the boat for over a year in two different trips. I've
left Lake Champlain (VT) in blinding late october snow. I change the oil
about at 100 hr. intervals. Parts are expensive but I have needed so few.
Orrs Island boat works in Me. will UPS anything you need.
I have had so many people tell me what a bad engine it is, I nearly
replaced it. At 21 years old it takes alittle longer to start. In all
these thousand of miles, foul conditions, mediocre maintainence, pounding
and rolling, it has never...ever...not even once, failed to start. For
years I have been looking for the oppurtunity to say this. Thanks!
Bill Harrison
In article <4to9q0$6...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, thru...@aol.com says...
I have had a Volvo 2002 8 years, and have taken it to the Bahamas too.
People bad mouth this engine but it is the easiest to change oil filter
(front). Parts are expensive, but you can cross reference. the heat
exchanger has NO zinc in it however, and I recommend anyone who has one
use one of the Gimmeg inline zincs.
Unfortunately, the engine is no longer built. The new volvos are Detroit
(Japanese), painted green instead of Detrkoit red! The oil filters are
from the side, and access would be awful in my sailboat.
Bill
trave...@earthlink.net
In article <31FBA8...@communique.net>, Eric Lamoray
<elcr...@communique.net> wrote:
Well, maybe I've just been lucky (let me knock on wood), but I've had
absolutely no problems with my MD7A in the six years I've owned it. It
starts right away, even if I haven't used the boat in a month, burns no
oil and gives me great fuel economy (Miami to Bimini on 4 gallons).
However, I will admit that the spare parts' prices are ridiculously high.
Fortunately, aside from fuel and oil filters, I've not had to change many
parts. In fact, the only "major" parts I've had to buy were a new water
pump and an exhaust manifold. Both gave me a serious case of sticker
shock.
Regards,
Raul
shs...@li.net
In Article<31F978...@tiac.net>, <jons...@tiac.net> write:
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> From: Jonathan <jons...@tiac.net>
> Newsgroups: rec.boats.cruising
> Subject: Opinions on Volvo-Penta diesels?
> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 22:00:59 -0400
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>
> Am considering buying a reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2B (I believe it is
> 25 hp) diesel to replace a 36 year old Universal Utility 4 in my wooden
> sloop.
>
> Can anyone tell me anything about these engines? Ie reliable or not,
> etc. Obviously someone took it out of their boat for some reason....
>
> Any info, thoughts, experience would be greatly appreciated....
>
> thanks
>
> Jonathan
I have an MD11C, which is an update of the MD2. It is 2-cyl, about 24 HP
but has a real starter and separate alternator. I've had this engine for
almost 20 years and have had no problems whatsoever! It has about 1500 hrs
on it. I had to get the injectors serviced once because I was using furnace
oil. I switched to diesel and haven't had a problem. I change the oil every
50 hours and the filter every 100 hours. I replaced the original 35 amp
alternator with a 97 amp Delco (drop-in fit!) - a _big_ change in charging
time. It pushes a 35' double-ender (6' draft, 11' beam, 20,000 lbs) at about
5-1/2 kn in reasonably calm water using a 3-blade prop, and burns a little
over 1-quart per hour (averaged over a NY/Bahamas round trip on the ICW).
The comment on parts cost and availability is generally correct - high and
limited, respectively - but it hasn't been a problem because it is a very
simple engine. I have found it to be very reliable. Also, it is one of the
few engines that can _really_ be hand-started (I've done it several times).
I think many of the negative comments you wil encounter are from two groups
of people: ones who never had one; and ones who couldn't adapt their high-
revving experience and expectations to a heavy, slow-turning diesel.
One comment that may be appropriate to repowering a wooden boat: The two-cyl
diesels _do_ vibrate *alot*!! You will need softer mounts than the stock ones
from Volvo. I'm currently using Vetus, and they make a big difference. The
vibration may not be good for an old girl's seams. The atomic-4 was a very
gentile engine in that regard.
Good luck.
Frank Fitz... and the crew of the mighty Draco
shs...@li.net
Michael Heath
I have had a MD2C in my boat and have cruised from Florida to the
Chessapeake and back plus local trips to the Keys and just sailing in
general. The engine has never failed to start, always ran fine ( in
spite of periods of owner neglect) I have had to have some repair work
done on it but those repairs were caused by me and not any fault of the
engine. I have done most of the work on the engine myself and have found
it easy to do because of the simplicity of the engine . In fact I can take
the entire engine apart without having to take it out of the boat.
About two years ago I got salt water in the engine and was thinking of
replacing it,however the mechanic from whom I was going to by the new
engine from talked me out of it. This surprised me considering he could
have made a lot more money selling and installing the thing for me than
the repair bill.
There are some down sides though Parts are expensive and the way Volvo
designated the engine can be hard to find ( until you learn the trick)
Volvo list the engine in all its literature as an MD11C the 11 is
actually the Roman Numeral 2,however some parts suppliers list it as an
eleven. Because of this I have gotten to the habit of asking for parts in
this manner DO you have###### for an MD2C or an MD eleven C engine? When
ask that way I have always found the needed part.
Another down side is the thing is loud but I solved that problem with
Insulation.
The best I can say is it has gotten me in when I needed it and has not
failed yet . I forgot to mention it has been in the boat for the past 12
years and is being prepared for an extended cruise of the Bahamas this
fall and winter.
Mike Heath
S/V Candide
Rawson 30
Michael Malone
My MD7A is pushing 16 years old this year and, as for another
respondent to this thread, has absolutely never failed to start (once I
got the bacterial crud out of the tank when new). It has stalled after
start-up just once. Restarted immediately.
It did have a corroded freeze plug a couple of years ago and some years
before that a corroded exhaust elbow. These are non-catastrophic nuisances
I can live with. The thing is an overweight monster but Ithink Im in love
with it.
My (trusted) mechanic tells me the smaller engines are very reliable if
maintained. The MD II (2) may be borderline small - not sure.
* Mike Malone
Jonathan (jons...@tiac.net) wrote:
: Am considering buying a reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2B (I believe it is