'02 Volvo Penta Engine

[The Mons]

If you get the boat:

1. Don't use Globe impellers, use Jabsco. Globe impellers (1112) for this size do not operate correctly.

2. Immediately replace the old style fuel lift pump with the new style if it doesn't alreadly have a new style pump on it. Do not attempt to recondition the old style pump. You will also have to replace one of the fuel pipes. Also, make sure the new style pump was not assembled backwards (Sofabex).

3. Buy a reconditioned Bosch starter from Autozone as a spare for $100 versus $900.

4. Make sure that none of the freshwater (it is freshwater cooled isn't it?) gaskets or pipes are leaking. You may have to put in two gaskets or even an aftermarket o ring in order for this to happen.

5. Clean out the exhaust manifold, get a new one if it is corroded on the inside.

6. Buy a spare freshwater coolant pump (very expensive) or get one that is reconditioned. This can fail at any moment leaving you engineless.

7. Install the temperature gauge and oil gauge if not already installed. You must buy the Volvo kit to do this even though some of the parts are available from the manufacturer.

Check all of your spares, particularly the ones from Volvo for manufacturing defects. I have found it necessary to actually install the spares as soon as I get them to make sure they work. I have been shipped defective coolant pumps, fuel pumps, rebuild kits, and oil senders from Volvo. It takes a month or more for them to replace the defective parts.

[witzgall]

Sir;

Do you know the Bosch part #? This would be a great thing to know!

Concerning the water pump - isn't that true for any diesel?

Originally Posted by The Mons

If you get the boat:
ew style pump was not assembled backwards (Sofabex).

3. Buy a reconditioned Bosch starter from Autozone as a spare for $100 versus $900.

6. Buy a spare freshwater coolant pump (very expensive) or get one that is reconditioned. This can fail at any moment leaving you engineless.

7. Install the temperature gauge and oil gauge if not already installed. You must buy the Volvo kit to do this even though some of the parts are available from the manufacturer.

Chris

[witzgall]

Wow, I did not know? I was taught this trick by a boat owner that owns a Volvo 2003 - and is a ship's captain for his day job. So far, I have only done this once. Can you explain why it is bad?

Chris

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

If you want to MURDER a diesel use ether/startingfluid. When I find cans of ether on a new customers boat, I take them with me....followed by a phone call, in case they go looking for them

The volvos I have seen have a cold start procedure.

The way I do it in lieu of ether is to open the throttle to about 2/3-3/4 and using a heat gun heat up the air going into the engine. It does basically the same thing as glow plugs.......I had to do this, on a much bigger scale on Fairbanks-Morse 10 Cylinder Opposed Piston Engines....used small ceramic heaters...(If the block heaters took a "dump"

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by defjef

The cooling tubes and seals are a bit of a problem, but the seals are cheap and easy to replace. The engine is fine. It's strong and mine has been going for ages.

Celestial sailor had a bad experience - happens with ALL engines - all cars, all boats.


If they were that crappy they wouldn't be in business and OEM in many fine yachts.

You're probably right. I got a lemon for sure but the prices of parts from Volvo are outrageous! That is a fact. I've had Yanmar and you hear very little in the way of problems from them and parts are reasonable. As far is being out of business if they were crappy. As we know in the auto industry, marketing takes care of crappy cars all the time.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Its a Volvo Penta 2002... that is the model, not the year. The 2000 series came out as 2 cylinder (2002), 3 cylinder (2003), 4 cylinder (2004) and, if I recall correctly, a turbo charged 4 cylinder (2004T). So, the original poster has the 2 cylinder model of the 2000 series engine.

No 4 cylinder, a 1, a 2, a 3 and a 3T.

[S Campbell]

Wow, Am I glad I asked about this engine. This is a wonderful Forum. All you answers are extremely helpful. I have learned more here, than in one week of surfing the net.

I will be sure to check the engine with a fine tooth comb & make the broker stick to "being fully satisfied".....well see how the sail test goes.....I feel really good about the broker....(he is also a member of my sailing club). And the Marina prides itself as being a premier dealer destination. They took the boat on part trade on a larger boat. So it shouldn't be to bad. Thanks to everyone.

[The Mons]

The remanufactured starter is Autozone Duralast part number 16839.

Most of these starters seem to be Bosch's. I would check for that when you get one.

The circulation pump on the 2000 series is more problematic than other makes due to the previously discussed method of piping. You cannot just remove it and replace it and expect it to not leak. Also, in order to rebuild the pump, you have to use a propane torch to remove and replace the components.

[The Mons]

I forgot to mention about the engine mounts. The older ones are thin bent metal which fracture easily. One of ours was actually broken but not noticed on the survey. We used it for several years before noticing it ourselves.

There were a total of three designs for the mounts. The latest one appears to be cast metal of much greater thickness.

[witzgall]

So what about injectors? Any non Volvo equivalents? I think I read somewhere the 2000 series is based on a peugeot engine?

Chris

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by The Mons

I forgot to mention about the engine mounts. The older ones are thin bent metal which fracture easily. One of ours was actually broken but not noticed on the survey. We used it for several years before noticing it ourselves...

That's interesting. I had the same experience, broken but not caught in a survey. I finally was having trouble getting the engine aligned. I gave up and called in a mechanic to show me what I was doing wrong. He went at it for 10 minutes and then said Hay, this mount is broken.

Paul L

[seacap]

Please note the celestials was RAW water cooled. don't know why they even build them for RAW water. So many headaches and so little sailing.
I have a 2002, and so far so good. Fresh water cooled.

[Chief Engineer]

I have worked for a Tugboat maintainance Company, a Chief aboard Tugs and Yachts. It was common knowledge that ether would make diesel engines "etherholics". Too frequent use would require starting fluid each time, regardless of ambient temperature.

It wasn't until I went into business for myself, and had a good friend who was my diesel mentor, explain it to me. Ether has a much lower ignition point than diesel it explodes as the piston is coming up...that is why you hear the KNOCK. It also causes premature ring wear, thus lowering the compression. It is not a lot of wear, but enough to not allow regular combustion of the diesel fuel spray. Calder talks about using WD-40 as it provides some lubricity. Over use of ether will sometimes cause the piston to reverse itself (as it is coming up). This puts incredible stress on piston/rod/bearings.

The reason heated air works is....that if the ambient air is very cold, the temperature created by compression gets dissipated through the cold engine block (This was why we had block heaters on the Detroits, EMD and Fairbanks-Morse). Warming the air up helps create a better condition for more prompt ignition.

Thanks Pete (my late friend and mentor) for the lessons!!!!

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

If you want to MURDER a diesel use ether/startingfluid. When I find cans of ether on a new customers boat, I take them with me....followed by a phone call, in case they go looking for them

The volvos I have seen have a cold start procedure.

The way I do it in lieu of ether is to open the throttle to about 2/3-3/4 and using a heat gun heat up the air going into the engine. It does basically the same thing as glow plugs.......I had to do this, on a much bigger scale on Fairbanks-Morse 10 Cylinder Opposed Piston Engines....used small ceramic heaters...(If the block heaters took a "dump"

Originally Posted by witzgall

Wow, I did not know? I was taught this trick by a boat owner that owns a Volvo 2003 - and is a ship's captain for his day job. So far, I have only done this once. Can you explain why it is bad?

Chris

[witzgall]

And thanks to you for passing it along!

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

I have worked for a Tugboat maintainance Company, a Chief aboard Tugs and Yachts. It was common knowledge that ether would make diesel engines "etherholics". Too frequent use would require starting fluid each time, regardless of ambient temperature.

It wasn't until I went into business for myself, and had a good friend who was my diesel mentor, explain it to me. Ether has a much lower ignition point than diesel it explodes as the piston is coming up...that is why you hear the KNOCK. It also causes premature ring wear, thus lowering the compression. It is not a lot of wear, but enough to not allow regular combustion of the diesel fuel spray. Calder talks about using WD-40 as it provides some lubricity. Over use of ether will sometimes cause the piston to reverse itself (as it is coming up). This puts incredible stress on piston/rod/bearings.

The reason heated air works is....that if the ambient air is very cold, the temperature created by compression gets dissipated through the cold engine block (This was why we had block heaters on the Detroits, EMD and Fairbanks-Morse). Warming the air up helps create a better condition for more prompt ignition.

Thanks Pete (my late friend and mentor) for the lessons!!!!

[witzgall]

Concerning cold starting on these engines. I have had a bit of trouble with ours once the temps drop down below 45 degrees or so. I asked my surveyor today about it, remembering he mentioned a possible fix, but not remembering what it was. here is his reply:

The mechanical fuel injection pump can get out of time on the small Volvos; the result is the fuel is does not completely burn in the cylinder and there is a lot of carbon build-up. When the valves get a lot of carbon on them they don't seal properly and some compression is lost; that causes the hard starting.

The cure starts with a process called decarbonizing; basically the head is pulled off and cleaned and the valves are cleaned and adjusted. The injection pump and injectors should be sent out and serviced as well; if not the carbon will come back pretty quickly.

It is pretty basic stuff for a good diesel mechanic but I think you want to take the injection parts to someone who is familiar with Volvo small diesels. There may or may not be such a mechanic in the Raleigh area; I suggest you start on-line, locate some shops and start making some calls. You might wind up getting the work done in this area; this is where the sailboat engines are.

[The Mons]

While I'm hot on the subject:

The cooling system has another weakness. There are two pipes for the raw water inlet and outlet on the front of heat exchanger. These pipes are secured to the heat exchanger by a small plate of trapozoidal shaped metal. It is the small beveled sides that hold the pipes in. Thus, minimal contact is maintained between the plate and the round surface of the pipes. After a certain amount of time and vibration, the contact points wear. One or both of the pipes will eventually pop off spraying salt water thoughout the engine compartment. When this happens, your exhaust also has no cooling water. If you replace the offending pipe, it will soon pop off again.

To solve this problem, I manufactured a new retaining plate of 1/8 inch aluminum. The new plate has half moon slots instead of the beveled surface. This provides 180 degree contact on each of the pipes when before there was only tangental contact.

So far, the new plate has been working flawlessly for 4 years.