Yanmar vs Volvo

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by s/vfootloose

Volvo thinks their parts are made of gold, and prices them accordingly

I've owned both Yanmar and Volvo. Had generally good experiences with both (though a couple of quirks of the MD2020s I don't like).

To choose now I would choose Yanmar, but not due to qualitative differences. It would be because of the manipulative parts distrubition and pricing practices of Volvo.

Cases in point: all parts are outrageously expensive (even generic stuff like shaft oil seals...example: front shaft seal for MD2020 from Volvo $25...from any local supllier about $5...just bought one in Pamama for $5.25...bought a few spares too), no parts specs are available (like oil seal rings/shaft diameters, etc), and they wont sell you a real service manual. I've owned and worked on a lot of motors (both marine and other) and for all other engines I've been able to buy a proper workshop manual....except Volvo. My Yanmar manual occupied a large 3-ring binder and contained extensive parts details and procedures. What Volvo sells for a service manual, to consumers, is a joke (they have a real one for their reps only).

Volvo has not actually built any of their own engines, or parts, in many years...they just outsource it, mark it up a few hundred percent and pass the screwing on to you.

[colemj]

Does Yanmar supply parts specs? Things like seals and gaskets are always more expensive from the OEM, and OEM's rarely supply the specs for them.

We have real full service and workshop manuals, as well as a comprehensive parts and schematics catalog for our Volvos, that were purchased by the PO of our boat. These are also available in PDF on the internet. They have all sorts of specs in them like tolerances, runouts, etc. The service and workshop manual fill a 3-ring binder, while the parts/schematics catalog takes another binder. Perhaps Volvo doesn't sell manuals now for the engines they no longer manufacture? Or maybe their policy has changed? But they certainly sold them in the past.

Another option is buying the Perkins manual for the engine (or get it in PDF off the web). I also have this and it is identical to the Volvo with minor differences in how some things are presented. Buying parts from Perkins is also cheaper than buying them from Volvo.

If you search on the threads here, I posted a list of Volvo's and Yanmar's prices for common engine parts for similar engines and there were no significant differences between them. I am not defending Volvo's high prices - just pointing out that Yanmar charges the same! Perkins charges significantly less than both for all their Volvo identical parts.

Mark

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by colemj

Does Yanmar supply parts specs? Things like seals and gaskets are always more expensive from the OEM, and OEM's rarely supply the specs for them.

We have real full service and workshop manuals, as well as a comprehensive parts and schematics catalog for our Volvos, that were purchased by the PO of our boat. These are also available in PDF on the internet. They have all sorts of specs in them like tolerances, runouts, etc. The service and workshop manual fill a 3-ring binder, while the parts/schematics catalog takes another binder. Perhaps Volvo doesn't sell manuals now for the engines they no longer manufacture? Or maybe their policy has changed? But they certainly sold them in the past.

Another option is buying the Perkins manual for the engine (or get it in PDF off the web). I also have this and it is identical to the Volvo with minor differences in how some things are presented. Buying parts from Perkins is also cheaper than buying them from Volvo.

If you search on the threads here, I posted a list of Volvo's and Yanmar's prices for common engine parts for similar engines and there were no significant differences between them. I am not defending Volvo's high prices - just pointing out that Yanmar charges the same! Perkins charges significantly less than both for all their Volvo identical parts.

Mark

I've been able to get parts specs from Yanmar distributors in the past. Volvo distributors have refused. Very handy if you need an off the shelf item like an oil seal, machine work, or even something basic like a fuel or oil filter (Volvo even brands these and wont give cross ref info...as they do the Johnson pump and impellers they use).

I have the "service manuals" Volvo publishes too (at least what they made available to me). There are whole subsystems of the engine that are not even mentioned, no recommended procedures for anything (very handy to know some "tricks" sometimes, I've learned a few just from experience on the MD2020). My old Yanmar manual had detailed procedures for everything. They do have tightening torques and wear tolerances etc, but that's about it. I also have the parts schematics, generally more useful than the service manual. Marine Parts Express (great service) has these online too.

For some odd reason the service manuals for their sail drives are more complete.

I need to research Perkins cross ref more and confirm the closest match.