Concerns buying used diesel engine.

[Freerider]

What would be some of the major concerns buying a Volvo 2000 series engine that has been stored in a crate for the past 5 year?

Apparently the boat was damaged and the engine removed and stored. The listing says it only has approx 35 hrs on it, although being a early/mid 90's engine I'm not sure i believe that.

Can this model be mounted on a 110s sail drive?

[Tellie]

What's the price?

[David M]

I would want to see it running before I purchased it otherwise I would want a huge discount to compensate for assuming the risk that it might not work or needs expensive parts to make it right. It's a crap shoot without a warranty from the person selling the engine.

If I just wanted an engine that I know is going to work, I would not purchase it. If I was trying to save a lot of money and am willing to take some risk then I might purchase the engine.

I think it would be unwise to purchase an unknown without a big discount or a warranty.

It depends on where you are with this.

Also, Volvo OEM parts are super expensive if anything needs replacing. This is how Volvo makes its money, selling competitively prices engines and then later price gouging you on the parts.

[Freerider]

Well I want a reliable engine, but if I don't have to spend $10k+ on a new engine it means I can leave much earlier.

Its listed at $3500

[David M]

I would take it at that price with a written warranty from the seller that if it needs parts and labor (sum total over a certain price, maybe $2000 or whatever you prefer) then you have the option of returning it for a full refund.

This way there is a reasonable limit to the risk that you would be assuming. It would also stop the seller from trying to sell you a junk engine if this is the case, knowing he has to take it back if there is a major problem, for example if there is a lower end that is no good.

[Ironhorse74]

You should be able to connect a couple of fuel lines, fill it with oil, energize the fuel shut off and ground hop the engine. Run it for a minute listen for strange noises. Check the oil pressure etc.

[Me-and-Boo]

The concerns I have are dried or oil softened seals. Rust in the cylinders, rusted piston rings to the cylinder walls and dry bearings. Unless it was prepped for storage there is a chance you might find even more problems.

[colemj]

If it is the Volvo 200x series and not the 20xx series, then that is your biggest risk. I would leave it in the crate.

Mark

[djmarchand]

Even professional diesel shops sometimes reneg on rebuild warranties, so to think you are going to get anything meaningful from the seller is wishful thinking.

Unless you can start it and hear it run (and there could be many thousands of dollars of fixes even after that test) then I wouldn't pay any more than core value, ie the credit you get when you trade your engine in for a fully remanufactured one.

IMO the only rebuilt/remanned engine worth buying is one that has been remanned by the factory or their US distributer. BTW remanned usually means EVERY component has been replaced or refurbished to factory tolerances. There is no similar standard for REBUILT engines.

David

[hellosailor]

"IMO the only rebuilt/remanned engine worth buying is one that has been remanned by the factory or their US distributer."
The man has a point.

There's no way to tell how it was maintained, or if it was pickled properly before being crated. That it sat for five years says something about the owner and suggests they might have neglected routine maintenance as well.

If it is local and you can work out some sort of deal where a shop or mechanic will take a serious look at it...maybe. But from a private seller with no assurances, I'd also be reluctant to buy an engine above the scrap metal price. Ask a shop what it would cost to rebuild it, or open it up to make sure it doesn't need a rebuild.

[Tellie]

Not for $3,500. Like the others I'd want a pretty good warranty to get my money back. But even then the expense of removing the old engine and fitting this one will cost as well, a cost you don't want to incur twice. Now if you have the skills to rebuild this engine yourself from the ground up then maybe $1,000. But parts can skyrocket on a re-build as well.