Planning a repower. Are Volvo MDI boxes still a concern?

[Jetx]

The original engines on our cat are Volvo D2-55’s, so the simplest drop-in repower option would seem to be one of the new-generation Volvo D2 series. I know there have been problems with repeated/frequent failures of the MDI boxes on these newer engines however, and obviously don’t want to install new diesels only to suffer reliability issues right out of the chute. So my question is: has Volvo finally managed to solve the persistent MDI failures, or is this still something to worry about? Anybody with newer D2’s (or latest generation replacement MDI modules) care to comment?

Alternatively, has anyone replaced a D2-55 and Volvo saildrive with a 4-cyl Yanmar? I’d be interested in the ease (or difficulty) of mating the Yanmar engine and saildrive to the Volvo engine beds.

Thanks!

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Jetx

The original engines on our cat are Volvo D2-55’s, so the simplest drop-in repower option would seem to be one of the new-generation Volvo D2 series. I know there have been problems with repeated/frequent failures of the MDI boxes on these newer engines however, and obviously don’t want to install new diesels only to suffer reliability issues right out of the chute. So my question is: has Volvo finally managed to solve the persistent MDI failures, or is this still something to worry about? Anybody with newer D2’s (or latest generation replacement MDI modules) care to comment?

Alternatively, has anyone replaced a D2-55 and Volvo saildrive with a 4-cyl Yanmar? I’d be interested in the ease (or difficulty) of mating the Yanmar engine and saildrive to the Volvo engine beds.

Thanks!

One of the two new ones I got last summer failed this winter. I stopped tracking what model number we're up to, so not sure I had the very latest. They did leave me the broken one and I have plans to do some failure analysis on it, will post what I find.

[Compass790]

Whilst I cant answer your question I'd suggest looking at Beta marines options if parts prices are a concern. + Beta has non ecu engines so easier repairs if away from cities.
I dont have any association with Beta but am familiar with Yanmar & Volvo parts prices.
Lots of Beta engines you can buy parts from a Kubota tractor dealer.
You could probably rebuild a Beta if you do the labour yourself for less than a Volvo ecu.

[tkeithlu]

My impression from the internet is that they found the problem (overvoltage) and that the boxes can be bypassed easily. While I'm not advocating Volvo engines, changing makers is likely to get you into a whopping problem of connecting to the bed, shaft, hoses, cables, and wiring. Add to that even getting the new engine into the space, given the designer minimized that in order to get more space that sells boats at boat shows. Compared to all that, knowing that those MDI boxes once were unreliable seems a small source of 0200 hour anxiety.

[Dsanduril]

We re-powered (well, Volvo’s recall re-powered for us) with two D2-40s in 2019. We had experienced MDI failures with the original (2013) engines. We have not experienced any MDI failures with the 2019 engines. That’s just one (well, two actually) data point, and it’s not a long track record with a known problem area, but so far, so good.

[Jetx]

Dsanduril: Thank you for that feedback. It's helpful to hear about recent, first-hand experience.

tkeithlu: I still intend to research possible Yanmar or Beta replacements, but tend to agree with you that changing brands, and engine footprint / envelope, is likely to lead to a bunch of unwelcome headaches. I haven't come across anything mentioning overvoltage (since cured?) as the culprit for MDI failures. That would be reassuring... do you know where I might find any more detail about it?

redneckrob: I read about some of your unpleasant experience with MDI failures in another thread. It will be really interesting to hear what you find when you have a chance to do a post-mortem on your broken one.

Thanks!

[tkeithlu]

This is a pretty exhaustive (and exhausting) discussion of the MDI problem. Bad electrical connections resulting in voltage strkes apparently fried a bunch of the boxes.

Engine Reliability: A Look at the Volvo Penta MDI Black Box | Nordkyn Design.

Look also at entry #23 in this old cruiser's forum thread:

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-188440-2.html

[cottonsail]

I bought a brand new 2019 Volvo Penta D2-50F engine and MS25 Transmission with cooler. NEVER AGAIN would I buy Volvo. This is a replacement engine for a W40 Westerbeke. There is no national customer support. Getting any technical information from Volvo is treated like giving military intelligence to the enemy! The installation manual does not come with the engine. It can only be downloaded by a a Volvo tech from a web site only accessible by a Volvo tech. The engine itself is great buy Volvo Penta USA is beyond horrible. As to the MDI module the Volvo tech warned me about any kind of overcharging will kill it. I'm going to relocate it off the engine. To me, bolting an kind of electronic module directly to an engine is just stupid unless it meets some MIL spec. Just my 2 cents.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Jetx

The original engines on our cat are Volvo D2-55’s, so the simplest drop-in repower option would seem to be one of the new-generation Volvo D2 series. I know there have been problems with repeated/frequent failures of the MDI boxes on these newer engines however, and obviously don’t want to install new diesels only to suffer reliability issues right out of the chute. So my question is: has Volvo finally managed to solve the persistent MDI failures, or is this still something to worry about? Anybody with newer D2’s (or latest generation replacement MDI modules) care to comment?

Alternatively, has anyone replaced a D2-55 and Volvo saildrive with a 4-cyl Yanmar? I’d be interested in the ease (or difficulty) of mating the Yanmar engine and saildrive to the Volvo engine beds.

Thanks!

Just a basic question here. Why do you need to repower after a mere 7 years? What is wrong with your existing engines?

[Jetx]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Just a basic question here. Why do you need to repower after a mere 7 years? What is wrong with your existing engines?

More like 18 years and 5000 hours, unfortunately. More importantly though, the engines were not maintained as well as they should have been by previous owners, and would require some very expensive work and parts to achieve the reliability that I want from them.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Jetx

More like 18 years and 5000 hours, unfortunately. More importantly though, the engines were not maintained as well as they should have been by previous owners, and would require some very expensive work and parts to achieve the reliability that I want from them.

Oh sorry, I saw your join date and my short circuited brain thought it was the year the boat was built.

I will join in with the other poster that recommended that you look at Beta Marine. I have had one of these for 18 years and am very happy with it.

[Jetx]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

The engine itself is great buy Volvo Penta USA is beyond horrible. As to the MDI module the Volvo tech warned me about any kind of overcharging will kill it.

Thanks for this feedback, cottonsail, and sorry to hear your experience has been so frustrating. If you don’t mind me asking, were you working with a local dealer, or direct to Volvo USA for support. If a dealer, would you mind sharing which one? (PM me if you’d rather not name publicly.)

Since you say the engine is great, I take it you haven’t had any issues with your MDI so far?

Thanks again!

[cottonsail]

Originally Posted by Jetx

Thanks for this feedback, cottonsail, and sorry to hear your experience has been so frustrating. If you don’t mind me asking, were you working with a local dealer, or direct to Volvo USA for support. If a dealer, would you mind sharing which one? (PM me if you’d rather not name publicly.)

Since you say the engine is great, I take it you haven’t had any issues with your MDI so far?

Thanks again!

A little more background on the engine. Through several recommendations I bought the engine through a website called Apolloduck in England. That website directed me to Marine Enterprises LTD and an individual named Sean Blackstone also in England. The people recommending this route are all retired Navy and at NAS Key West marina. I trusted their judgement. So I went ahead with the purchase. The good news is the D2-50F complete engine and MS25 transmission with cooler was $10,200. total. That includes boat ride, import taxes, handling fees and delivery from the pier to Indiantown marina in Florida. No installation manual is in the paperwork. Sean Blackstone is nowhere to be found despite numerous emails and (expensive) phone messages. Additionally zero response from any Volvo Penta dealers in central Florida. That's gulf to Atlantic and in between. So with what (incomplete) blueprints I could find on line I swapped out the engines. Volvo requires their tech to come to the boat to certify the installation. I'm still trying to get a Volvo dealer. Finally (after about 2 months) I call Volvo Penta customer service USA. I reach a person named Dana Hutton. She asks for invoices and what dealers I've called. Suddenly I have every dealer in Florida calling me to certify the engine. You know how something flows downhill. A tech comes out from Detroit Diesel of Fl. He downloads the installation manual for me. Now I finally have a copy after all the work is done. The sea trial is successful but there ae several faults in the installation that I have to correct before I can get a warrantee. 2 year later I'm down to the last required change. But more to the point the tech went over all kind of things about the MDI module. His words "yes, they are still frail". When we return to the boat in October I will relocate the MDI module off the engine.
At Indiantown marina there seemed to be a lot of engine swaps going on while I was doing mine. I was the only one doing Volvo. There were some Yanmar swaps but the vast majority were switching to Beta. When the Beta swappers had a problem it was a simple phone call. I did not have that option. To do it over I definitely would have gone Beta.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by cottonsail

A little more background on the engine. Through several recommendations I bought the engine through a website called Apolloduck in England. That website directed me to Marine Enterprises LTD and an individual named Sean Blackstone also in England. The people recommending this route are all retired Navy and at NAS Key West marina. I trusted their judgement. So I went ahead with the purchase. The good news is the D2-50F complete engine and MS25 transmission with cooler was $10,200. total. That includes boat ride, import taxes, handling fees and delivery from the pier to Indiantown marina in Florida. No installation manual is in the paperwork. Sean Blackstone is nowhere to be found despite numerous emails and (expensive) phone messages. Additionally zero response from any Volvo Penta dealers in central Florida. That's gulf to Atlantic and in between. So with what (incomplete) blueprints I could find on line I swapped out the engines. Volvo requires their tech to come to the boat to certify the installation. I'm still trying to get a Volvo dealer. Finally (after about 2 months) I call Volvo Penta customer service USA. I reach a person named Dana Hutton. She asks for invoices and what dealers I've called. Suddenly I have every dealer in Florida calling me to certify the engine. You know how something flows downhill. A tech comes out from Detroit Diesel of Fl. He downloads the installation manual for me. Now I finally have a copy after all the work is done. The sea trial is successful but there ae several faults in the installation that I have to correct before I can get a warrantee. 2 year later I'm down to the last required change. But more to the point the tech went over all kind of things about the MDI module. His words "yes, they are still frail". When we return to the boat in October I will relocate the MDI module off the engine.
At Indiantown marina there seemed to be a lot of engine swaps going on while I was doing mine. I was the only one doing Volvo. There were some Yanmar swaps but the vast majority were switching to Beta. When the Beta swappers had a problem it was a simple phone call. I did not have that option. To do it over I definitely would have gone Beta.

So Apollo Duck is essentially Craigslist for boats. It wouldn't be at all surprising to find your engine "fell out of the back of a truck" and hence the great deal to ship it out of the country. I agree that Volvo Penta's support sucks, but there should be no expectation of new product level support of any kind for a grey market item bought off ApolloDuck/Craigslist/eBay. That's not a reflection on Volvo Penta, that's the case for almost any major manufacturer of anything sold and serviced through a dealer network when you buy outside that network.

[cottonsail]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

So Apollo Duck is essentially Craigslist for boats. It wouldn't be at all surprising to find your engine "fell out of the back of a truck" and hence the great deal to ship it out of the country. I agree that Volvo Penta's support sucks, but there should be no expectation of new product level support of any kind for a grey market item bought off ApolloDuck/Craigslist/eBay. That's not a reflection on Volvo Penta, that's the case for almost any major manufacturer of anything sold and serviced through a dealer network when you buy outside that network.

Marine Engines ltd. is an authorized Volvo Penta distributor.