Volvo D2-55C - considering options on what to do with it.

[Jim Jones]

Looking at a boat with a D2-55C. Believe it is a 2004 model.

I know nothing about the history of the engine and it will be hard if not impossible to get any history on it.

The motor has 3000 hours on it. At this stage I dont know the condition of it (how it starts, does it blow any smoke and if so what color smoke).

I believe this is the Perkins block. At 3000 hours IF it was well looked after the motor has plenty of life left in it.

Particular to my situation I am considering overhauling the motor. I am not decided yet and it will depend on a report of the engine. I will be doing a compression test and a cylinder leak test. If its really solid then I will just put new injectors in it and have the injector pump taken out and serviced. I would have the valves adjusted to the correct backlash. If its the least bit low in compression readings I would have it overhauled. The reason why is this;

......the boat is being taken off the sea and transported inland to a very remote location where there are no facilities for repairing yachts.

While it is expensive to overhaul the engine while its at a seaport where there are LOTS of facilities to repair anything on the boat, once it goes remote it would cost 4 or 5 times more to do anything to it once there.

I would have the raw water impeller replaced, the fresh water pump replaced and would have to take a long hard look at the heat exchanger given this motor has been in service for nearly 20 years.

My questions to those who either have or know this engine are,

Do you think at 3000 hours it makes sense to just bite the bullet and recondition the engine?

Does this engine have sleeves or do the bores need to be machined to an oversize and oversize pistons/rings fitted?

Are these engines still available new? If so perhaps a short motor would be a better deal?

What other items/things should I consider replacing on this engine?

[goboatingnow]

Why would you service all those items at 3000 hours. That’s not a lot of hours

I,d do basic service and have the injector tips inspected , heat exchanger cleaned etc

That’s about it.

[Jim Jones]

why with 3000 hours?

I dont know what sort of 3000 hours she has had and its going to a very remote place where there is no help available. I am looking at it as preventative maintenance. Do it now or later type of view point.

At the minimum i would do water pump and impeller. Valve adjustment. Injector service.

With no experience on the heat exchanger i dont know if at 3000 hours its likely to be a problem or not. Even if it checks out OK now, how long before it IS a problem?

Not knowing this engine thought it best to ask for advice

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Jim Jones

why with 3000 hours?



I dont know what sort of 3000 hours she has had and its going to a very remote place where there is no help available. I am looking at it as preventative maintenance. Do it now or later type of view point.



At the minimum i would do water pump and impeller. Valve adjustment. Injector service.



With no experience on the heat exchanger i dont know if at 3000 hours its likely to be a problem or not. Even if it checks out OK now, how long before it IS a problem?



Not knowing this engine thought it best to ask for advice

Volvos recommendations at 6000 hours are not terribly onerous

I’d inspect the injector tips and replace if necessary

I’d inspect the exhaust elbow and remove and clean the heat exchanger

Certainly service the water pump">raw water pump , especially if any leaks. The front and back plates may have excessive wear.

If the engine has been well used and maintained that’s better then an under utilised engine.

Check for oil leaks , coolant in oil etc. verify all alarms work , considering fitting a raw water flow alarm , replace all usual annual service items.

These engines are good for years and years is serviced and minded

[Jim Jones]

ok then, good advice.

Thanks

[skipperpete]

Originally a Shibaura industrial engine, later rebranded Perkins then Volvo but also appears as Caterpillar in the skid steers, Northern lights in the smaller (3cyl) gensets, Toro garden machinery and various others. No liners, a major rebuild kit is about $600 , the occasionally problematic cast iron exhaust mixer elbow is about $500 in stainless steel from “Parts4engines”
If you want a rough guide to the condition of cylinders and rings, do a full load/throttle run for 10 mins (with a clean hull and prop) and remove the oil filler cap to observe engine blow by and the efficiency of the heat exchanger and cooling system. If the D2-55 can’t do 10 minutes under full load without issues , there are problems.

[Stewie12]

Have it compression tested, and if all is well, have it serviced.

[Kerry1]

Originally Posted by Jim Jones

Looking at a boat with a D2-55C. Believe it is a 2004 model.

I know nothing about the history of the engine and it will be hard if not impossible to get any history on it.

The motor has 3000 hours on it. At this stage I dont know the condition of it (how it starts, does it blow any smoke and if so what color smoke).

I believe this is the Perkins block. At 3000 hours IF it was well looked after the motor has plenty of life left in it.

Particular to my situation I am considering overhauling the motor. I am not decided yet and it will depend on a report of the engine. I will be doing a compression test and a cylinder leak test. If its really solid then I will just put new injectors in it and have the injector pump taken out and serviced. I would have the valves adjusted to the correct backlash. If its the least bit low in compression readings I would have it overhauled. The reason why is this;

......the boat is being taken off the sea and transported inland to a very remote location where there are no facilities for repairing yachts.

While it is expensive to overhaul the engine while its at a seaport where there are LOTS of facilities to repair anything on the boat, once it goes remote it would cost 4 or 5 times more to do anything to it once there.

I would have the raw water impeller replaced, the fresh water pump replaced and would have to take a long hard look at the heat exchanger given this motor has been in service for nearly 20 years.

My questions to those who either have or know this engine are,

Do you think at 3000 hours it makes sense to just bite the bullet and recondition the engine?

Does this engine have sleeves or do the bores need to be machined to an oversize and oversize pistons/rings fitted?

Are these engines still available new? If so perhaps a short motor would be a better deal?

What other items/things should I consider replacing on this engine?

I have a D2-55. I can't remember whether A, B or C. If it's attached to a saildrive then one question will be a replacement of the rubber skirt that separates your hull from all that seawater. Recommended at 7 yrs, my boat is a 2004 also and I haven't yet replaced it. However I did replace the exhaust elbow, with another cast iron one at around $NZ1100 . Apparently an after market stainless steel elbow is available at a better price than the cast iron one. When you do this be sure to take a good look at where the elbow faces the heat exchanger exhaust port. Mine had eaten completely out and it is a feature of these engines. Aluminium exchanger meets stainless steel gasket meets cast iron in an area of hot exhaust turbulence, salt water and all those different metals is a fight to the death and the most noble metal wins. The stainless steel gasket was like new but the cast iron and the alloy around the exhaust port was blowing out saltwater and exhaust fumes everywhere.

Replace the plastic cable end holder of your remote engine controls where they enter the gear/throttle lever mechanism in the steering pedestal or wherever it's mounted. Keep a spare, if you are doing some serious cruising in remote areas. It's such a pain when it breaks and you have throttle but it's locked into forward or reverse. It feels like it's still working but you will have to have someone go below and change gear on the top of the saildrive manually if it busts while someone topside navigates until repaired. Keep a spare or replace the diaphragm on the fuel lift pump, as well as what you intend for the injector pump and injectors.

They are a Perkins and buying parts if you are reconditioning the engine that way rather than through Volvo will probably be much cheaper. The manual that came with the boat, (or did I buy it separately on line ?) gives all the specs, clearances tolerances etc for reconditioning. They also have a little electrical black box controller that for some owners, apparently has given trouble. A spare might be the ticket for that item also. Check what external fuel filtering system you have on it, my one is not so common as Racor, and I forward order for that reason.

In my view they are a pretty straightforward engine. I can't remember which rubber hose but found it impossible to replace one of them as they just don't seem to make them anymore. It may have been between the raw water pump and the block I just can't remember, but check out those for spares. Mine has done less hours but fairly similar.

If it's running a sail drive replace the back to back bottom end seals when you do maintenance on the sail drive, replace oil, and ensure the position is slightly different than where the previous seals wore and you are less likely to develop a leak. Zincs of course need redoing annually on the hub if its a Volvo three bladed prop. And Maybe annually or stretched to biannual for the saildrive zinc behind the prop hub.

All the best with that.

[Jim Jones]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

Originally a Shibaura industrial engine, later rebranded Perkins then Volvo but also appears as Caterpillar in the skid steers, Northern lights in the smaller (3cyl) gensets, Toro garden machinery and various others. No liners, a major rebuild kit is about $600 , the occasionally problematic cast iron exhaust mixer elbow is about $500 in stainless steel from “Parts4engines”
If you want a rough guide to the condition of cylinders and rings, do a full load/throttle run for 10 mins (with a clean hull and prop) and remove the oil filler cap to observe engine blow by and the efficiency of the heat exchanger and cooling system. If the D2-55 can’t do 10 minutes under full load without issues , there are problems.

Thanks for the info Skipperpete.

I will pass that info on to the delivery skipper (I am having it moved too a bigger port where there are riggers onsite in order to totally replace the standing rigging).

I have the engine serial number and it is a 2004 manufacture model "C". I believe this was the last model before the infamous black box.

It may be my Google Foo but I cant find much online about these engines. Ideally I would like to buy a new short engine and keep the old engine for spares (although is that really very likely - would anything be useable on the old engine by time the new engine needed parts?).

I totally get that 3000 hours is not that much on these blocks, however I have to weigh that against where it is going and the HUGE cost to fix or replace anything once there. It all really depends on how well this engine was treated and serviced by its former owners. The boat was purchased in a quite run down state by its current owners who did quite a bit of work on her. If the boat was allowed to get into that state then that does not bode well for taking really good care of the engine.

If i could find a new short engine I would do it instantly and not take any chances on how good or bad this existing engine is.

I also want to upgrade the alternator - a whole other can of worms!

I would want a wakespeed 500 regulator and a 200 amp alternator. But I will take that discussion over to the right forum.

[Jim Jones]

Originally Posted by Stewie12

Have it compression tested, and if all is well, have it serviced.

Yes that is the simplest path forward on this engine. If the compression numbers are tight I would be tempted to just replace the injectors, have the injector pump serviced, adjust the valves, replace the engine water pump (had bad experiences in years gone by with water pump issues on older engines - just replace them with brand new genuine parts and be done with water pump issues I say).

I would look at the raw water pump and decide if that needs replacing. Will probably just replace the cast iron elbow whether it needs it now or not with the stainless version (it is almost 20 years old, so the day cant be that far off when it does become a problem).

Will take the heat exchanger off and have it cleaned out and then asses the condition and decide if it needs a new heat exchanger or not.

Also considering a new starter motor and keep what's there now as a spare.

What should I be doing to the gear box?

[Jim Jones]

Originally Posted by Kerry1

I have a D2-55. I can't remember whether A, B or C. If it's attached to a saildrive then one question will be a replacement of the rubber skirt that separates your hull from all that seawater.

This is a shaft drive mono hull.


However I did replace the exhaust elbow, with another cast iron one at around $NZ1100 . Apparently an after market stainless steel elbow is available at a better price than the cast iron one.


Yes I am probably going to just replace that elbow with the stainless version and be done with it. I need 10 years out of this boat and want as much trouble free cruising as possible.


When you do this be sure to take a good look at where the elbow faces the heat exchanger exhaust port. Mine had eaten completely out and it is a feature of these engines. Aluminium exchanger meets stainless steel gasket meets cast iron in an area of hot exhaust turbulence, salt water and all those different metals is a fight to the death and the most noble metal wins. The stainless steel gasket was like new but the cast iron and the alloy around the exhaust port was blowing out saltwater and exhaust fumes everywhere.


How is this problem avoided ? Stainless meets alu will have issues i am sure. Perhaps some sort of gasket sealant that keeps the different metals apart while still sealing ?


Replace the plastic cable end holder of your remote engine controls where they enter the gear/throttle lever mechanism in the steering pedestal or wherever it's mounted. Keep a spare, if you are doing some serious cruising in remote areas. It's such a pain when it breaks and you have throttle but it's locked into forward or reverse. It feels like it's still working but you will have to have someone go below and change gear on the top of the saildrive manually if it busts while someone topside navigates until repaired.


Will keep that in mind, thanks for the heads up


Keep a spare or replace the diaphragm on the fuel lift pump, as well as what you intend for the injector pump and injectors.


Ahh yes the fuel lift pump...hadn't thought of that - will just replace it with a new part.


They are a Perkins and buying parts if you are reconditioning the engine that way rather than through Volvo will probably be much cheaper. The manual that came with the boat, (or did I buy it separately on line ?) gives all the specs, clearances tolerances etc for reconditioning. They also have a little electrical black box controller that for some owners, apparently has given trouble. A spare might be the ticket for that item also. Check what external fuel filtering system you have on it, my one is not so common as Racor, and I forward order for that reason.

In my view they are a pretty straightforward engine. I can't remember which rubber hose but found it impossible to replace one of them as they just don't seem to make them anymore. It may have been between the raw water pump and the block I just can't remember, but check out those for spares. Mine has done less hours but fairly similar.

If it's running a sail drive replace the back to back bottom end seals when you do maintenance on the sail drive, replace oil, and ensure the position is slightly different than where the previous seals wore and you are less likely to develop a leak. Zincs of course need redoing annually on the hub if its a Volvo three bladed prop. And Maybe annually or stretched to biannual for the saildrive zinc behind the prop hub.


This boat is shaft drive and is going on a freshwater lake. Not sure yet what the implications are vis a vis Zincs


All the best with that.

Thanks for your well wishes.

[Jim Jones]

This is the engine.

Not sure what is going on with the yellow hose at the front ?

[Jim Jones]

Engine Serial number





and drive shaft setup

[DougR]

Yep, it’s a C model.........
The first of the series to have the serpentine belt with 115 amp alternator, and the last to have a conventional electrical system without the MDI system. (Yea) The yellow hose is the return coolant from the house hot water heater.

The base engine was the Perkins 404c-22 model. Industrial long blocks are readily available, if needed.

[Jim Jones]

Originally Posted by DougR

Yep, it’s a C model.........
The first of the series to have the serpentine belt with 115 amp alternator, and the last to have a conventional electrical system without the MDI system. (Yea) The yellow hose is the return coolant from the house hot water heater.

The base engine was the Perkins 404c-22 model. Industrial long blocks are readily available, if needed.

DougR - thanks for chiming in on the thread. In my deep dive into this engine I have come a number of your posts about the D2-55.

When I first looked at this boat and saw the Volvo engine I knew nothing about the engine or its pedigree. My first thought was to replace it with a Kubota (Beta). However after spending considerable time studying this engine and learning it is a Perkins underneath the green paint, I will be keeping it. I have a lot of faith in Perkins.

You mentioned in some other posts about a bracket for a second alternator -

"To reiterate what I said in an earlier post, your best course of action is to relocate the original alternator to the position above the injection pump using the factory bracket and wiring harness. This alternator will drive the engine start battery and instrumentation and you will avoid any voltage level incompatibilities with the engine alarm system. Then use the accessory engine mount/ alternator mount which was designed for the Mastervolt alternator to drive your high output externally controlled alternator."

My question to you is, is this bracket available for the D2-55C ? Being an older model my fear is that this bracket does not fit the 55C Variant.