Volvo MD2030C - About to Explode?

[dpollitt]

I have a 10 year old Volvo MD 2030C with only 1500 hours. I have just crossed the Pacific and here in Australia a very concerning noise has developed. It can only be described as 'clattery' and 'raspy' coming from the front of the engine-alternator end. It is much more apparent at low revs .
We have:

disconnected the belt....no difference so not alternator, or internal water pump

taken off the back part of the engine where the fly wheel is and the vibration damper or drive gear is fine as is the transmission - ran the engine disconnected from transmission and still sound.

have cracked open each injector and no difference to the sound so not injectors it seems.

Im being told now this could be a fatal problem that has something to do with the connection between the injector pump and the governor. And, if not taken care of could result in the engine going out of control, and reving up to 12000 revs b efore it selfdestructs.

Does anyone have any idea about this 'raspy, clattery' sound? And does the scary description make sense?

Any help would be most appreciated. I am trying to leave Australia for S AFrica but this is concerning me greatly.

Many thanks
david pollitt

[shakey doug]

G' day dave,
Welcome! to Aussie enjoy your stay will you comming down to Tasmania? Check for a broken valve spring or a broken valve rotater gap either will allow a piston to strike a valve giving a loud sharp report, while you have the valve cover off reset clearances and pour a mix of 50/50 kero oil over the valve tops while pushing the rockers up & down turn piston down cyl before
doing this. Have you done a compression test yet, what colour exhaust? your info on the run away situation is a long shot the govenor is at fuel pump side if the fly weights where as noisey as described there would sum type of indication such as hunting and slow responce.

Cheers, Shakey.

[ddsailor25]

Some other questions that might help narrow down the problem. Does she start easially? What color is the exhaust. Does she rev up to full RPM's? Have you checked for a blockage in the exhaust system? How often are you changing the engine oil? How are the motor mounts? If one is going bad you might get some noise at lower RPM's. Does the noise change while the engine is under load verses just being in neurtal?
I think checking the valves is a good next step along with a compression check, but if the engine startes easially then the compression should be fine. If you have done all the necessary maintance and the valves are fine and this still hasn't fixed the problem I would get a mechanic out to take a look. It will cost you some money, but it's cheaper then repowering the boat.

Dave

[dpollitt]

Hi Shakey
Very strangely after 3 months the sound has disappeared and Im faced with heading off to S AFrica with this problem now hiding. Do you think it would be possible to have your private e mail such that I could contact you in necessary when/if the noise returns.

Once on the high seas my address is wde6745@sailmail.com

many thanks for your ideas. Any idea why it would disappear? And if it was the governor would it, could it disappear like that?

david

[dpollitt]

Thanks so much for your reply and good check list. As I said to Shakey after 3 months the engine is quiet and normal. Have no idea why and neither do the mechanics.

As I asked Shakey, may I have your contact e maili as Im heading to sea and have no internet out there.....if it all returns then maybe I can contact you from my sail mail address

wde6745@sailmail.com

many thanks
david

[shakey doug]

G'day Dave,
Sounds more like a sticking valve this problem will often come and go for no apparent reason, I would suggest the treatment mentioned previous,cheap and easy things first.If the problem is the governor fly weights & bushes the noise should be constant.

Cheers, Shakey. 43southdiesel@gmail.com