MD2030-oil leakage from throttle arm

cmedsailor

Well-known member
Joined
10 Sep 2007
Messages
1,830
Location
East Med...
Visit site
There is oil leakage from my Volvo Penta MD2030D throttle arm. A mechanic who stripped it didn't find any worn out washer or something similar (where it connects to the engine) that could be the reason. It's just a little pinion (or gear whatever is called) coming out of the side of the engine where the throttle arm is attached to. So most probably that worn out washer is unfortunately somewhere inside the engine. A much much bigger job.
Any ideas?
 

VicS

Well-known member
Joined
13 Jul 2002
Messages
48,143
Visit site
Can you indicate what part you are concerned about on one of the parts diagrams. HERE for example.
Then people may have some ideas.

I couldn't see any pinions or gears that you might be referring to

If what ever it is has simply dropped into the oil sump forget it!
 
Last edited:

cmedsailor

Well-known member
Joined
10 Sep 2007
Messages
1,830
Location
East Med...
Visit site
Can you indicate what part you are concerned about on one of the parts diagrams. HERE for example.
Then people may have some ideas.

I couldn't see any pinions or gears that you might be referring to

If what ever it is has simply dropped into the oil sump forget it!

Please look at the attached picture.
In the diagram in the site http://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7740690-23-4221C.aspx is I believe number 7, the shaft. A little bit of oil is coming out from there. Probably a soup spoon every 3-4 hour.
 

VicS

Well-known member
Joined
13 Jul 2002
Messages
48,143
Visit site
I'd assume the problem will be the O ring #8 on that shaft.
Have not a clue what will be necessary to replace it I'm afraid.
I'd assume that it is located in a grove inside the hole the shaft comes through but could be wrong. Id guess the shaft has to come out but I dont see what retains that. A bit of a bummer if the whole timing gear casing has to come off just to replace a piddling little O ring.

I've looked at the workshop manual... no useful information there!
 

john_morris_uk

Well-known member
Joined
3 Jul 2002
Messages
27,210
Location
At sea somewhere.
yachtserendipity.wordpress.com
We had exactly the same problem on our 2040 (same casting and timing gear casing etc as the 2030)

I can confirm that the problem is a worn o-ring on the shaft. (Its set in a groove on the shaft before the shaft is inserted.)

You need to remove the cam timing gear cover and strip the assembly down to change the o-rings and it would be worth changing all three (there's one on the stop control and one on the shaft which is part of the governor assembly)

I did the job myself - time hours and hours and hours. Cost of o-rings about £3-00.

If you want details of how to do it I can give a description, but I won't start writing an essay incase you are going to get the mechanic to do it for you. I am a bit worried about your comment that the mechanic said he 'couldn't see a washer' - it rather shows that he doesn't know the type of engine very well.
 

cmedsailor

Well-known member
Joined
10 Sep 2007
Messages
1,830
Location
East Med...
Visit site
Oh boy, so much trouble for a little stupid o-ring.
I will try for the moment adding some of that liquid (I can't remember what is called) in the oil that softens rubbers and o-rings and see if it gets better. I am planning a big 500 miles trip in a couple of weeks and don't want to loose it.
John_morris_UK the mechanic actually told me that this particular leakage was something new for him and he simply stripped the throttle arm (outside of the shaft). When he didn't find anything there he also assumed that there must be an o-ring or something inside the engine on that little shaft.
I am quite handy in doing various simple repairs and servicing my engine (the classic staff of changing filters, oils, impeller etc but not much beyond those). If you believe it's not that difficult to do it myself I would be more than happy reading your essay.

VicS for one more time you were correct. It really amazes me whenever I read your posts. You just know so much!

Thanks
 

john_morris_uk

Well-known member
Joined
3 Jul 2002
Messages
27,210
Location
At sea somewhere.
yachtserendipity.wordpress.com
Well OK I'll give it a go in describing removing the timing gear cover on the Volvo 2010/20/30/40 series.

First you need to take the alternator belt off and remove the seawater pump and tie the pipes back out of the way. Then you need to remove the crank shaft pulley. This needs a large socket and a long bar AND in my experience some heat on the pulley to get it off its taper. There is a flat on the casting of the pulley you can put a spanner on to stop the crank rotating. Once you've got the nut off you need to put a three legged puller on the pulley and heat it up to get it off. Boiling water or a blow torch does the trick - but be careful with a blow torch in the engine bay of a boat!

Once the pulley is off, you need to remove the injector pump and as you lift it clear carefully take the clip off the linkage that connects the injector pump rack to the governor assembly that is inside the gear case. The connection is just clear and visible underneath the injection pump as you lift it up. Try not to bend the shims that sort the injection pump timing out that the injection pump sits on. Then it's a matter of undoing all the bolts on the flange of the timing gear case and removing it to sort things out. One last thing to be careful of. There is a spring on the governor assembly that locates in a recess in the flange of the casing. It's not obvious at first where it came from, but with that as a clue it should be clear where to put it back. The various shafts on the timing gear case are easy to remove and to put the new o-rings on. Its a lot of hassle for three o-rings, but it cured all our oil leaks when I did it. You will need a new gasket for the cover and possibly a new oil seal for the crankshaft pulley.

Hope this helps. PM me for a phone number if you want to talk it over, or if you are in the west country I could come and give you a hand.
 
Last edited:

MrCramp

Active member
Joined
2 Sep 2006
Messages
1,586
Location
East Midlands
Visit site
I did this job last week. You can buy a big box of various sized "O" rings from Halfords for £7.50 which might well last you a lifetime.

The only addition to john-morris-uk's excellent notes is this.

You do have to undue the injector pump and remove that split pin. Make sure you do not drop it in the engine. I put a length of very thin wire through it before I pulled it off. On my engine the link was on top of the pump, not underneath as john has said. my engine is slightly smaller than yours.

I think you will have the electric stop, fitted to the left of the injection pump. In the stop position it prevents the injector pump being removed easily (or at all). Just turn the ignition on until you hear it click and the pump will then come out easily.

I did not replace the gasket or the crankcase seal and neither have leaked. When you put the cover back on you have to turn the stop arm clockwise against the spring and then push the cover on.

The whole job is easy. It might take you over an hour to take it to bits but I put mine back together in about 45 minutes. If you were just down the road from me I would help you do it.

Good Luck.
 
Last edited:

Lyra342

New member
Joined
7 Aug 2011
Messages
9
Location
Eindhoven
Visit site
I had similar leakage, but NOT form the arm or O-ring. After long searching, I found that it was one of the two bolts which clamp the control lever to the injector pump! After taking out the bolt, cleaning and sealing with loctite all seems OK for now.
 

FarFarAway

New member
Joined
20 Jul 2015
Messages
1
Visit site
Old thread, but seems to be a common issue with the MD20x0. I am in the process of purchasing a vessel with 2 * MD2040s and both have this issue...

Major expense to get this fixed, but I'll negotiate the price down accordingly.
 

TSB240

Well-known member
Joined
17 Feb 2010
Messages
3,146
Visit site
I have just gone through this change on our leaking arm. I went to the bother dismantling the timing cover which involves a lot of work.


However. I found out when it was dismantled that I could have squeezed the o ring onto the throttle arm from the outside nd held this against the timing cover with a thin washer. If you then pushed the retaning circlup onto the arm it helped to push the new o ring inside the timing cover and displaces the old one out of a slight groove in the shaft.

I recommend you could try this option before going down the laborious route.

It will save you hours of work...... It might just reduce the annoying little leak to an acceptable level. It will also save you the major cost which is replacing the gasket for the timing cover.

Please feed back if you try this and it works. I am confident it could be done. Use plenty of waterproof grease to help.

Steve
 

Finn Lewis

New member
Joined
24 Jun 2019
Messages
1
Visit site
Hi there! I realise this thread is old, but it sounds exactly like my problem. Thank you to all who have provided advice already!

I sailed my boat for 5 months last year with a slow drip oil leak which I'm 90% sure is from the throttle arm.

I am not experienced with engines, but am going to try this myself.

I'll try the suggestions from TSB240 above first, but I expect the worst and will prepare to have to dismantle the timing cover.

My shopping list currently includes:
Just checking in case anyone has any more advice as I'm travelling from the UK to France to spend a week working on the boat and would like to have what I need in advance.

Thanks in advance for any further tips!
 

TSB240

Well-known member
Joined
17 Feb 2010
Messages
3,146
Visit site
[QUOBestTE="Finn Lewis, post: 7041579, member: 175344"]
Hi there! I realise this thread is old, but it sounds exactly like my problem. Thank you to all who have provided advice already!

I sailed my boat for 5 months last year with a slow drip oil leak which I'm 90% sure is from the throttle arm.

I am not experienced with engines, but am going to try this myself.

I'll try the suggestions from TSB240 above first, but I expect the worst and will prepare to have to dismantle the timing cover.

My shopping list currently includes:
Just checking in case anyone has any more advice as I'm travelling from the UK to France to spend a week working on the boat and would like to have what I need in advance.

Thanks in advance for any further tips!
[/QUOTE]


Best of luck. if you do end up taking the cover off there is a second O ring that can also leak on another arm . I can't remember which part . it can only be replaced from inside. Also remember you will need harmonic balanced puller to get the pulley off.
Steve
 

HappyAfloat

Active member
Joined
13 Jul 2006
Messages
132
Location
Historic Dockyard Chatham
www.happyafloat.com
I have just gone through this change on our leaking arm. I went to the bother dismantling the timing cover which involves a lot of work.


However. I found out when it was dismantled that I could have squeezed the o ring onto the throttle arm from the outside nd held this against the timing cover with a thin washer. If you then pushed the retaning circlup onto the arm it helped to push the new o ring inside the timing cover and displaces the old one out of a slight groove in the shaft.

I recommend you could try this option before going down the laborious route.

It will save you hours of work...... It might just reduce the annoying little leak to an acceptable level. It will also save you the major cost which is replacing the gasket for the timing cover.

Please feed back if you try this and it works. I am confident it could be done. Use plenty of waterproof grease to help.

Steve

Ok, I attempted the fix described by Steve and I was unable to persuade the o-ring to enter the timing cover from the outside.

However, I think Steve is on to something. It is possible to hold the o-ring against the timing cover and stop the leak from the outside. Swap the circlip for an o-ring and thin washer and reassemble with pressure on o-ring, be careful as I found there was no room to replace the circlip and it is may be possible to lose the arm into the engine with out it. I found that the o-ring in the circlip groove was enough to allow reassembly with the right sealing pressure and not lose the arm.

So far my oil leak has been cured with this fix.
 
Last edited:

Ammonite

Well-known member
Joined
7 Feb 2007
Messages
1,011
Visit site
The oil leak on my MD2040 throttle arm has got to the point where I need to do something about it. I have all the gaskets / o rings I need and I'm comfortable with the instructions in this thread and the workshop manual but just want to double check the crankshaft pulley torque figure because at 206-250 lbs ft its around 3 times that of the MD2020 and over double the MD2030. Does this sound right?
 

Bilgediver

Well-known member
Joined
6 Jun 2001
Messages
8,076
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Oh boy, so much trouble for a little stupid o-ring.

Is there a chance that the crankcase pressure is higher than usual? Is there a breather strainer or something causing a build up in pressure.? I can not see any reference to crankcase breathing in the manual but that is something I would check.
 
Top