Volvo 2003 gearbox - article on spline issue

[Jud]

Hi all,

I've got a Volvo Penta 2003 with the"notorious" MS2 gearbox with splines that may, or may not, be a problem...as those who own or have owned this engine series may know from reading the large amount of posts about them, the splines of some transmissions may eventually suffer from excessive wear, resulting in total loss of propulsion. I'm rebuilding my engine and now have an opportunity to deal with my transmission.

Reading through all the very informative posts here, there is a mention of what many say is an excellent article on the Westerly Owners Association (WOA), in the Technical section, that details the diagnosing and various methods of solving this transmission spline problem. Apparently, however, the article is on the member's section of the site, and membership is open to Westerly owners only. (Alas, I don't own a Westerly.)

Is there anyone here who is a member who might be able to obtain the article and email it to me? Alternatively, if anyone here knows, can I join the WOA in order to get access to the article? I'm pretty much a novice with engines, so I'd really like to research this issue/project before committing money to a solution, and the article on the WOA sounds like an excellent place to start.

Many thanks for any help or advice!
Jud
Vancouver, BC , Canada

 

[VicS]

Hi all,

I've got a Volvo Penta 2003 with the"notorious" MS2 gearbox with splines that may, or may not, be a problem...as those who own or have owned this engine series may know from reading the large amount of posts about them, the splines of some transmissions may eventually suffer from excessive wear, resulting in total loss of propulsion. I'm rebuilding my engine and now have an opportunity to deal with my transmission.

Reading through all the very informative posts here, there is a mention of what many say is an excellent article on the Westerly Owners Association (WOA), in the Technical section, that details the diagnosing and various methods of solving this transmission spline problem. Apparently, however, the article is on the member's section of the site, and membership is open to Westerly owners only. (Alas, I don't own a Westerly.)

Is there anyone here who is a member who might be able to obtain the article and email it to me? Alternatively, if anyone here knows, can I join the WOA in order to get access to the article? I'm pretty much a novice with engines, so I'd really like to research this issue/project before committing money to a solution, and the article on the WOA sounds like an excellent place to start.

Many thanks for any help or advice!
Jud
Vancouver, BC , Canada

Only engines before a certain number, 2300059128, are affected. See http://www.dbmarine.co.uk/ms2.php

IIRC Volvo Penta produced their own modification. The above link is a third party modification

Diagnosis is I think inspection but if your engine predates the above number and you have no paperwork to suggest its been modified then well worth carrying out the modification.

Sorry cannot help with the WOA membership.

 

[pvb]

Is there anyone here who is a member who might be able to obtain the article and email it to me?

I've tried to respond to your PM on this, with a link, but your inbox is full. If you clear out some space, I'll try resending.

Edit: Link now sent.

 

[vyv_cox]

DB Marine say in Vic's link:

Inspection of these shafts is very simple. The box is bolted to the engine with six 15mm bolts. The bolts should be removed and the box dropped back 5” to 6”, (if this is not easily done, the gearbox should be completely removed). If the teeth of the splines on the input shaft are worn, (fig 1), the shaft will require the conversion.

The oil must be drained from the gearbox, or the box tilted back, prior to removal of the input shaft. The shaft is secured to the box by 10mm bolts as shown. Remove the input shaft assembly from the box, retaining the shim in position between the assembly and the box.

http://www.dbmarine.co.uk/ms2.php

 

[pvb]

DB Marine say in Vic's link:

Inspection of these shafts is very simple. The box is bolted to the engine with six 15mm bolts. The bolts should be removed and the box dropped back 5” to 6”, (if this is not easily done, the gearbox should be completely removed). If the teeth of the splines on the input shaft are worn, (fig 1), the shaft will require the conversion.

The oil must be drained from the gearbox, or the box tilted back, prior to removal of the input shaft. The shaft is secured to the box by 10mm bolts as shown. Remove the input shaft assembly from the box, retaining the shim in position between the assembly and the box.

http://www.dbmarine.co.uk/ms2.php

Unfortunately, their "fig 1" doesn't show anything at all!

 

[Jud]

Hi Peter,

I've just realized my PM inbox/sent message folder was full - I've cleared out space. Many thanks for re-sending your message!

Jud

 

[VicS]

Unfortunately, their "fig 1" doesn't show anything at all!

I think its only intended to show what they mean by the splines and where they are and how they modify it. Its an ad.


BUT

Here is alink to the WOA article that the OP requested. ( I knew I'd seen it somewhere)

Shows everything in detail inclding the DB marine modification

https://www.hisse-et-oh.com/system/assets/000/111/445/original/volvo_gearbox_spline.pdf?1443112921

:triumphant:​

 

[Jud]

Thanks - maybe someone will be able to get me access to that article on the WOA site.

My gearbox does indeed fall within the serial number range of those that may be prone to problems. Unfortunately, I do not have easy access to my transmission right now (it's in a mechanic friend's shop, relatively far away) to visually inspect the splines for wear. Although Figure 1 in the DB Marine link doesn't show any detail about what worn splines look like, I have seen a few good photos of worn splines in posts here, so I know what to look for.

But are you saying it's recommended to do the shaft modification (either the semi-custom type by DB Marine, or by using the Volvo Penta part ) even if I find that the splines on my shaft are not worn ? I.e., is it just a good idea to do, to prevent future problems? (I'm inclined to because I'm rebuilding my engine anyway, but at some point I just don't want to spend yet more money on the transmission if the splines look OK!)

Thanks again for your advice.
Jud

 

[Jud]

Vic,

This is extremely helpful - many thanks for the article (and Peter too; I couldn't receive his PM with article link b/c my inbox was full).

I hope not to be back here posting follow up questions - but you never know!

Many thanks to everyone who replied to my original post - as an engine novice, it's such a great help to be "guided" through this process by those with experience with this engine! Who knows, after being out of the water for six years, the boat may actually get back in this year...

Jud
Vancouver, BC, Canada

 

[Dipper]

That article fits exactly my own experience. Technically it's quite easy to remove the shaft and housing once the gearbox has been split from the engine.

At least three boats in our club yard have suffered the spline wear problem. Two have saildrives (includes mine) which were thought to be less susceptible due to the damping effect of the rubber bush within the propeller.

 

[Jud]

Regarding general advice on reconditioning my gearbox --I thought I'd direct this at you since you have an engineering background-- I wonder how far I should go in reconditioning the gearbox, since it's out of the boat (and I'm rebuilding the engine with a mechanic friend). I will more than likely address the spline issue with the recommended modification.

But - what else is worth looking into on the gearbox? Two questions that come to my mind.

(1) Oil - my mechanic friend, not knowing these engines at all, observed and took lots of notes on my engine after we removed it from the boat. One thing he noted, about the gearbox oil, was "oil is dirty black - may be from bronze cone clutches". A Volvo shop I spoke to yesterday recommended sending an oil sample to a lab for analysis before proceeding. How helpful would such analysis be? I'm guessing (only guessing) that it may indicate tiny metal fragments in the oil, suggesting wear of parts (i.e., cone clutches). Is this a guide for a mechanic as to what to remove/inspect?

(2) Seals/water cooling - given that the gearbox is water cooled and if seals fail, the oil will be contaminated with water, is it worthwhile inspecting/service this part of the gearbox to prevent future water ingress?

In sum, the entire engine is out of the boat already for a rebuild, and I'm planning to address the splines issue on the gearbox too - but how much further should I go with the gearbox? Of course, it's possible to spend money endlessly, if one had the money! What is realistic to address, in your opinion?

Much appreciate your advice.
Jud
Vancouver, BC, Canada

 

[MoodySabre]

Definitely worth looking at. I did my 1988 gearbox several years ago. It was well worn.

 

[pvb]

Here is alink to the WOA article that the OP requested. ( I knew I'd seen it somewhere)

Shows everything in detail inclding the DB marine modification

https://www.hisse-et-oh.com/system/assets/000/111/445/original/volvo_gearbox_spline.pdf?1443112921

Yes, that's the article I've already sent to the OP by PM. In my view, the article misrepresents the issue somewhat. There are 3 photos listed as "Examples of spline wear", but the left and centre photos are not, in my opinion, seriously worn at all. I reckon that if there's at least 50% of the flat top of the splines showing, there's enough inherent strength for the Volvo Penta cushioned drive plate modification to be successful. That's certainly my experience.

 

[vyv_cox]

Definitely worth looking at. I did my 1988 gearbox several years ago. It was well worn.

Lovely pics. I have read of the problem many times but never seen such nice shots. The red colour tells me that this is 'fretting, a high temperature corrosion reaction that produces alpha-Fe2O3. The high temperature is caused by very low amplitude high frequency vibration, measured in microns. Minute wear particles of alpha Fe are produced, which oxidise in air. It would appear that the problem is due to microscopic movement between the shaft and socket, not by the driving action. The usual correction action is to increase the hardness of the counterfaces, by nitriding, carburising or replacement by another material such as tungsten carbide or ceramics.