2003 Volvo

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aldeburgh

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My engine runs ok with a little grey smoke and starts as well as a Volvo does but it looks crap.I am considering removing it for a good tidy and paint. I have had the boat 4 years and have only changed oils and filters. Should i use this opputunity to do any other periodic maintance. I usually do about 100 hrs a year motoring / charging.
 
Remove the engine just paint it!!???

Are you mad?

If the state/colour of the engine is something you feel you must do something about, then degrease it, mask everything off and get some VP spray cans and tart it up a bit in situ.

The only reason you may want to remove it would be if you need to change the saildrive gaiter, when was yours last done? Is it even a saildrive!?
 
No big problem to get it out,they are quite compact but heavy,once you have undone everything you should have it out in an hour.if you know what your doing.
 
These engines have an ongoing problem with the splined drive to the gearbox if the engine is older than a certain date....Go to the westerly owners group on yahoo where you will find various notes about this.

"2003 Gearbox splines

If you have a saildrive you could be OK as appparently the saildrive set up with a propeller with rubber hub seems to delay the onset of this problem.

Usually the problem appears by the time you reach 2000 hours and results in a total loss of drive.

There is an expensive Volvo fix and a less expensive third party fix.
 
Hi aldeburgh:

I have the same boat and engine as you and the only thing I would like to do is change from rough to fresh water cooling.

Having said that the previous comments are both on target..

If it’s just tidy up, you can buy the Volvo green by the tin and after a clean up, brush paint (a lot less messy than spraying and better coat thickness).

The work involved in lifting and refitting the engine including shaft re alignment is usually only considered when major overhaul or engine replacement is required.

I have in the past rebuilt a 2002 from scratch (not this 2003 engine) and I can assure you the spares are priced out of this world.

However if its running ok, but you still wish to pull it about, the head off would sound about enough, then do the valves and injectors followed by a splash of paint.

Enjoy………… Peter
 
Good point bilgediver:

However I am fairly sure this unit is outside the problem window, having said that I have some 6 years ago used the D B Marine mod with the hexagonally machined spline and it is excellent, also a fraction of the Volvo replacement parts cost.

I removed my 1986 gearbox last winter to replace the ring gear and mine was as good as new, so with luck...........

Peter
 
However I am fairly sure this unit is outside the problem window

....................................................................................

It would appear that Volvo were a bit haphazard sorting this out and although an engine number is given beyond which Volvo fitted a composite rubber metal drive flange there are reports of some earlier engines being delivered with this mod..

Apparently although the rubber metal absorption is in the propeller in the sail drive it seems this does actually delay the onset of this problem in these engines.


The crucial engine number beyond which this should no be a problem is 2300059128.
 
We have a Volvo 2003, and early last year had it out to change the engine mounts.
OK, it wasn't 'out' of the boat, but just skidded forward a few feet.
I took the opportunity then to give it a good clean up, and then painted it by brush with white 2 pack acrylic everywhere (why does it have to be green?) on the philosophy that it is then easier to keep it clean and spot any leaks.
And yes, I know I shouldnt have used this paint, but it seems to work OK......
 
Its an old engine, and the danger is that if you start taking it to bits and iomproving things - where will you stop? I've always tried to go on the maxim "if it isnt broke, dont fix it"
 
That article no longer appears on the Westerly site. Look at D B Marine website for details of the fix.

There was a thread about this a month or two ago if you can find it - complete with pictures. Not an issue to be ignore for engines prior to number2300059128. I did mine last winter (Feb 1988 engine) and it was only just hanging on by its fingertips.
 
Perhaps on second reading your question really is: "I've not done much to my engine in several years -something will crap out sometime. What will it be and what should I do in advance?”

Yes? After all, no one hauls their engine out to spray a bit of cosmetic paint on it - do they?

List:

1. Timer belt (life of 1500 hours/ 5 years max) – replace. Much cheaper to do this before the top of the engine has disintegrated.

2. Injectors - continuous smoke, even when warm, pull out carefully (!) and have recalibrated. Otherwise leave alone - for years.....

3. ? S leg - get gaitor out and replace (life of 7 years according to the book). Get parts from Keypart of Kings Langley. Whilst dismantled, replace seal on end of crank shaft, to save loadadosh later.

4. Alternator output good? - leave alone. Make sure electrical contacts are pristine.

5. Fuel lift pump? Get replacement (Keypart again) for the day...

6. Heat exchanger - leave alone. Tighten all jubilee clips around the engine. Replace any that look crap – don’t just brush them.

7. Starter motor - grease up drive and leave alone. Make sure electrical contacts are pristine.

8. Fluid in engine side of heat exchanger: drain off, flush out and replace with nice 50:50 mix of new antifreeze fluid.

9. Sea water pump – dismantle carefully and replace impeller, using lots of washing up liquid/Vaseline as lubricant.

10. Finally (these things alwasy come in decaloads, don't they?) a close check on all those hozes and the manifold exhaust pipe. Any dodgy stuff here - have it out and know it'll work for you when you really need it!!

Lovelyjubbly. Just feel how much better your P & J will feel after that. Paint? - ok, if you want to...

Now that should get some further responses, from the real experts on this forum....

PWG
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now that should get some further responses, from the real experts on this forum....

[/ QUOTE ]Hmmm...they might comment on the difficulty of finding the "timer belt" on a 2003 Volvo!
 
Likewise a sail drive gaitor on a Sadler 34???? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

...and the dubious advice of greasing a starter motor bendix??? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
If you take the head off, make sure you get the gasket back the right way round. There is a hole in the gasket that lines up with the crakcase breather. If you block it you will p-ressurise the crakcase and blow all the oil out trough the dipstick hole. I've done it!
 
Hi does this problem affect the 2001,same gearbox and splines but chucking out less torque i guess,engine is 9hp.
sorry for the edit, just read the article after posting,so it does i guess.
 
If your engine number is before the change in design then it's worth a look. You will see that mine (photos on previous thread) looked just like those on WOA article. (well done for the finder of that). Pulling back the gearbox enables you to see the splines without taking the gearbox right off (assuming you have room to undo the coupling and slide the shaft back a bit). Any sign of red dust means a problem is developing and one day it won't be there when you need it!
 
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