Another Volvo Penta 2000 series thread...

[Ceirwan]

And how does the bore look? I was quite surprised at how clean the head was on mine when it came off... not much in the way of carbon deposits.

I don't have a diesel compression tester unfortunately, so could only go by the symptoms being experienced, i.e. non start & smoke & pressurising of the crankcase... I've never had this engine running, so am going on the previous owners version of events, which I suspect the engine was gradually becoming more difficult to start until finally it wouldn't, and it was swapped out of frustration.

The engine currently in the boat has only been started once since I bought it, and that was a bit of a struggle, involving bleeding the fuel system, one person on the start button, and some coaxing by myself in the engine bay with Easy Start. Once running, it sounded fine, and started ok again after that, so I am hoping it was just because the boat had been laid up for months! Time will tell....

Bore looks OK, although I'm no expert.
Bit of carbon on top of the piston but that's normal.

The exhaust elbow was extremely clogged with soot, and then I start rubbing off the rust a big hole appeared in it as well! So I'm replacing the elbow.

The injector I took to be tested at a local diesel firm and they told me it needs a new nozzle as its just dripping out now, I bought a reconned one from eBay off someone who re-engined their boat and was selling off some spares.

I've made a decision that for this year at least I won't be rebuilding the bottom end of the engine, I don't have the time before I relaunch, the compression tester we had to modify to fit this engine and I don't think it was sealing perfectly.

So the head will be skimmed, new gaskets all around, new paint job. Replace the injector and elbow (those two items will quite possibly give me back my lost power, plus it should start better with better injector flow. ) and re-install.

 

[stevie69p]

Careful what you are doing here lads, best try and save those rings. Just peeped at vp spares, circa 150 squids for set rings,650 for piston!

Spares prices are mental! Repower Marine do a set of rings for 30 quid though.

 

[stevie69p]

Took all the bits to local engineering shop today who checked them over, proclaimed that there wasn't really anything that they needed to do, not even honing the barrel.... Got the stuck rings out with some localised heat from a heat gun plus penetrating oil. Piston currently steeping to soften up the carbon gunge in the ring grooves.
New rings ordered, bottom end gasket set ordered (ouch!), head set is down at the boat. Hopefully will begin rebuilding next week when the parts arrive...

 

[NormanB]

Result :encouragement:

 

[PaulRainbow]

I wouldn't put it back together with new rings without giving the bore a quick hone.

 

[stevie69p]

Finished rebuilding this engine yesterday... no cooling system as yet due to bits being missing. Couldn't get it to start up yesterday, though it did feel at times it was trying to. Then discovered after watching some youtube clips last night that I was working the wrong levers on the fuel control! I was basically pulling on the stop lever thinking it was the throttle... oops.

Tried again this morning and managed to get it started, but it wants to rev too high, so I think something is amiss inside the control box for the injector pump. I did notice that there is a half spherical ball bearing missing from the control rod where it mates with the lever inside the control box, so I will most likely need to order that part.

I can't quite get my head around how the fueling control works... there is a flat plate with a notch in it that mates with a pin on the injector. I'm assuming that this alters the amount of lift that the injector pump gets? Can't quite fathom how the stop system works though. More fettling needed, then cooling system parts. Progress made though...

 

[K-ron]

Good effort stevie, sorry can't help about your fuel control system, but I'm sure somebody will be along to help soon.

 

[stevie69p]

Good effort stevie, sorry can't help about your fuel control system, but I'm sure somebody will be along to help soon.

Cheers
I have put a small nut on the rod as a packer in place of the missing half sphere, and adjusted the throttle lever bottom stop position, so that it idles at a proper speed now. I also hooked up the water pump and pipework up to the cylinder head, but I am missing a couple of the crow's feet clamps that hold the pipe from the head to the exhaust elbow, so will either need to source or make something up for those. I've only had it running in short bursts as I'm not too sure how long to safely run with no cooling on the go. I have the whole thing wedged into an upside down pallet with a couple of blocks of 3 x 2 that the engine mountings are sitting on, nailed in place to stop the engine from walking around lol.

 

[K-ron]

how about a few more photos? It would help to understand what you are dealing with.
I wish I had the luxury of running my motor after the rebuild but no can do in the saloon!

 

[stevie69p]

Photos of the offending article would involve me pulling bits off again, and we are a bit snowed under in work just now, so I'm not getting any tinkering time...

I did try starting the engine this morning first thing when it was -2.5 Celcius outside and it fired up, so that in itself is good news. I would say it takes around 5 to 7 seconds of cranking to get it to start, but then this engine design has no heater plug.

I am waiting on clamps that I have ordered to hold on the water pipe near the outlet of the exhaust elbow, then I can set up the cooling system and leave it running a while until it heats up and make sure everything is good. It certainly ticks over and runs through its' operating range ok so far (in air cooled mode with impellor removed!)