[B] Engine Advice Please[/B]

[Besonders]

Hi newby here, in the process of purchasing a boat located in Greece. This has been ongoing for some time as there appear to have been some engine faults. I insisted that the engine be fixed before I would instruct my own surveyor and my survey would include a full engine check
I have just heard back from the broker with the following:
Needs new exhaust elbow air filter none present where most of the noise was coming from and 1 tappet has massive clearance, no big problem’

The sellers are intending to have these issues rectified, prior to my survey.
It is my assessment from the above that the engine may have been used by the previous owners without the exhaust elbow air filter!!!
My questions are
a) Could either of these faults have any long term predictable issues for the engine.
b) Is the tappet clearance an easy fix (is it something that could be bodged for a short term fix and what would be required for the proper fix)
c) Is the tappet issue a symptom of something else wrong with the engine

The engine in question is a 1994 MD2040 shaft drive reverse gearbox

I do appreciate, that I should have some engine knowledge and to that end I have a course booked at Plas Menai in February and I am always looking to increase my knowledge, hence the post and my avid readership of this forum.

All replies appreciated. Craig

 

[VicS]

Hi newby here, in the process of purchasing a boat located in Greece. This has been ongoing for some time as there appear to have been some engine faults. I insisted that the engine be fixed before I would instruct my own surveyor and my survey would include a full engine check
I have just heard back from the broker with the following:
Needs new exhaust elbow air filter none present where most of the noise was coming from and 1 tappet has massive clearance, no big problem’

The sellers are intending to have these issues rectified, prior to my survey.
It is my assessment from the above that the engine may have been used by the previous owners without the exhaust elbow air filter!!!
My questions are
a) Could either of these faults have any long term predictable issues for the engine.
b) Is the tappet clearance an easy fix (is it something that could be bodged for a short term fix and what would be required for the proper fix)
c) Is the tappet issue a symptom of something else wrong with the engine

The engine in question is a 1994 MD2040 shaft drive reverse gearbox

I do appreciate, that I should have some engine knowledge and to that end I have a course booked at Plas Menai in February and I am always looking to increase my knowledge, hence the post and my avid readership of this forum.

All replies appreciated. Craig

The MD2040 is has a pushrod operated overhead valve engine. There are adjusters on the rockers just like all your pre OHC car engines. Provided nothing is bent, broken or excessively worn tappet adjustment will hopefully be no more difficult than on your old BMC mini, Mk1 Ford escort etc etc

There is a workshop manual on Bluemoment.com http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/Volvo_Penta_MD2010-20-30-40.pdf Tappet adjustment p34

Operation without an air filter should be no great problem provided it as not been used a lot on dusty roads.. Its absence will almost certainly have made it noisier

I dont think it can have been used without an exhaust elbow.. All the gasses would have been released into the engine compartment, the cooling water also. It would have been extremely noisy. Perhaps it is holed or cracked though.

 

[l'escargot]

I think that may be down to poor punctuation - I have never heard of an "exhaust elbow air filter" it is usually 2 different things an "exhaust elbow" and an "air filter" - or has it been translated and it's a poor translation of an exhaust silencer or muffler?

It is not unusual to need to replace an exhaust elbow on an old engine, they can block or rust through. I am not familiar with that particular engine but many of the old marine diesel engines didn't have air filters fitted or if they did only a very basic coarse one. Likewise some exhausts didn't have silencers and were just straight through. Tappets need to be adjusted on older engines and it can be as simple as taking the cover off, loosening a locknut and tightening down a screw.

None of those issues are necessarily major problems, although if they have been neglected for a long time could possibly lead on to ther problems as they may indicate a lack of regular maintenance.

 

[Heckler]

Hi newby here, in the process of purchasing a boat located in Greece. This has been ongoing for some time as there appear to have been some engine faults. I insisted that the engine be fixed before I would instruct my own surveyor and my survey would include a full engine check
I have just heard back from the broker with the following:
Needs new exhaust elbow air filter none present where most of the noise was coming from and 1 tappet has massive clearance, no big problem’

The sellers are intending to have these issues rectified, prior to my survey.
It is my assessment from the above that the engine may have been used by the previous owners without the exhaust elbow air filter!!!
My questions are
a) Could either of these faults have any long term predictable issues for the engine.
b) Is the tappet clearance an easy fix (is it something that could be bodged for a short term fix and what would be required for the proper fix)
c) Is the tappet issue a symptom of something else wrong with the engine

The engine in question is a 1994 MD2040 shaft drive reverse gearbox

I do appreciate, that I should have some engine knowledge and to that end I have a course booked at Plas Menai in February and I am always looking to increase my knowledge, hence the post and my avid readership of this forum.

All replies appreciated. Craig

On my 2030 there wasnt an air filter, it was just a piece of gauze. So no prob. The exhaust elbows are bluddy expensive, £180 ish for my old 2030, nearly £500 for an MD22.
I would want to know about the excessive tappet clearance. Blocked exhaust elbow could have meant splash back of sea water in to no 4 cylinder, equals knackered exhaust valve. Excessive clearances dont happen, something causes them, whether knackered/stuck valve or wear on hardened surfaces. Caution required here!
Stu
PS IRC the 2030 used to suffer from no 3 valve damage from splash back, if the valve is damaged in yours on no 4 it would also explain noise from the intake. If the 2040 is similar, rudimentary intake filter silencer, leaking gas from the cylinder thru the inlet equals noise!

 

[VicS]

On my 2030 there wasnt an air filter, it was just a piece of gauze. So no prob. The exhaust elbows are bluddy expensive, £180 ish for my old 2030, nearly £500 for an MD22.
I would want to know about the excessive tappet clearance. Blocked exhaust elbow could have meant splash back of sea water in to no 4 cylinder, equals knackered exhaust valve. Excessive clearances dont happen, something causes them, whether knackered/stuck valve or wear on hardened surfaces. Caution required here!
Stu
PS IRC the 2030 used to suffer from no 3 valve damage from splash back, if the valve is damaged in yours on no 4 it would also explain noise from the intake. If the 2040 is similar, rudimentary intake filter silencer, leaking gas from the cylinder thru the inlet equals noise!

Full price for the exhaust elbow is in excess of €300 and the air filter over €50 plus another €20 odd for a spring but if the vendor is paying no problem

3 cylinder engine BTW

 

[Heckler]

Quite right Vic, 3 cylinder. My diag still stands, sub 3 for 4
Stu
PS note the n in cylinder

 

[VicS]

PS note the n in cylinder

It would have been there before you noticed it wasn't but for the dreaded brown "Service unavailable" notice. PITA this evening.

 

[Heckler]

I got that as well, wot the hell is going on!
S

 

[Besonders]

Sound advice Thanks

On my 2030 there wasnt an air filter, it was just a piece of gauze. So no prob. The exhaust elbows are bluddy expensive, £180 ish for my old 2030, nearly £500 for an MD22.
I would want to know about the excessive tappet clearance. Blocked exhaust elbow could have meant splash back of sea water in to no 4 cylinder, equals knackered exhaust valve. Excessive clearances dont happen, something causes them, whether knackered/stuck valve or wear on hardened surfaces. Caution required here!
Stu
PS IRC the 2030 used to suffer from no 3 valve damage from splash back, if the valve is damaged in yours on no 4 it would also explain noise from the intake. If the 2040 is similar, rudimentary intake filter silencer, leaking gas from the cylinder thru the inlet equals noise!

Gents,
Many thanks for the quick replies and advice. I believe the actual exhaust elbow is okay and it will certainly be on the list for my surveyor to check. I will also ask that the cylinders and valves are checked for any potential water damage etc, although I assume this will be pretty obvious once the engine is running. Once again thanks to all, and Vic thanks for the link to the manual. Craig

 

[VicS]

I got that as well, wot the hell is going on!
S

Dunno several complaints about it in the Feedback forum. BTW I have found that if you keep hitting the refresh button it eventually starts working again without losing your post........ The auto-save should save it though

its the log-in business that seems to be causing the most aggro. So far i have got over that too ...

 

[david_bagshaw]

The valve clearance needs to be followed up, could be a bent push rod.

they usually get bent when a valve has been stuck open, and push rods fall out of their cup on the rocker, and get trapped, either when the piston hits the stuck valve or the rod gets raised on the next revolution of the camshaft.

Insist on a compression check, along with looking at the adjusters to see one hasnt been screwed in a long way, or better have the push rods checked for straightness

 

[tillergirl]

Pretty difficult for a surveyor to check the exhaust elbow. It would have to be removed from the engine to have a look to see if it is blocked. Not an enormous issue but is a mechanics job not a standard survey item. By the way, they are £135 + VAT from Keypart. Exhaust elbows do seem to be a service item on the MD20XX series. I have replaced mine on my 2030. Concur with the comments regarding caution around the loose tappet though.

 

[Plevier]

Full price for the exhaust elbow is in excess of €300 and the air filter over €50 plus another €20 odd for a spring but if the vendor is paying no problem

3 cylinder engine BTW

The air filter is also a lot cheaper from Keyparts but I don't think they list the supporting spring.
It's a silly price for a piece of foam plastic! I keep wondering about fitting a K & N filter instead, i wonder if it would make it quieter? Certainly cheaper.

 

[Tranona]

The air filter is also a lot cheaper from Keyparts but I don't think they list the supporting spring.
It's a silly price for a piece of foam plastic! I keep wondering about fitting a K & N filter instead, i wonder if it would make it quieter? Certainly cheaper.

My 2030 ran for some time without the foam cleaner until I could get a spring and new foam. Made me feel better having spent all that money but made no noticeable difference to running.