D4 heat exchangers leaking after overhaul....

ozzie

ozzie

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well, the sale of our boat should have been completed by now, but we have an issue with heat exchangers. Before deciding to sell her we instructed our engineer to overhaul the heat exchangers as we were advised they needed doing. He refitted them last week only to find one was dripping from the end cap. He suspected it was the O seal, but changing it made no difference, so we have sourced a used refurbed part. The other engine had been ok, and had been run for 20 minutes. Today the engineer ran it back up again and that one has started leaking! The first one was closely inspected, and it had some pitting on the end of the housing, but it wasn't thought to be enough to cause a problem. Annoyingly they were not leaking before. I am going down tomorrow to meet the engineer, but it looks as if I am going to have put a new one on. The prospective buyer has been understanding, and is willing to wait while we get everything sorted. Is this a common scenario when they are taken apart for overhaul, with replacement being the only option? Don't think I ever want to own a boat D4 and DPH drive ever again!!
 
The D4 & D6 Intercoolers, heat exchangers & oil coolers are a pain.

Any sign of a leak from any of the end caps pr seals should be investigated.

Bronze cores, plastic or bronze endcaps, but aluminium housings., recipe for disaster.

When reassembled with new o rings, they should be pressure tested according to the service manual, before they are put back on the engine.

Been there done that.

When I asked the local Volvo dealer if he had the pressure test kit, he said no. I asked how he tested the repaired units, he said he didn't bother.

I don't use him anymore, especially when I discovered, on a warranty service on 2 year old D11's, he hadn't bothered changing the oil filters, but still charged for them.
 
FARSCO said:
unlikely for 2 reasons.

1: he has kad42 and dp-d
2: probably got them in bits on the lounge floor ?
Click to expand...


They are all in bits in my garage. It's so simple I dont mind taking them all off annually for a spruce up. Porto would be in coniptions if he did the same. His concept of mechanics is based purely on what the EGT gauge says
 
I will confess today on KAD44's I was led a merry dance with the electronic throttle quadrant and actuators. What a truly terrible terrible idea that lot is. Morse cables! Whats wrong with morse cables?
 
ozzie said:
well, the sale of our boat should have been completed by now, but we have an issue with heat exchangers. Before deciding to sell her we instructed our engineer to overhaul the heat exchangers as we were advised they needed doing. He refitted them last week only to find one was dripping from the end cap. He suspected it was the O seal, but changing it made no difference, so we have sourced a used refurbed part. The other engine had been ok, and had been run for 20 minutes. Today the engineer ran it back up again and that one has started leaking! The first one was closely inspected, and it had some pitting on the end of the housing, but it wasn't thought to be enough to cause a problem. Annoyingly they were not leaking before. I am going down tomorrow to meet the engineer, but it looks as if I am going to have put a new one on. The prospective buyer has been understanding, and is willing to wait while we get everything sorted. Is this a common scenario when they are taken apart for overhaul, with replacement being the only option? Don't think I ever want to own a boat D4 and DPH drive ever again!!
Click to expand...
The forward plastic cover is distorted ,I’m just doing some now And always use a sealant even with new o rings as you can never tell if they wont leak when fitted back to the engine , your engineer should know better whoever he is .
 
just had a call from the engineer, he has stayed on to strip and inspect it again. It turns out they have been off before and the faces machined, they would then have had oversized O seals fitted to compensate. He is going to get some seals tomorrow and try it. It does make sense. Fingers crossed....
 
I had a single cylinder MD1B Volvo on a Jag 27 40 years ago and it was an expensive pain. More recently a friend had a brand new Volvo 4 cyl diesel which developed a problem after the local engineer tried to wire an overheat alarm into the harness, which inexplicably affected the electronics so that it would no longer run smoothly. Why it had electronics, don't ask. Even the Volvo agent couldn't cure it and in the end the owner simply wrote it off, removed it and fitted a Beta.

Since joining this forum I've seen so many problems with Volvo's. The message might be simple.
 
Catalina36 said:
I had a single cylinder MD1B Volvo on a Jag 27 40 years ago and it was an expensive pain. More recently a friend had a brand new Volvo 4 cyl diesel which developed a problem after the local engineer tried to wire an overheat alarm into the harness, which inexplicably affected the electronics so that it would no longer run smoothly. Why it had electronics, don't ask. Even the Volvo agent couldn't cure it and in the end the owner simply wrote it off, removed it and fitted a Beta.

Since joining this forum I've seen so many problems with Volvo's. The message might be simple.
Click to expand...

it is......there are loads more volvos out there than any other brand so a boat forum is bound to be full of “this has happened now” and loads of “this is how to fix it”. There will be many more volvos running as expected.

Inexplicably!!! if someone wrecked the harness.....hardly a Volvo issue!
 
FARSCO said:
it is......there are loads more volvos out there than any other brand so a boat forum is bound to be full of “this has happened now” and loads of “this is how to fix it”. There will be many more volvos running as expected.

Inexplicably!!! if someone wrecked the harness.....hardly a Volvo issue!
Click to expand...
Yep
Been through all this before
Yep Volvo heat exchangers/ coolers
End caps
O rings
Etc etc
Deffo not the best in that Area
But as said
More green ones out there than any others in the Leisure market
So statistically more ‘complaints’ than any other Make on here
Pick me a boat engine/ make
And I’ll list you the snags they have!
 
This is a specialist task, and not one I would entrust to your average marine engineer - it's not a DIY task for most.
The engines VolvoPaul are referring to above are mine!
Running temps were normal. but salty beard from intercoolers indicated that preventative maintenance was needed.
Hopefully back in an even healthier cooling condition next week :)
 
Catalina36 said:
I had a single cylinder MD1B Volvo on a Jag 27 40 years ago and it was an expensive pain. More recently a friend had a brand new Volvo 4 cyl diesel which developed a problem after the local engineer tried to wire an overheat alarm into the harness, which inexplicably affected the electronics so that it would no longer run smoothly. Why it had electronics, don't ask. Even the Volvo agent couldn't cure it and in the end the owner simply wrote it off, removed it and fitted a Beta.

Since joining this forum I've seen so many problems with Volvo's. The message might be simple.
Click to expand...

Electronics mean money and the opportunity for unscrupulous engineers to bullshit the less well educated into parting with more of it.
 
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