Decision time (diesel not an option )

[BarryH]

Umm I think thats making work for yerself. Its easier just to line up the marks on the pullies. Then when you put the belt on line up the printed marks on the belt with the marks on the pullies etc etc, Bolt it all up, give the engine a couple or revolutions to check all is still aligned and the tension is ok.

If the ignition timing was ok before you started it should still be ok after. Or am I missing something glaringly obvious!

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[JOHNPEET]

Julian,

I had a 145a in a Birchwood 22 matched to a 280d drive.

Ran it for 4 years and had quite a variation of problems but once you get to know the engine and its querks then it was quite a reliable unit.

The problems that I encountered include the following:-

Cam belt tensioner siezed - new one fitted together with new belt, so good advice from others here.
Oil cooler blocked up many times with minute shells which get sucked up the water intake and manage to find their way through the strainer - fitted a very fine mesh filter inside the strainer in the end which worked well - fabricated it from very fine copper mesh - not sure of impact of disimilar metal here though but seemed ok.
Must always fit new O rings to the oil cooler whenever you disturb it - managed to get salt water into the oil on one occasion because I didn't! - you live and learn.
One negative of the engine/marinising bits design is that there are many O ring type seals between various parts - header tank, heat exchanger, raw water pipes all of which are prone to leakage if disturbed and must be replaced with new.

Another one which took me a while to sort out was the dowel pin on the cam shaft shearing! The pin locates the drive pulley, there is no key. In my case the pin sheared and the pully moved about 15deg on the cam shaft. The engine would start and just about tick over, as soon as you touched the throttle it stalled. Took some sorting out but managed it just as the drive started touching the bottom as the tide was dropping on a very stoney shore! - Thank god I had an electric windlass with which I was able to "wind" myself off the shore into deeper water where the anchor lay before I was able to lower the drive and motor away.

The engine can be a bit difficult to start until you get the Knack as there are no chokes on the carbs, so you have to virtually flood the engine to start it.

Only other problem was water up the exhaust which found its way into the engine - No.4 cylinder - engine siezed as a result.
Had to strip the engine, block was ok just honed out the bores but the piston was a write off, salt water had just disolved it away. Reluctantly spent £175 for a pattern replacement having spent 2 days pawing over scrap engines in a breakers yard.
These pistons are not available as spares from volvo and only managed to get one from a specialist engine rebuilder from a company in germany!


Have now replaced the 145a with a 431 and had a great season - 26 knots after having spent 4 years struggling to get on the plane!

Have matched the 431 to my original 280 sp drive and I am now looking for a gear set for the lower unit, I need a 1.61:1 ratio instead of my existing 2.15:1 - any offers?

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[stamfordian]

Why not diesel??? will investigate!!!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian</A>

 

[tr7v8]

Agree Barry, but although one of mine was OKand stayed timed up, I couldn't make out the marks on the Aux pulley on the other one (Yes I know I should have tippexed them!) and it ended up one tooth out. However came to the conclusion that it's easier to lob the belt on and sort ignition afterwards and restricted space doesn't help either.

<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[Dave_Knowles]

Is it basically the 240 engine then and would spares from this engine fit my 151A?

<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[Dave_Knowles]

John,

What size is the 431 and how much would the change be? Would it fit a 290 outdrive and how easy is it to remove an engine from a boat?

<hr width=100% size=1>Take care.

Dave

Dave Knowles
Southampton - UK

http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk

 

[BarryH]

If my memory serves the 151 is based on the B23E engine whereas the 145 is based on the B23 bog standard block. The differences are carbruation, slightly different cam profile and one or two other bits.

So in essance you could go find the appropriate model car and have a field day stripping the bits that you want. I've got a couple of B23 blocks knocking about in the garage. BothI've rebored and reground the cranks on. Which is why I have very little down time if I'm a bit to eager with the throttle hand. Only got one spare head though.

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[Duncan_Hamble]

Looks like lots of good stuff regarding keeping older VP petrols running.

I was searching out some VP rebuild parts - rings, bearings gaskets etc and came across a guy supplying spares for older Volvo cars. He reckoned that he could supply almost all of the non-marine bits pretty much from stock and could get some of the marine bits from "a contact in Sweden".

If any of you guys are looking for parts and you have the block type and serial number he may be able to help.

Try www.classicvolvoparts.com


Duncan

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[JOHNPEET]

Dave,

The 431 is the later version of the AQ205a - 205HP from a 4.3 litre V6 GM engine.

Mine is a '91 engine which cost me £1k from a guy in portsmouth - he was selling a pair which he had taken out of a Fairline, they were coupled to 290 Duo props.

Unfortunatly, I couldn't afford the drive as well.

The engine is in excellent condition and is fitted with fresh water cooling.

The overall length of the V6 is similar to the 145a so there was no problem with bulkhead positions etc.

Some accurate measuring was required because I had to glass in some new engine mount pads/blocks.

As the engine is a V6 and the 145a is a straight 4, I had to obtain "a cow horn exhaust" to match the 280 drive - Coastal Rides came to the rescue with this one.
Had to weld up the 2 holes that drain cooling water from the exhaust - all the exhaust gases and cooling water are now expelled throught the leg - no apparent ill effect of this.

The bell housing came with the engine, just needed to remove a spacer ring and this matched up to the 280 exactly.

Its much easier, when removing the engine to remove the engine from the bell housing and then remove the bell housing. When fitting the engine, fit the bell housing first, then fit the engine to the bell housing.
Lifting the engine and bell housing as a complete assembly makes the overall length much longer and more difficult to manouver into the engine bay.

I also did a lot of rewiring of battery cables, replaced all flexible hoses, fitted a new cooling water strainer (vetus) and a replacement fresh water pump - the original showd signs of seepage from the mech seal tell tale hole.

The whole job cost me about £1500 and worth every penny.

Just need the right gear set now for my 280 drive.

PM me and I can send you some photos of the installation.

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[BarryH]

The vilevo 280 drive came in three ratio's. The rest of the 200 seris drives only came in 2 for some reason. The model suffix letter denotes the ratio.

B = 1.61:1
C = 1.89:1
D = 2.15:1

If you look on the transom shield inside the boat at the plate it will give the model number with the suffix letter. With the bigger engines attatched I'd recommend going for a stainless prop from Solas. Not that expensive really, works out the same price as an ali with a rebuild or two chucked in. The "fan" blades that come on the standard ali props are not that efficient, Less ventilation to when you push it hard in the turns.

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