Help with Volvo 130/280

[gary111160]

Good evening all.

I'm nearing completion of an 18 month refurbishment of a 1978 Princess 25. Pictures to follow soon of before and after for your amusement! once i've worked out how to post pics!

In the meantime, I was looking over the engine today prior to launching in a couple of weeks hopefully. I discovered a green wire that should be attached but is not and I can't see where it should go! The other attached end is connected to the outdrive tilt body and its split with one green wire going to the bellhousing body and the other thats not attached to anything is marked 'steering arm' but no where on the steering arm can I see an attachment. The drive tilt works fine but it must be needed somewhere. Any ideas?

Also, while looking at the above, I noticed on top of the bellhousing a brass, finger tight, screw cap that I have no idea what its for. Can anyone help.

Thanks in anticipation.

Gary

 

[volvopaul]

The green wire is to earth the steering arm and steering helmet from corrosion, there should be a 13mm bolt head somewhere on the arm, the wire then earths to the water intake elbow bolts on right side of transom shield when looking at engine from the front.

 

[gary111160]

Thanks Volvopaul, could'nt see any bolt. I'll make an attachment on the arm for it. However it doesnt go to the water intake elbow. Should i make up a wire and link the steering arm to the water intake?

The brass thumb screw on top of the bellhousing I mentioned seems to be a lubricating point. What and how much should I put in and with what? No grease nipple just a hole under the cap!

Gary

 

[oldgit]

Steering shaft bushes/seals OK ?

On my 280 the earth wire had a ring terminal affixed to it that went under the head of bolt that clamps the the steering arm to the steering fork shaft.
It frequently broke off and was a right pain to reaffix as almost impossible to get at due to lack of clearance for socket set and virtually nothing sticking out of bolt head to get decent grip of socket and bolt will be very very tight plus years of corrosion..
Made up special cut down ring spanner in the end.

Have you replaced steering shaft seals ?????????????????.
These cost pennies but vital to be done now before you go back in water and then whole boat has to come out to stop them weeping.Vital if below water line not so vital if not.

Some 280 sterndrives had grease cap,some had grease nipple,mine had neither,supposed to be there to lubricate transom shaft bearing.

Volvopaul will be able to tell you far more than me about details..
My P25 with single 280T outdrive and Volvo petrol engine .

Access on my later boat with diesels but same outdrive was 10 times worse.

 

[Peanuts]

Hi Gary

I had 280 outdrives with the brass grease cap, I got fed up unscrewing the cap, putting a blob of grease in it and then tightening the cap back down so I removed the cap, drilled and tapped a thread for a grease nipple, fitted an angled grease nipple and replaced cap and then I could use a grease gun on it - simples!

 

[gary111160]

Thanks Oldgit, I'll look again tomorrow when i'm at the boat.

Where are these seals? I have a workshop manual and can't see any any reference to them! Whats involved with replacing them? I had the leg looked at and was given the all clear but only bellows, oil anodes and new prop changed no one mentioned replacing any seals!

That photo shows a powerful engine! what performance did that give your P25?

Gary

 

[oldgit]

Thanks Oldgit, I'll look again tomorrow when i'm at the boat.

Where are these seals? I have a workshop manual and can't see any any reference to them! Whats involved with replacing them? I had the leg looked at and was given the all clear but only bellows, oil anodes and new prop changed no one mentioned replacing any seals!

That photo shows a powerful engine! what performance did that give your P25?

Gary

On a good day with my 175hp red anchor you might squeeze 15/16 knots..no more.
It was very reliable apart from a worrying habit of conking out on you at tickover,usually when you needed to go backwards very very urgently indeed.




they may be OK.
Stop me if I get too technical.
The bushes are littile plastic collars more or less to stop the steering fork shaft that actually turns your outdrive,from flopping about in its hole in your outdrive sheild.
it also has a rubber O ring,actally more of a rubber collar to stop water getting from outside into your boat.
Most of the leg needs to be moved to drop out steering fork to do bushes.
Any VP diagram will show you the blimming things.
Oooooo ......and something else,this is VP remember,The bushes are DIFFERENT from 270 etc so you must make sure that who ever supplies knows they are for 280.
Also the bushes are different sizes top and bottom,put them in right way round.
Welcome to the exciting and challenging world of outdrives.
Is your leg electric or hydraulic ?

 

[gary111160]

Thanks again. No excessive play in leg or steering so may be lucky. Although the boat is 34 years old and I don't know any of its history other than it had been laid up 6 years prior to me getting my hands on it, I dont believe its had much use and what it has had I would say has been on fresh water. Years of old river licences found stuck on the covers on the storage areas under the berth cushions. No corrosion on internal parts of engine or drive so that may have helped.

Maiden voyage very soon so I'll let you know.

I've had outdrives, single and twin, 270 and 290 DP on previous boats and not had any problems so far. Always look after them and treat them with much respect. Lets hope this is not the exception.

That red lump you had looked bigger than 175! I was hoping to get 14ish with the old 130. Probably over optamistic. Mind you I'm over the need to belt everywhere at 30 plus knots.

Gary

 

[oldgit]

That red lump you had looked bigger than 175!


Ah but those were the days when 175 horses were proper horses...............and a twenty five foot boat was 25 real feet(well nearly) not 21.5 ft with 5ft of swim platform and a
BIG DECAL ANNOUNCING ....... 2750 or similar.