MD2 advice

[Mudhook]

As the MD2 is the flavour of the month, two questions.

1. I may have some kind of water ingress on my old but otherwise sound MD2A. Not sure yet if it's rainwater from standing for two and a half years, but if this is not the case what are the likely causes? I'm wondering about the gearbox cooling jacket - is there an oil/water seal there? The other favourite would be a head gasket but these seem to go (in my humble experience) after overheating.

2. Where can I get a proper manual? All I've been able to track down so far is a thing from Volvo in about 15 languages explaining where the oil goes - and covering all MDs from beginning to end of production. Is there a workshop manual available anywhere?

Regards, mudhook.

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[Mirelle]

If it could speak, my own MD2 (not 2A) would tell you I am no expert.

Still, some thoughts.

1. Water ingress - are you getting emulsified oil? Two possibilities are head gasket as you say (some years ago, my engine did in a head gasket after motoring into a continual south westerly through the inland waterways from North Holland to Belgium!) and the water pump shaft, which has a water side seal and an oil side seal. The water side seal sometimes goes, and if the drip hole gets bunged up - water in engine! Its fairly easy to fix, esp. if the engine is out of the boat!

Dunno about what happens in the gearbox but you have a different gearbox anyway!

2. I have a Volvo workshop manual for an MD2. Don't know how much it would help.

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[Mudhook]

Interesting and useful info; many thanks.

What I'm looking for in a manual is just some idea of which bits are where and how the bits you can fix come apart. Is this book of yours available from Volvo still or is that a daft question? A PBO article from 1997 seemed to think they were unobtainable.

My boat is on a mooring at Woolverstone. When we finally get sailing Woodbridge is one of my first ports of call. Perhaps later we could arrange a meet and have a peek just so I know if this bible is worth hunting down? I'm assuming you want to hang on to yours.

Regards, Mudhook.

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[Mirelle]

It's pretty good. I'll photocopy it, and the owner's handbook, which is pretty basic but has some nice diagrams. May take a couple of days to arrange. Swap for a copy of the PBO article? Incidentally Nigel Calder's book has a couple of good photos of horribly abused MD2's!

Mine has been "due to be replaced" for the past 12 years but the boat, being 65 years old herself, has always managed to spend the new engine fund on something else - it was a new mast step and floors last time - so the MD2 keeps soldiering on!



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[Mudhook]

You're on! I'll copy the PBO article today. It will be a bit rough as I got it from the PBO copy service and is thus already copied once. It's only three pages so I hope you won't feel short changed!

I don't have much luck with sending PMs through here; I'm at skywings@bhpa.co.uk and we can swap addresses.

Regards and many thanks, Mudhook

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