MD2B - Various

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temptation1

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I would appreciate some advice...

1) Is it possible to replace the air intake 'horns' with after market auto air filters and close off the oil reservoir - or will this upset the system completely ?

2) I would like to replace the oil pressure sender/light with a sender/analog gauge to monitor oil pressure more accurately. Does anyone know of a readily available aftermarket pressure gauge that has the correct sender thread or one with a suitable adaptor available?

Many thanks.
 
I had an M.D. 2 B for many years, but there was no “oil reservoir”. The horns needed cleaning in oil from time to time but otherwise needed no maintaining.
From memory some threads were metric and others Whitworth across the engine! I suggest you remove the sender unit and try a variety of nuts until you deduce the thread (or better, borrow a thread gauge) and the see if RS components or Maplins do a suitable sender. I doubt whether there is an adaptor but there might be using fuel line connectors.
 
Many years ago, I fitted an oil pressure gauge, Merlin Motorsport had all the adaptors in their catalogue.
 
Kurrawong_Kid said:
I had an M.D. 2 B for many years, but there was no “oil reservoir”. The horns needed cleaning in oil from time to time but otherwise needed no maintaining.
From memory some threads were metric and others Whitworth across the engine! I suggest you remove the sender unit and try a variety of nuts until you deduce the thread (or better, borrow a thread gauge) and the see if RS components or Maplins do a suitable sender. I doubt whether there is an adaptor but there might be using fuel line connectors.
Click to expand...

Likely to be a pipe thread, BSP possibly . Measuring the diameter and pitch is the way to go.

Generally adapters can be found on motoring accessory websites, also some on ASAP, together with suitable pressure gauges.

I assume the warning light/ alarm sensor will be retained. Therefor a Tee piece to fit the block and this sensor with a take off for the gauge will be required

Something like this https://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/gauge-pipes-adaptors/lma-oil-pressure-t-piece


If access is limited a remote fitting on a hose might be needed https://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/gauge-pipes-adaptors/lma-oil-pressure-remote-t-piece

I dont see whats wrong with the frying pan type of air cleaner. The performance of a car air filter is not need as boats don't generally sail on dusty roads

No idea what this "oil reservoir" is !

Cannot really see why anyone would want to fit an oil pressure gauge............. just to watch and worry about?
 
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Kurrawong_Kid said:
I had an M.D. 2 B for many years, but there was no “oil reservoir”. The horns needed cleaning in oil from time to time but otherwise needed no maintaining.
From memory some threads were metric and others Whitworth across the engine! I suggest you remove the sender unit and try a variety of nuts until you deduce the thread (or better, borrow a thread gauge) and the see if RS components or Maplins do a suitable sender. I doubt whether there is an adaptor but there might be using fuel line connectors.
Click to expand...

The oil reservoir is located beneath the oil filler cap in a cup shaped reservoir with a pipe to the sump. A mist of oil is drawn up through the reservoir into the horns. Its a cumbersome system to me but it seems like everyone is happy to use it.
 
VicS said:
Likely to be a pipe thread, BSP possibly . Measuring the diameter and pitch is the way to go.

Generally adapters can be found on motoring accessory websites, also some on ASAP, together with suitable pressure gauges.

I assume the warning light/ alarm sensor will be retained. Therefor a Tee piece to fit the block and this sensor with a take off for the gauge will be required

Something like this https://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/gauge-pipes-adaptors/lma-oil-pressure-t-piece


If access is limited a remote fitting on a hose might be needed https://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/gauge-pipes-adaptors/lma-oil-pressure-remote-t-piece

I dont see whats wrong with the frying pan type of air cleaner. The performance of a car air filter is not need as boats don't generally sail on dusty roads

No idea what this "oil reservoir" is !

Cannot really see why anyone would want to fit an oil pressure gauge............. just to watch and worry about?
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. Not sure whether I sent a reply before. Gradually getting there...I miss a gauge...always wondering if the bulb is working on the warning light!
 
temptation1 said:
The oil reservoir is located beneath the oil filler cap in a cup shaped reservoir with a pipe to the sump. A mist of oil is drawn up through the reservoir into the horns. Its a cumbersome system to me but it seems like everyone is happy to use it.
Click to expand...

Surely that is the oil filler but doubling as the crankcase breather. So, in answer to your question in # 1, no you cannot close it off or there would be no crankcase ventilation.

I had not realised that it incorporated an "oil reservoir" because we never used it as the oil filler preferring to remove the dipstick/ coarse strainer assembly and fill/ top-up from there.
 
I have always filled the oil through a plug that is on the rocker covers reasoning that this lets the oil go down into the sump where it is needed. When I first bought the boat I tried to fill the oil from the 'cup' at the back of the engine but found it too awkward for me.
No problems that I am aware of. Boat - and engine - had their forty-fifth birthday last month and are in a better shape than I.
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
I have always filled the oil through a plug that is on the rocker covers reasoning that this lets the oil go down into the sump where it is needed. When I first bought the boat I tried to fill the oil from the 'cup' at the back of the engine but found it too awkward for me.
No problems that I am aware of. Boat - and engine - had their forty-fifth birthday last month and are in a better shape than I.
Click to expand...

Lack of direct access to the oil filler at the back meant we did not use it either, I did try it once when I had wriggled into the space behind the engine but the oil seemed to flow very slowly into the sump. so slowly that I overflowed the filler!

There was not really enough headroom above the rocker covers to fill via the caps on them so we filled via the dipstick/ coarse strainer hole after removing the strainer assembly. When doing an oil change it was out anyway as we pumped ( most of) the oil out that way.
 
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VicS said:
Lack of direct access to the oil filler at the back meant we did not use it either.
Click to expand...

When I was an apprentice I had remarked to the fitter while we were trying to struggle with a rarely used valve in a really inaccessible location "How can anyone design so stupidly?!?"
His answer was simply "The draughtsman can go anywhere... with his pencil!"
 
VicS said:
Surely that is the oil filler but doubling as the crankcase breather. So, in answer to your question in # 1, no you cannot close it off or there would be no crankcase ventilation.

I had not realised that it incorporated an "oil reservoir" because we never used it as the oil filler preferring to remove the dipstick/ coarse strainer assembly and fill/ top-up from there.
Click to expand...

The photo attached shows the oil cap and the tube from it leading to to the air filter horn. My understanding was that a mist of oil was sucked up through this tube to keep the air filter oily. Is this incorrect? I call the area under the cap a reservoir as mine has some oil in it ...but the hole leading off that area goes sideways somewhere. I've also never understood why the second air horn on all MD2B's I have seen does not have any similar connection though it does have a hole and cap. I am puzzled.
 

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temptation1 said:
The photo attached shows the oil cap and the tube from it leading to to the air filter horn. My understanding was that a mist of oil was sucked up through this tube to keep the air filter oily. Is this incorrect? I call the area under the cap a reservoir as mine has some oil in it ...but the hole leading off that area goes sideways somewhere. I've also never understood why the second air horn on all MD2B's I have seen does not have any similar connection though it does have a hole and cap. I am puzzled.
Click to expand...

The rubber hose is the crankcase breather. All the Air Horns have a plastic cap as this allows them to be used in either position depending if a hose has to be plugged in.
 
Oh well...seems I have been under a misapprehension for 18 months! Thanks for explaining. This leads to two more questions...
1) After a month on the hardstand, I took off the oil filler cap and found a little pool of milky oil there. I was told not to worry as this was probably condensation mixing with a small amount of oil just below the cap (ambient temp here currently 30C day and 18C night). I checked the dipstick and the oil on it was clean, not milky. Is this a plausible explanation ?
2) The dipstick on the engine is one of two on the boat. Both fit the engine but they have different level markings. I know that the angle of engine incline affects where the oil level will be in the sump and am wondering whether Volvo made different dipsticks to enable proper readings to be taken depending on the inclination? Since the dipstick is at the higher/forward end of the engine I assume that the sump needs more than the suggested oil supply to register on the dipstick...when I have put 4 ltrs of oil in (suggested 3.5), it does not even register on one of the dipsticks and barely reaches the minimum mark on the other. I understand that it is not good to overfill oil and at the same time I fear that there is maybe not enough oil at the point of the dipstick to feed the oil pump. Where does the oil pump take its feed from...the rear of the engine sump ?
 
temptation1 said:
Oh well...seems I have been under a misapprehension for 18 months! Thanks for explaining. This leads to two more questions...
1) After a month on the hardstand, I took off the oil filler cap and found a little pool of milky oil there. I was told not to worry as this was probably condensation mixing with a small amount of oil just below the cap (ambient temp here currently 30C day and 18C night). I checked the dipstick and the oil on it was clean, not milky. Is this a plausible explanation ?
2) The dipstick on the engine is one of two on the boat. Both fit the engine but they have different level markings. I know that the angle of engine incline affects where the oil level will be in the sump and am wondering whether Volvo made different dipsticks to enable proper readings to be taken depending on the inclination? Since the dipstick is at the higher/forward end of the engine I assume that the sump needs more than the suggested oil supply to register on the dipstick...when I have put 4 ltrs of oil in (suggested 3.5), it does not even register on one of the dipsticks and barely reaches the minimum mark on the other. I understand that it is not good to overfill oil and at the same time I fear that there is maybe not enough oil at the point of the dipstick to feed the oil pump. Where does the oil pump take its feed from...the rear of the engine sump ?
Click to expand...

(1) If the oil in the sump is not milky condensation is the likely explanation but at your ambient temps Id keep a bit of an open mind and be wary that water might be getting in especially if it does not disappear when the engine has had a good run.

(2) the oil pick up is via the coarse strainer ( That,s why its important its joint ( O ring ?) and the O ring on the dipstick are good.) >....... See the description in the Workshop manual https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1003062/Volvo-Penta-Md1b.html?page=19#manual

Are you sure one of the dipsticks is not for the gearbox?
 
VicS said:
(1) If the oil in the sump is not milky condensation is the likely explanation but at your ambient temps Id keep a bit of an open mind and be wary that water might be getting in especially if it does not disappear when the engine has had a good run.

(2) the oil pick up is via the coarse strainer ( That,s why its important its joint ( O ring ?) and the O ring on the dipstick are good.) >....... See the description in the Workshop manual https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1003062/Volvo-Penta-Md1b.html?page=19#manual

Are you sure one of the dipsticks is not for the gearbox?
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I bought new 'O' rings for the dipstick and the strainer a few months ago, so I am happy that they are tight. I'll keep an eye on it. The gearbox has a very shallow dipstick and a different fitting and it cannot be confused with the oil one.
 
temptation1 said:
Thanks again. I bought new 'O' rings for the dipstick and the strainer a few months ago, so I am happy that they are tight. I'll keep an eye on it. The gearbox has a very shallow dipstick and a different fitting and it cannot be confused with the oil one.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.. it was just a thought.

I think I would put in the specified amount of oil then use the dipstick that comes close to that being the correct level.
 
I don't think that the inclination of the engine in a 'typical' boat installation would make much difference on such a short sump. As long as the oil level is between the two marks, in practice, there should be no problems.
 
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