Oil pressure - TAMD71A?

royaldo

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Hi,

I recently bought a boat with two TAMD71A engines with about 1360 hours. Before purchase, I had the boat surveyed by a local survey company with no remarks to the engines. Afterwards, when the deal was done I discovered the following:

Coldstart:
RPM ~475 (idle - appears to be set low)
Temperature ~30-40 C
Oilpressure ~62 PSI

(same for port and starboard)

Hot engines after sailing for 45 minutes or so:

Port:
RPM ~2000
Temperature ~100 C (hot but does not rise further)
Oilpressure ~50 PSI
Transmission ~230 PSI

Starboard:
RPM ~1850
Temperature ~95 C
Oilpressure ~50 PSI
Transmission ~275 PSI

With hot engines the oil pressure is around 30 PSI on both engines on idle. Surveyer reported that temperature was 93 C on both engines, tested with infrared gauge, when he had the boat on sea-trial. All my measurements is taken from the electric gauges which is as old as the engines...

As I recall, the Volvo manuals specify a minimum oil pressure at idle at about 30 PSI and about 65 PSI under operating conditions on the engines and about min. 295 PSI on the transmissions.

I'm starting with changing all oils and filters, checking the cooling system and having the pressure numbers checked with manual gauges. Other relevant items to check?

Am I being overly concerned about these numbers?
 
Last edited:
Not really as oil pressure is little more than an indicator and oil flow or volume of oil is more important.

You could have the wrong oil in the engine and using the correct oil may raise the oil pressure, or a blocked or restricted filter could reduce flow and pressure.
 
No need to worry - except get the idle adjusted.
When at operating temp 30 PSI at idle is fine …. also 50 PSI at operating is fine. Most manuals specify min. 25 PSI at idle and 40-70 PSI at operating temps so you should be very good.
a little more than 60 PSI cold at idle is also fine.
Changing oil/ filters is always good - Then you know what spec of oil you have in the engines.
Make sure to change filters/ oil EVERY season.
 
No need to worry - except get the idle adjusted.
When at operating temp 30 PSI at idle is fine …. also 50 PSI at operating is fine. Most manuals specify min. 25 PSI at idle and 40-70 PSI at operating temps so you should be very good.
a little more than 60 PSI cold at idle is also fine.
Changing oil/ filters is always good - Then you know what spec of oil you have in the engines.
Make sure to change filters/ oil EVERY season.

Thank you. Yes, but the volvo manual for TAMD71 specifies that the pressure should be above 65 psi. I can see that there are an early/late edition of the TAMD71, where the later has a higher volume/pressure pump. Mine is from from '89 which I guess would make it an early edition.
 
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