Overheating Volvo 2001

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tomsis

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Hi, I've just bought a Moody 31 MkII (1987 built), so I'm still getting to know it. The other week we were motoring into a big swell round Start Pt (maybe 1.5m from trough to peak), doing about 5 kts at 2300 rpm, when we overheated. We turnd around and sailed back to Dartmouth, and no probs with the engine since. I checked the water intake, and the strainer, which were fine.

So my question is, was I just over-revving her? Or do the revs that an engine can manage without overheating reduce if the sea the engine is running against is big? Or should the engine have handled it, and this points to some other problem?

Thoughts would be very welcome.

Thanks

Tom
 
are you sure it's a 2001? 12hp isn't a lot for pushing a big boat like a Moody 31. I would have expected at least a 2002, or even a 2003. The overheating might point to the intercooler needing pickled(if fitted) or the cooling system if raw seawater cooled; build up of crusty calcium deposits is the usual problem. Could also point to it needing the pump impellor replaced.

cheers,
David
 
Should have coped.

Met somebody last week with an over heating Volvo. He was Danish, and as far as I could understand it was an air leak somewhre causing reduced water flow.
 
I had exactly the same odd event, occasional overheating. Having checked out pump impeller and strainers I was left with prehaps digging into the works, however, before that I filled engine (raw water cooled) with a calcium solvent ie stuff from builders murchant to wash off brickwork or kettle de-scaleing flud. left it for a week...no more over heating since"!!!
 
I've been struggling with an overheating VP 2003 (indirect cooled) for a year now. It runs happily at 2000rpm and below though there's lots of steam at the top end, especially if it has to work hard (yes, into wind, against a rough sea, the engine has to do more work even though the revs stay the same).

Common causes of VP overheating are blocked inlet or filter, faulty pump, clogged heat exchanger and (I think exclusive to Volvo) clogged exhaust mixing elbow.
I've investigated all these and still not fixed the problem. I don't think I've even improved on it so I'm open to other possible causes.

Regards,
Derek
 
Checked the impeller and strainer at the time of the problem.
I like the idea of putting de-scaler through the system. How do I tell it its raw water or fresh-water cooled?
 
"How do I tell it its raw water or fresh-water cooled?"

If it's fresh water cooled, it'll have a heat exchanger, which is a cylinder, above the alternator and a header tank with a filler cap just like a car's above that.
 
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