Service kits - are cheap alternatives any good?

[rotrax]

I am please to see brands like Baldwin , Mann and Wix mentioned as I have been using them with no apparent issues .

Probably the biggest saving is the Mann air filters that are two for under a tenner if best use is made of discount codes (euro car parts)compared to Volvo Penta at two for £50.
Crosland are even cheaper for air filters with the only visible difference being the packaging.
The cardboard box for the Crosland filters is very cheap looking and the filter inside is not in sealed polythene bag like the Mann filter .

The savings add up and I don't consider the alternatives to be sub standard.

For belts I stay with the engine makers product as others have found alternatives to be unsatisfactory.

Impellers I am experimenting - too early to judge but will need to inspect them before we go anywhere - they have possibly been idle for too long.

The Yanmar OE alternator belt on my 4JH-HTE lasts five minutes. The Gates replacement lasts three years and is still good.

Works for me!

 

[Momac]

The Yanmar OE alternator belt on my 4JH-HTE lasts five minutes. The Gates replacement lasts three years and is still good.

Works for me!

On Volvo Penta motorboat engine (with supercharger) I have heard of a Gates belt failing promptly even though it was the correct size and fitted by a qualified mechanic . I have lived with the same engine model years with Volvo Penta belts . Its one of the few exceptions as I am all in favour of finding alternatives at a better price .
There are also some other parts such as drive bellows where aftermarket items are known to be inferior and therefore false economy as the consequences of failure are potentially severe - fortunately the Volvo prices for these are not too excessive.

 

[Quandary]

I'd be interested to know what is the base engine related to the VP D1-20?

Have a good look around the engine, you should find that the original Japanese Perkins tag is still there complete with their model number.

 

[alancollins]

While servicing my Volvo engine I chatted to the mechanic working on the boat alongside mine in the yard. I told him what I was doing for an annual service and he said he would do exactly the same. He asked if I used genuine or pattern parts and was pleased I always use Volvo bits. He said he couldn't understand why someone would want to save perhaps £100 when servicing a £20000 engine.