Volvo 2000 series g'box problem

[dansar]

Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

I have been offered a chance of buying a 15 year old Westerly, which has covered about 20,000 miles. I have learnt from various friends that some Volvo 2000 engines have experienced sudden failure of the engine to gearbox drive coupling with no prior warning. This is due to the wear on the gearbox splined drive shaft. I have checked the Westerly Owners website and found some details of this problem.

Questions. Has anyone experienced this problem if so what is the approx cost of a marina/marine engineer to repair?--- (think of a figure and multiply it by 4!!!!!) or perhaps a replacement 'box may be a alternative option, which I could fit myself.

Comments would be appreciated.

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[tony_brighton]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

Presumably a quick chat with the local Volvo rep would yield a quote.

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[dickh]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

As I understandt, it only applies to gearboxes of a certain age - Volvo have the details of serial no's etc, and I would have thought the Westerly site does also from memory. The VP solution is expensive or a new gearbo(even more expensive or you can get conversion kit from someone on the Thames I think for even less money. Whicever way the gear box has to be removed.

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I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Badger]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

I had 2 brand new gearboxes fail on a 2030 a couple of years ago. Might be cheaper to fit a Yanmar.

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[Peter_the_Grate]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

We bought a Storm with a Volvo 2003 last year but took a look at the splines before we parted with the cash. We were able to unbolt the gearbox and drop it back a couple of inches (no more) so that the geabox flange cleared the housing in the engine side and were able to see the splines (which were OK) using a torch. We also took a photo of the splines using a digital camera and were able to blow it up (size-wise) on a computer and see that the splines were not damaged. We will fit the Volvo modification during the next lift-out. I recall that the Volvo mod costs under £100 and can be fitted by sliding the gearbox back as we did when we looked at it.

If your splines are worn, the modification using the DB Marine kit (contact sales@dbmarine.co.uk) is rather more major and requires the geabox to be taken out and the primary shaft removed, then sent to DB to be machined.

In my view, first check the serial number of your gearbox against the list of affected serial numbers. Then, if you're able to do the work yourself, you should look at the splines first and then decide whether to worry. If you're using a boatyard or engineer, get them to uncouple the gearbox and then look at it yourself. There's no substitute for seeing it and having confidence in what you're going to be relying on or paying to have fixed.

A new gearbox, or worse, a new engine, is a lot to pay for when a £60 rubber drive coupling from Volvo is all that's required.

P.

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[colinF]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

Ours is an "at risk" engine, but the whole engine would have to come out to check it. Only 600 or so hours on it just now so we will leave it for the time being.

have a look at the Moody site - that has quite a lot of info too, including a letter from Volvo. Various fixes are suggested, depending on the degree of deterioration. What I can't find out is the proportion of boats with these engines that suffer this problem. However, if is a design fault (which Volvo denies, of course, then I guess most or all will, eventually.

If we do put in another gearbox, or another engine, it won't be a Volvo.

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[dansar]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

Many thanks to those who have replied--I have sent PM's

Many thanks

David

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[andyball]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

A local engineer while moaning about Vo£vo prices showed me a worn spline from one & the part it mated with & reckoned it had cost £800 !.(+labour)

Suggest calling parts place & being sure.

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[Birdseye]

Re: Volvo 2000 series g\'box problem

3 of my friends - none with any great mechanical skills - have used the kits to repair the gearboxes themselves. has not cost any of them a huge amount (less than £100 I think) and was not difficult to do.

there are far worse problems to worry about on a 15 year old boat!

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