Volvo 41P

Jamie Dundee

Jamie Dundee

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Hi guys. I'm looking at an older Antares 760 with the above engine fitted. Any particular horror stories associated with this engine? Specifically TAMD41 200hp.

Cheers
 
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Jamie Dundee said:
Hi guys. I'm looking at an older Antares 760 with the above engine fitted. Any particular horror stories associated with this engine? Specifically TAMD41 200hp.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I have one of those with the same engine (TAMD41P). had it for 5 years now. Great combination with no significant problems. I understand some engines suffer from water leak, causing corrosion of the engine oil heat exchanger and some have head gaskets leaks but both are easily detectable by a competent person before you commit to buy and both are fixable if the price is right.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
This engine has been around virtually since the dugout canoe.It started life as the 40A in the late 1970s.
A bit like the Porsche, has undergone many minor improvements over the years.
A simple robust and reliable engine, providing the very basic servicing required, has been carried out by previous owners.
It is not prone to the the many electronic maladies of later VP engines or the mechanical problems associated with trying to squeeze a few extra HP by way of a supercharger.
A good old fashioned reliable and economic engine that is simple and cheap to maintain.
 
Good news, thanks to both for your replies. I'll check for any sign of water leakage under the engine and it might be worth getting an oil analysis done. The engine looks clean with no sign of corrosion in the photos, no telling how old the photos are though.
 
Depending on age hours are no real guide to engine condition.
My suggestion before oil analysis etc, would be to go for a decent extended run in the thing at WOT and monitor temps/ pressures/volts while underway.
Make sure engine starts virtually instantly from COLD without vast clouds of smoke, on your return check what the oil pressure is at idle immediately after run.
Engine temps should quickly drop back to normal.
Would then lift the covers while still running and check for signs of any distress with both your eyes and ears.

Not sure what gearbox is in this boat but hydraulic is best.
 
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oldgit said:
Depending on age hours are no real guide to engine condition.
My suggestion before oil analysis etc, would be to go for a decent extended run in the thing at WOT and monitor temps/ pressures/volts while underway.
Make sure engine starts virtually instantly from COLD without vast clouds of smoke, on your return check what the oil pressure is at idle immediately after run.
Engine temps should quickly drop back to normal.
Would then lift the covers while still running and check for signs of any distress with both your eyes and ears.

Not sure what gearbox is in this boat but hydraulic is best.
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I'm going to see the boat on Monday and will sea trial on Tuesday if all is ok. I'll keep an eye on things as you suggest. Not sure on gearbox, although I believe the turbo was replaced last year. Current engine hours 620, so fairly light on a 19 year old boat.
 
My 18 year old boat (Antares 10.8) has two TAMD41Ps, I had a problem this year with one not cooling enough, it was eventually traced to lobes from an old impeller blocking the oil cooler - they had been somewhere in the seawater side since before I bought the boat 4 years ago. When I bought her she came with some spares, which included a cheap (£20 price ticket still on the package) non-Volvo impeller, so that might have been similar to what had failed in the past. Even with this extra material in the cooling system, temperatures dropped to normal quickly when at idle.
Haven't had any problems at all with the other engine, genuine Volvo spares have been used in all services while in my possession, and carried on board.
Gearboxes on this boat are hydraulic.
 
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Alanij said:
My 18 year old boat (Antares 10.8) has two TAMD41Ps, I had a problem this year with one not cooling enough, it was eventually traced to lobes from an old impeller blocking the oil cooler - they had been somewhere in the seawater side since before I bought the boat 4 years ago. When I bought her she came with some spares, which included a cheap (£20 price ticket still on the package) non-Volvo impeller, so that might have been similar to what had failed in the past. Even with this extra material in the cooling system, temperatures dropped to normal quickly when at idle.
Haven't had any problems at all with the other engine, genuine Volvo spares have been used in all services while in my possession, and carried on board.
Gearboxes on this boat are hydraulic.
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Cheers for that, I'll try to get a look at any recent receipts as current owner says he has full recent history.
 
Changing the impellors on regular basis, usually every 2 years or so is probably the single cheapest and simplest way to avoid stressful events while moving and expense afterwards.
Buying genuine VP is not a always guarantee of reliability, no matter what you buy, change the perishing things on a regular basis.
So whats the real problem and why is the job not carried out.

Some of us suspect that boat designers, the newer the boat the worse ?, are all Hobbits with articulated arms and eyes on stalks.
Access to waterpump is awful on many boats and French boats can be the chief offenders.

On my P35,(2 x 41B) its a walk in the park and have changed impellors on the difficult engine underway with a set of pliars and a screwdriver.Plenty of space in front ot engine.
On my chums P360 with the 385HP engines your cannot even feel the hidden pump housing, let alone see it.
No wonder nobody wants to change the blimming thing.
Also suspect that many many boats are trundling around with bits of impellor tucked away in the corners of their cooling systems.The bits only coming to light when the oil coolers are eventually dismantled.
 
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Just to clarify, I have changed the impellers previously, and they were also changed during the last service in April. I don't expect flexible rubber to last indefinitely.
They're fairly easy to get at on my boat, particularly on the port engine - there's a hatch from the guest cabin giving direct access to the front of the engine. I freely admit to not having a clue what the access is like on the smaller 7.60 the OP was asking about.
 
Alanij said:
I freely admit to not having a clue what the access is like on the smaller 7.60 the OP was asking about.
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I’ll find out tomorrow. From the photos I’ve seen there would appear to be a small hatch in front of the main access hatch which would give access to the water pump.
 
Jamie Dundee said:
I’ll find out tomorrow. From the photos I’ve seen there would appear to be a small hatch in front of the main access hatch which would give access to the water pump.
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Don't let the not so good seawater pump access influence your purchase. If you want better access I can share pictures of the modification I have made to make it easier. Good luck with the viewing.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
I would remove the zinc anode plugs and see if these are ok. The gearbox oil and main heat exchangers are susceptible to dezincification if the zincs aren't maintained and replacements are scarce and uber expensive although it is simple to replace the gearbox oil cooler with an alternative such as Bowman at a fraction of the VP price.

If you do buy it I have a host of manuals for the 40 series engines, just PM me and I will send you the links on Dropbox.
 
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superheat6k said:
I would remove the zinc anode plugs and see if these are ok. The gearbox oil and main heat exchangers are susceptible to dezincification if the zincs aren't maintained and replacements are scarce and uber expensive although it is simple to replace the gearbox oil cooler with an alternative such as Bowman at a fraction of the VP price.

If you do buy it I have a host of manuals for the 40 series engines, just PM me and I will send you the links on Dropbox.
Click to expand...

The 41P does not have any anodes in the cooling circuit and no problems of dezinc of the heat exchangers. Mine are 20 years old and all good - so far.......

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
The small hatch at the forward end of the cabin gives good access to the water pump. There is just enough room to get an impeller removal tool between the pump and the aftermost battery.
 
Had a good look over the boat, all seems good. The engine looks clean, sounds very quiet and sweet and starts on the button without plumes of smoke. It does, however, continue to smoke at tick over when cold. Going out for sea trial tomorrow so hopefully will be ok once warmed up. Oil pressure around 80psi when cold at idle which seems a bit high. Any thoughts on a smokey cold idle?
 
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