Volvo D4/6 & DPH, status.

[Geoffs]

I've just clocked up 480hrs on my D4 - 260 / DPH, and I have to say it's all been faultless so far, dangerous thing to say, perhaps, hope I don't regret it. OK, so my boat is dry berthed and I guess everything has a fairly easy time.

I just been wondering if anyone has any more hours clocked up, and their experiences. We all know about some injector troubles, steering ram and prop corrosion issues. Has anyone had any other things cause difficilites, and at what sort of hours?

Don't want any Volvo bashers ( hi DAKA /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ), just real people's first hand real experiences.

 

[andy59]

I have a D4 300 and apart from rams and prop issues its been fine , pushes my bavaria 30 up to 31 knots and cruises at 2800 rpm using 40 litres an hour , im well pleased with that.

 

[strakeryrius]

Re: Volvo D4/6 & DPH, status.

On a previous boat (bought with 440 hours) that had KAD44s I started to get problems with overheating that were hard to trace at about 480 hours. Eventually tracked it down to the fact that the previous owner had never bothered to have the tappets done - ever. They're supposed to be done every 200 hours.

 

[DAKA]

Hi Geoff,

I am sorry if some of my contributions have come across that way, you are one of only two forum members that know why I was particularly annoyed with the D4 series and unbelievable seagull droppings warranty service that followed.

However this is not my fight and I will keep out of your thread as requested /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif



Can I just post this photo without comment ?

May I take this opportunity to apologise for
previous comments here

and here http://www.batliv.com/wip4/bildekarusell.epl?id=179395&offset=3

 

[Nigelhg]

Ouch!! Split injector sleeve?...how'd that happen?

 

[pissativlypossed]

Hi
Earlier engines (D6) were fitted with a composite end cover for the turbo intercooler, which warped over time and caused water to leak from around the edge. This inturn led to corrosion of the aluminium intercooler housing which in turn led to catasrophic failiure.
There was an upgrade to a phosphur bronze end cap, which cured the problem, some Volvo agents (including ours) did not complete the upgrade, with obvious results.
Not sure when the recall was made and ours were one of the first D6 installations in the UK.

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
I've just clocked up 480hrs on my D4 - 260 / DPH, and I have to say it's all been faultless so far,

[/ QUOTE ]

Just goes to show what happens when you use a boat! I know when you took over the boat from Pete and you have to be congratulated on the time you have spent on her.

I know you are out at every opportunity and the boat is all the better for it.

 

[Vagabond]

Well I am sorry to say that I have had trouble ...

Not with the engines, they are really fantastic but with the EDC-C system. Looks like it is not the fault of Vovlo but may have been due to the cables being too tight on the engine side leading to connection problems and red herring fault codes...

I am still really pleased with them though. Smooth, quiet and no smoke!

 

[oceandrive]

This post has just fallen into my hot topic for the week. As our school boat has been suffering overheating when pushed to full revs late last season. we tried all the usual stuff impellors, blockages in the raw water system etc and all seemed fine. tested the boat and every time I floored the throttles the temp would build and alarms start etc. As we are based in Menorca and the water is quite warm I took a swim around the stern drives to do the usual monthly scrub up. whilst scrubbing away at the stern drives I inspected the raw water intakes each side front of legs. looked OK but as I could not get round the overheating problem decided to remove the cover plates. I did this and found that a build up of barnicles had formed on the flat surface on the inside so I removed both plates from one leg, not realising that the star bolts went right through so dropping one down to the sea bed. Oh I've dropped one I thought, or similar works as it sank right down to the sea bed and vanished into the sand. out came the fins snorkle mask etc and the origional Marlborough man decides he can get down 7m to get it back. after trying for about 30 mins I eventualy found it nearly dying in the process and needed about four fags to get over the whole thing and resume normal breathing. Great thing was that I then tested the boat and with the intake covers removed no alarms no over heating, I have decided that even though the intakes can look clean and unblocked from the outside they are very small holes and take nothing to block up on the flat internal side. for this season we have antifouled the plate backs in hope that it may hold off any build up of barnicles during this season and so far achiving full RPM no overheating and all seems fine.

So there you go D4 overheating check the inner surface of your intake cover plates. worked for me. Just don't screw them off under water and drop them like I did!

My advice to anybody with D4s D6s is to antifoul the back of the plates and remove and clean every season. We also blasted a good shot of sulphamat ( Acid cleaner) up the intakes to clear any further nasties up there.

Hope it fixes for you as it has for me.