Volvo D6 - KAD 300

[Chris H]

Are these the same engine ? They seem to come in 285/310 and 330hp, would it be just a ECU tune to get a 285 to a 330 or is there something major that gets you the extra power.

 

[Bandit]

There are only two similarities the HP rating and they are both green.

completely different engines, the D4 and D6 were brought in to replace the 40 series engine and the final one was the KAD 300 and the 63 series engines and to be able to comply with modern emission regulations which have come in to force.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Kad 300 or as Bandit says the 40 series engine, is a six cylinder 3.6 liter. The Kad300 at 285hp is the last of the 40 series engine which was born in the early eighties as a 130hp unit.
D6 available in 310 - 330 - 350 - 370 - 400 - 435hp is 5.5 liter six cylinder block.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Kad 300 or as Bandit says the 40 series engine, is a six cylinder 3.6 liter. The Kad300 at 285hp is the last of the 40 series engine which was born in the early eighties as a 130hp unit.
D6 available in 310 - 330 - 350 - 370 - 400 - 435hp is 5.5 liter six cylinder block.

Good effort PYB but for ocd completeness I am obliged to point out that the D6 was also available as a 280

 

[oldgit]

40A 3.6L (90 HP) can be traced back to 1977, a replacement for the slightly smaller 3.2L MD32. 1970 - 1977.

 

[Chris H]

Thanks chaps, is it possible to upgrade the power outputs without changing major components ?

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Thanks chaps, is it possible to upgrade the power outputs without changing major components ?

Under discussion here (short answer: no)

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?514285-Beefing-up-the-engine

 

[volvopaul]

At 10 years old the D4/6 is getting A very expensive engine to maintain.

 

[petem]

At 10 years old the D4/6 is getting A very expensive engine to maintain.

Worse than the KADs Paul?

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Good effort PYB but for ocd completeness I am obliged to point out that the D6 was also available as a 280

Never knew that. You learn something everyday even from a builder.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

even from a builder.

 

[[2068]]

Worse than the KADs Paul?

Swings and roundabouts.
D4/D6 don’t need valve clearances checked and there are less belts.
But keeping the cooling system tip top is a challenge, and if gear actuators or HCU/PCU fail it gets very expensive.
Steering rams are much cheaper now if they fail, and I had a slightly odd problem when my outdrive tie-bar self destructed.

 

[volvopaul]

Worse than the KADs Paul?

Looking at the pair I’m doing at the moment yes, the KAD doesn’t require the level of repair at 10 years old that this pair of D series requires.

 

[[2068]]

Looking at the pair I’m doing at the moment yes, the KAD doesn’t require the level of repair at 10 years old that this pair of D series requires.

What needs repairing?

 

[julians]

Yeah interested to hear what these particular d series need at 10 years old.

I'm the owner of a 13 year old d4...... Eeek

 

[volvopaul]

What needs repairing?

Both drives with emulsified oil.
Shift cables
Steering cable
Both heat exchangers need strip clean , new end caps
Oil coolers strip clean and new housings
Intercoolers , strip clean and new parts to make good and quite a list of small items , in comparison to the earlier KAD series engine the longevity of cooler parts are far more robust in fighting off the marine environments.

The materials used in construction of the coolers in order to save weight hits the pocket of the owner at this stage in time.

 

[julians]

Both drives with emulsified oil. - not had this one yet.
Shift cables - yep had this
Steering cable - not had yet
Both heat exchangers need strip clean , new end caps - yep had this
Oil coolers strip clean and new housings - not had this yet
Intercoolers , strip clean and new parts - not had this yet.

Also to add to the list :-

New belt pulleys
Power steering relief valve starting to fail
Cracked raw water strainer housing

 

[volvopaul]

Both drives with emulsified oil. - not had this one yet.
Shift cables - yep had this
Steering cable - not had yet
Both heat exchangers need strip clean , new end caps - yep had this
Oil coolers strip clean and new housings - not had this yet
Intercoolers , strip clean and new parts - not had this yet.

Also to add to the list :-

New belt pulleys
Power steering relief valve starting to fail
Cracked raw water strainer housing

Pulleys were a mod from plastic to steel , doing this as well.
Relief valve fails due to water in oil corroding internals .
Water strainers another mod..

Not much of this on the previous engines, but it’s good for business .

VP had to keep the weight down to sell engines so the ancillaries had to be made of lightweight materials, it’s just like modern cars , there full of plastic.

 

[EricJ]

Pulleys were a mod from plastic to steel , doing this as well.
Relief valve fails due to water in oil corroding internals .
Water strainers another mod..

Not much of this on the previous engines, but it’s good for business .

VP had to keep the weight down to sell engines so the ancillaries had to be made of lightweight materials, it’s just like modern cars , there full of plastic.

Does the same apply to the D3 series? I heard this week in Dusseldorf that this is an aluminium block while the D4 and D6 were considered more utilitarian engines. Is the (latest) D3 possibly worse on that scale?
Cheers

 

[volvopaul]

Does the same apply to the D3 series? I heard this week in Dusseldorf that this is an aluminium block while the D4 and D6 were considered more utilitarian engines. Is the (latest) D3 possibly worse on that scale?
Cheers

No D 3 , early one derived from car engine , D3 quite a robust motor let down by silly trivial faults .
Latest one a lot better based on newer automotive block , most faults sorted. Some service items prove a difficult task down to installation which isn’t Volvos fault.