Volvo D9 / D12 service - valve clearances

[Nick_H]

The service book for these engines states valve clearances should be checked every 12 mths or 800 hours. On lots of boats its a floor up job, so can add a fair bit to service costs.

It seems that VP have now issued an update, that they only need to be done every 800 hrs, and not every 12 mths, and that this applies retrospectively and not just to new engines.

VP main dealers should have had the notification, but I thought i'd mention it for anyone who's engines are out of warranty and uses an independant engineer.

 

[ians]

Nick
Would that include all the old Kad engines do you know ?
Mine are Kad 42 and are doddle to do, but a mate has just bought a boat with KAD44s which is a differant kettle of fish

Cheers

ian

 

[volvopaul]

Have em done when VP say, the ones ive done before have hardly needed any adjustment at all as its a good design, as long as it gets oil!

 

[jfm]

Thanks Nick. I've always been annoyed by the manual that says 800hrs or 12months. Thats just nonsense. Becuase of that, I've had mine done twice, needlessly. I did skip one year, despite protestation from dealer. The current downloadable manual 2007 on the VP website still says 12mths/800.

Can you provide a link or refernece number of this new announcement from Volvo?

Thanks and very timely becuase my service is in couple of weeks as you know and warranty

 

[Nick_H]

I don't have a link, but the info did come directly from the service manager at RK Marine, but I guess its worth checking to make sure I didn't misunderstand him, though i'm pretty sure I didn't. He said its only just come through, so it wouldn't be in the 2007 manual

Ians, it is only D9 and D12 the announcement relates to.

 

[Hurricane]

Never had our D12s valves done.
I asked around and the concensus was that every 800hrs should be perfectly good enough.
If it ait broke - dont fix it.

 

[rickp]

Indeed - the Cummins folks I have do my 450c were equally scathing of my manual which says every 2 years or 1000 hours. They only do them every 1000hours and ignore the 2 year bit - as you're right, its a nonsense to do them on anything but engine hours.

Rick

 

[ians]

Cheers Nick

 

[Piers]

[ QUOTE ]
If it ait broke - dont fix it

[/ QUOTE ]

A tad costly I suspect. Break probably means burnt valves / seats / hole in the piston, etc. Better in this case to adjust and prevent.

Can't see why the time limit applies, though. Surely time doesn't can't valve settings change unles the wee people are at wotk....

 

[jfm]

Yup it is total nonsense. There is no sense engineeringwise and volvo are wrong to say it. I only did mine becuase they were under warranty and i had to, to keep warranty valid. Now that I'm out of warranty I will only do it every 200 hrs

When mine were done, no adjustment was needed, as you'd expect! Extra euros 600 for the dealer though, half of which was for removing furniture to lift the saloon floor