Simonk
New member
Anybody got any views on the KAD 300s,good, bad ,indifferent,reliability, etc. Any views appreciated. Thank you.
Volvo KAD 300s
- Thread starter Simonk
- Start date
Roy
New member
Don't know - but they will be as good as any Volvos if properly maintained? 285hp 6cyl 24 valve with supercharger/turbo/aftercooler sterndrive duoprop set up is all I know cause I happen to have the book on it>>> /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
hlb
RIP
Dont worry some one will be along shortly!!
spannerman
Well-known member
We have been servicing them for a couple of years now and they don't suffer from any major problems as did the earlier KAD 42, 43, which are based on the same block. True its at the limit of how much horsepower you can pull out of a 3.6 block. However like most Volvos you can expect niggling small faults as it gets older, i,e, oil, coolant leaks.
An engine worth considering is the Mercruiser D300, which is a geniune 300hp at the crank and does it without a blower, but has a 4.2 block instead so its a lot less stressed, I have installed 7 of these and the owners were very impressed with the high torque this engine produces. Can honestly say in 8 years with a Mercruiser dealerI have never dismantled a Mercruiser diesel, but lost count of the Volvos! Another strong reliable motor is Yanmar, pull out around 40 Volvos a year and replace them with Yanmars, very simple, no electronics to worry about, but the 300 hp models are known for eating drives in certain vessel, motor combinations.
An engine worth considering is the Mercruiser D300, which is a geniune 300hp at the crank and does it without a blower, but has a 4.2 block instead so its a lot less stressed, I have installed 7 of these and the owners were very impressed with the high torque this engine produces. Can honestly say in 8 years with a Mercruiser dealerI have never dismantled a Mercruiser diesel, but lost count of the Volvos! Another strong reliable motor is Yanmar, pull out around 40 Volvos a year and replace them with Yanmars, very simple, no electronics to worry about, but the 300 hp models are known for eating drives in certain vessel, motor combinations.
DPH
Active member
I've had a pair for two seasons and 400 hours.
No problems with the engines at all, serviced every 100 hours. They do seem to smoke a bit when cold.
If buying new I would be more tempted to go for the D6, more efficient, cleaner thus less smoke and not as stressed although a lot heavier.
No problems with the engines at all, serviced every 100 hours. They do seem to smoke a bit when cold.
If buying new I would be more tempted to go for the D6, more efficient, cleaner thus less smoke and not as stressed although a lot heavier.
Benny1
Member
Hi,
We too have had the 300's in our boat for the past two and seasons. Not a thing has gone wrong thus far (touch wood), unlike the KAD 42's we had before, which were an absolute nightmare.
As has been said above they do smoke a bit when cold, but it's only a little bit and after 2-3 mins it's gone. It's nothing like the huge clouds of smoke that older diesels produced though. Again as above, I think if we were buying our boat new we'd go for the D6's instead.
Hope this helps.
We too have had the 300's in our boat for the past two and seasons. Not a thing has gone wrong thus far (touch wood), unlike the KAD 42's we had before, which were an absolute nightmare.
As has been said above they do smoke a bit when cold, but it's only a little bit and after 2-3 mins it's gone. It's nothing like the huge clouds of smoke that older diesels produced though. Again as above, I think if we were buying our boat new we'd go for the D6's instead.
Hope this helps.
jimduncan1
New member
Spannerman et al,
Any comments on the Mercruiser D2.8L would be appreciated as I'm looking at a boat with one at the moment. Many thanks
Any comments on the Mercruiser D2.8L would be appreciated as I'm looking at a boat with one at the moment. Many thanks
Renegade_Master
New member
Hi Spannerman I put a thread on here a little while ago about the circular compressor belt tensioner on 43's. Last time one went and took the belts with it. I have replaced two on each engine in the last 18months, does that sound a lot? Oh the engines have done about 1000hrs in that time
spannerman
Well-known member
Again I can't praise Mercruiser diesels enough, very reliable if serviced properly. The D2.8L is a sound motor, starts easily hot or cold. My only advice is to try the boat as large displacement 4 cylinder engines are not so smooth as 6 cyls, and the engine is quite noisy and throbby unless well insulated, but uses very little fuel. Once drove a 24ft pocket cruiser non stop for 5 hrs one evening and was becoming alarmed that the fuel gauge was faulty as it didn't move, filled up and found it was right, it just was very economical.
What is absolutely vital is that there is a good quality water seperator in the fuel line as these injection pumps won't tolerate any water and over here they are £5,000 to replace, the Merc handbook specifies that you drain the water from the filters every day! Just pulled one off a Volvo KAD 44, nearly the same pump and its the electronics which fail, it has a fuel temp sensor a few other bits which rust and the pump usually has to be exchanged.
Good Luck Steve
What is absolutely vital is that there is a good quality water seperator in the fuel line as these injection pumps won't tolerate any water and over here they are £5,000 to replace, the Merc handbook specifies that you drain the water from the filters every day! Just pulled one off a Volvo KAD 44, nearly the same pump and its the electronics which fail, it has a fuel temp sensor a few other bits which rust and the pump usually has to be exchanged.
Good Luck Steve
spannerman
Well-known member
Does sound a bit excessive, Volvo did a mod kit for these engines as the tensioners kept collapsing, has yours been done? If not let me know and I will find out the part number, regards Steve
mercman
New member
[ QUOTE ]
[/ QUOTE ] as a Mercruiser dealer you have never had a merc diesel apart.
Maybe you are a very small mercruiser dealer. I loose count the amount of merc diesels i have probs with. The 2.8 + 4.2 are the main culprits. So was the 7.3 V8 but they dropped this thank god. I can list pages and pages of probs on these engines but there not enough pages on the thread!!!
Now Cummins are linked the NEW 2.8 170 hp AND 2.8 200 hp have appeared. A completely new new engine block, heads, pistons , coolers, heat exchangers everything!! It looks like they have addressed a lot of the probs except the positioning of the ECM its in line with the belt run. A bit of water in the bilge and hey presto all over the £2000 electronic unit!!!
The 4.2 230,270 and 320 hp units (these are the new hp ratings) have had a few issues dealt with ie left handed thread on crank pulley to stop them coming off (major fault with the engine). New heads and turbo thats about it.
If you want a list of faults pm me gladly share our wealth of knowledge with you to help you in you service work
[/ QUOTE ] as a Mercruiser dealer you have never had a merc diesel apart.
Maybe you are a very small mercruiser dealer. I loose count the amount of merc diesels i have probs with. The 2.8 + 4.2 are the main culprits. So was the 7.3 V8 but they dropped this thank god. I can list pages and pages of probs on these engines but there not enough pages on the thread!!!
Now Cummins are linked the NEW 2.8 170 hp AND 2.8 200 hp have appeared. A completely new new engine block, heads, pistons , coolers, heat exchangers everything!! It looks like they have addressed a lot of the probs except the positioning of the ECM its in line with the belt run. A bit of water in the bilge and hey presto all over the £2000 electronic unit!!!
The 4.2 230,270 and 320 hp units (these are the new hp ratings) have had a few issues dealt with ie left handed thread on crank pulley to stop them coming off (major fault with the engine). New heads and turbo thats about it.
If you want a list of faults pm me gladly share our wealth of knowledge with you to help you in you service work
spannerman
Well-known member
Thanks for the offer but we are the main dealer in Stavanger, Norway where everyman and his dog has a boat. And we consistently have the top sales for Merc engines in the country. As I stated we just don't get problems like you do with Volvos, here Merc and Yanmar are the equivalent of a Jap car, just do the checks turn the key and go!
We make all of our repair income from Volvo, if it was only Yanmar and Merc our 5 technicians just wouldn't have enough work.
Hence, pull out and replace more of the green machines than any other .
We make all of our repair income from Volvo, if it was only Yanmar and Merc our 5 technicians just wouldn't have enough work.
Hence, pull out and replace more of the green machines than any other .
mercman
New member
Maybe we could swap companies for a week would be nice to work on another brand with problems. Like wise we to have no problems what so ever with the Yanmar and are a major supplier to a number of rib builders with these engines. The only probs are the black bits in the water. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
jimduncan1
New member
It's interesting to see how the opinion of Volvo is poorer from their own perspective while the Mercruiser perceived as better - and vice versa from the Mercruiser side !
I would be interested in the forum's views as to which Manufacturer is the more reliable in general terms.
Are there any specific opinions regarding the Mercruiser 2.8L compared with the Volvo KAD 32. (Reliability and performance).... not sure whether both are closed cooling systems?
Mercman I just received your PM and have replied back - would appreciate any list of common/chronic snags on either engine so that I can be a bit better prepared. Many thanks
I would be interested in the forum's views as to which Manufacturer is the more reliable in general terms.
Are there any specific opinions regarding the Mercruiser 2.8L compared with the Volvo KAD 32. (Reliability and performance).... not sure whether both are closed cooling systems?
Mercman I just received your PM and have replied back - would appreciate any list of common/chronic snags on either engine so that I can be a bit better prepared. Many thanks