Volvo MD2030 maintenance every 100 hours?

[haydude]

My Volvo manual recommends change of oil and maintenance every 100 hours. Which is practically after every 2 tanks full of diesel. If I had to do that to my diesel car I would have to change the oil once a month. Is that right?

 

[johnalison]

It depends how long you want to keep your boat. How long does it take to do the mileage in your car, and how long do you leave it idle? I change my 2030 oil as recommended because when I eventually sell the boat I hope to recover most of its value.

 

[Trundlebug]

Yes it's right

Yes, the manual for my MD31A's says the same thing.

Although I too thought it was a bit over the top, especially given the sump capacity (9 litres each!) I have reflected and the following have to be considered:-
1) Although as you say, it's after 2 tankfulls, they are much bigger tanks than your car - and I'm sure you'll agree that 100 hours use is around one season's worth on average
2) The environment is much more damp than your car, and probably a lot saltier & more pootentially damaging, especially as it doesn't get used every day (unlike your car, on the whole)
3) The previous owner of my boat stuck religiously to the VP recommended oil change intervals. The engines have done over 1500 hours and upon testing by a VP agent when we bought the boat, are as good as new
4) Oil changes are the single most important piece of maintenance you can perform on a diesel engine, alongside fuel filter changes when in a marine application. There really isn't much else you have to do to them, and it's really easy to do. If you buy in bulk, i.e. 25L drums, you can buy the oil at a good price too. Not that much for the old girl to ask really is it?

When I considered the above, I too have continued the practice.

You are of course free to make your own decisions!

 

[haydude]

Of course I will follow the recommendations. But really the technology in these engines isn't worth the expense.

 

[Cantata]

I'm sure the average yacht does far less than 100 hours motoring a year - we cruise a lot, but I've done only 62 hours so far this year (even that's a lot for me).
So you're only being asked to do the same as is good for a car diesel engine (regardless of 'modern' service intervals). And the usual advice is to change the oil and filter before the winter lay-up anyway so that the waste products including acids don't sit in your engine all winter chewing up the internals.
5L oil and a filter, about 20 quid, not much each year to protect your investment.
Sure a boat engine is expensive for what it is, no doubt the price is set by the limited demand for them compared with a car engine, for instance.

 

[Bilgediver]

My Volvo manual recommends change of oil and maintenance every 100 hours. Which is practically after every 2 tanks full of diesel. If I had to do that to my diesel car I would have to change the oil once a month. Is that right?

Might seem over the top but dont ignore fuel dilution from cranckcase mounted fuel pumps.....Most folk DO

This is not a probem with cars.

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

My Volvo manual recommends change of oil and maintenance every 100 hours. Which is practically after every 2 tanks full of diesel. If I had to do that to my diesel car I would have to change the oil once a month. Is that right?

Its not a sensible comparison. Your car diesel engine is likely a much more modern design. It will run for much longer periods at a time - if it is doing repeated cold starts then you should change the car oil more often. Or conversely, it you are doing 100 hrs in your boat each month you can prolong the oil change. And your car engine is likely to have fully synthetic lubricants these days.

The 2030 is a Jap engine from the early 90s.

 

[colvic987]

Of course I will follow the recommendations. But really the technology in these engines isn't worth the expense.

It is when you have to reengine a couple of years down the line, cars are run every day normally twice a day on average, but the boat has weeks without being used, and normally cooled by seawater, your car has a nice mixture of antifreeze and inhibitors to help it along the way, marine engines are crude, by the technology of car engines you get today, but a couple of quid at the end of the season, shouldnt break the bank, and even cheaper if you do it yourself.

We all seem to question, why so much fuss its only done 100 hrs etc, but being in a harsher environment doesn't help...

and having to reengine to the average cost of a 3 year old second hand car (£6000/7000), then its worth it to me...

 

[asj47]

A different way to think about it

Consider that a diesel car going 60 mph for 100 hrs. will travel 6000 miles. 6000 mile oil change interval seems more reasonable.

 

[Skylark]

I'd guess that for most of us, 100 hours is significantly more than one season's use. Certainly it is for me and I have the same beloved Penta engine.

Pretty much the last job I do before haul-out is to change the oil and filter, reagrdless of how many actual engine hours have been run during the season.

The greatest advancement in my circumstances was buying a 12v oil extractor. Removing the filter isn't overly difficult but you need to be a genius to avoid spills.

As everyone else has said, best to avoid fuel dillution and acidic byproducts of combustion from harming your engine.

Clean and fresh oil and fuel is good, don't forget clean air, either. Please clean the air filter and she's pay you back handsomely over the years.