Volvo Panta D3 REV range question

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Burkstar

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Hello all

I have just purchased a boat which is fitted with a D3-130
The boat is an Aquafish 23 (23 feet planning hull)

I noticed that while on the sea trial the boat performed well, even better than expected but only revs to maximum 3000rpm
At 2500rpm the boat gets up on the plain quickly and cruised at 17/18 knots flat out at 3000rpm she got up to a steady 25 knots which is, as ive been advised about spot on but the spec for my engine says it should rev to 4000rpm

It really makes no sense to me, all seems well, it purs like a kitten, doesn't seem in any way under stress, accelerates great, turbo seems to work fine, whistles like it should so I am seeking advise please.
The bottom is spotless, the engine has just been fully serviced it performs as well if not a bit better than I expected yet the rev issue confuses me?

I cant get any previous info as the whether it used to rev round to 4000rpm because the previous owner is no longer with us.
I did purchase the boat at a very very reasonable price.

One other issue, the diagnostic says there is water in the fuel yet I am advised by the boat yard that they have checked everything and that really isn't the case. Could that have something to do with the rev issue?

I haven't yet had the opportunity the run the engine up out of the water to see if it will then rev to 4000rpm.

That's about all I can tell you, any advised would be very appreciated.
 
No need for diagnostics, if the engine is in any way over propped the ecu will know this and only allow it to perform to the prop load factor. I'd be getting some prop calcs done before you start ripping it to bits.
 
Hi Volvopaul and thanks for your imput.

Are you saying that if the boat is over propped the ecu will adjust and save itself from serious damage?
If that is the case and im happy with the way the boat performs as it is, could I leave it as it is without doing any long term serious damage?

I have already emailed both Cair and Coastal rides as they were the main 2 builders of the Aquafish 23 to find out from them what the correct size and pitch prop should be fitted but I have had no joy.

As for self calculating what the prop should be, thats well beyond my pea sized brain. Big maths required by all accounts.
 
Contact a prop company with all your info , they will ask you what they need . I'd also ask C R what they fitted prop size and how they deduced that info.
 
volvopaul said:
No need for diagnostics, if the engine is in any way over propped the ecu will know this and only allow it to perform to the prop load factor. I'd be getting some prop calcs done before you start ripping it to bits.
Click to expand...

I had been staying away from this until VP popped up. Just a few observations.

Cat, Cummins and many other manufacturers give % engine load on digital display without resorting to use of service tooling. Cannot believe that EVC does not offer that feature........

Looking at VP sheets I was surprised to see dramatic reduction in rated speed e.g 1,000 rpm in later Tier 3 ratings, why?

One for OP, you can rely 100% on rpm displayed with full authority electronic engine as it is displaying what engine speed actually 'sees' in order to run, no need for digital tacho.
 
Latestarter1 said:
I had been staying away from this until VP popped up. Just a few observations.

Cat, Cummins and many other manufacturers give % engine load on digital display without resorting to use of service tooling. Cannot believe that EVC does not offer that feature........

Looking at VP sheets I was surprised to see dramatic reduction in rated speed e.g 1,000 rpm in later Tier 3 ratings, why?

One for OP, you can rely 100% on rpm displayed with full authority electronic engine as it is displaying what engine speed actually 'sees' in order to run, no need for digital tacho.
Click to expand...


I have emailed Volvo Panta and given them all the details of the boat and asked for there recommendation on prop size, pitch etc.

Again Thank you all for your advise.
 
Got an even worse rev problem now.

Latestarter1 said:
As VolvoPaul suggested propeller specialist will be able to give better response.
Click to expand...

After some work I finally got the boat out on the water this evening.
Boat was still only revs round to 3k but was cruising nice at 2500 revs for about an hour, I was up and down on the rev range as where I keep the boat its a bit tricky and shallow in places.
Was fine for about an hour but I came down on the revs for yet another tricky bit and then it wouldn't rev above 2k for some reason.
There are no engine faults showing but its as if the turbo has stopped working.
I did knock it out of gear and reved it and it reved round no problem but that distinctive turbo whistle has gone when you come off the throttle.
Only thing I can think of is I did slam the boat off a large wave but for the next 15 mins the boat was fine?
Could I of knocked something loose ?

Please help, any advise would be appreciated.
 
Burkstar said:
After some work I finally got the boat out on the water this evening.
Boat was still only revs round to 3k but was cruising nice at 2500 revs for about an hour, I was up and down on the rev range as where I keep the boat its a bit tricky and shallow in places.
Was fine for about an hour but I came down on the revs for yet another tricky bit and then it wouldn't rev above 2k for some reason.
There are no engine faults showing but its as if the turbo has stopped working.
I did knock it out of gear and reved it and it reved round no problem but that distinctive turbo whistle has gone when you come off the throttle.
Only thing I can think of is I did slam the boat off a large wave but for the next 15 mins the boat was fine?
Could I of knocked something loose ?

Please help, any advise would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I think this is a very simple one, the fault you have will not show up on vodia as a fault but will show the low boost value, I'd say the boost sensor has failed and not giving correct value to ecu to give power, this could be all your problem and not after all a prop side issue, there about 75euro so well worth a swap before you get into prop calcs.

One other thing, when the engine is at max power check the fuel filter head hand primer, has it been sucked down? If so this means there is a restriction in the fuel line from the tank.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Paul
I hope your right as if so it sounds like a cheap easy fix.
Any advise as to where to purchase the sensor or is it a VP main dealer only product.
 
You said it had been recently serviced, just check that the engine diesel filter is tightened really well, we have experienced several times that the filter is leaking air which doesn't stop the engine but gives reduced power as you have described. The reason is the inner sealing ring is a little higher than the outer ring so when its screwed on the inner contacts the housing first before the outer ring gets compressed. We usually tighten them by hand and then a bit more with a filter strap.
The other thing is if you have a later type EVC with engine data in the rev counter, you can read turbo boost digitally, you may have to go into the menu and choose it if its not already displayed, then you can see what the turbo is doing, there has been a batch of bad boost sensors and we have replaced several. There are a couple of different types depending on which model engine you have so make sure you quote your engine serial number before you buy one.
You can do a quick check by turning the ignition on and selecting boost in the display if you have it, it should read zero with the engine off,
 
Something else I have noticed is that my water in fuel alarm keeps coming on intermittently.
Sometimes it come on, alarms then 2 mins later it goes off? would this have anything to do with it?
I have checked obviously to see if there is water present but ive never found a trace ?
 
Well got down to the boat over the weekend and started by having a look at the fuel which is very cloudy so will have that out tonight and replace it with new and the filters.
Had a look at the EVC diag display regarding to boost pressure, at idle and up to about 2k its at 0 then it starts to boost over 2k but there is still no whistle from the turbo its self. also still no back suck whistle when you come off the throttle like before, the actuator seems free, could this be due to fuel starvation?
Must point out these tests where all done while I was stationary.

Then looked for the Turbo Boost sensor but couldn't find it, I had a look in my workshop manual and its no mentioned but it must be there somewhere, can anyone please tell me where to find it, also if its under the top cover how do I get it off. Couldn't work that out either.
 
You won't get much of a boost sensor reading with it stationary, you need to be in gear and the engine loaded, just to point out the actuator on a D3 doesn't operate a wastegate, its a variable nozzle turbo and the actuator operates the nozzle which gives a more constant turbo boost from lower rpm's than a normal turbo.
The boost sensor is low down at the front of the charge air cooler, if you follow the dipstick tube down its near the bottom of that and just aft.
you are right in that turbo boost is entirely dependant on the fuel supply, you have to have burnt fuel to get exhaust gas to drive the turbo, so if you can eliminate the fuel delivery side, then it could be the boost sensor as this detects boost pressure and tells the ECU to add more fuel as req'd. You can check the actuator is working by looking at it while someone drives the boat and hits the throttle, the actuator has its own control valve which controls the air to the actuator capsule, and if you follow the rubber tube back its located at the rear of the cylinder head if I remember correctly.
The top cover sits on rubber grommets and you just pull hard, but you will need to undo the 8mm screw which holds the water hose clamp at the front and take off the oil filler cap and then you can swing it over as there are a couple of wires going to fuses on one side.
 
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