Volvo penta 2003 lubrication system.

[noob_sloop]

Hello Team,

Today I’ve pulled out a head from my Penta 2003 (raw water cooled).

I’m wondering if someone has a diagram of the lubrication system for this engine.

I don’t see the oil discharge from the block into the head.

Is it normal? How exactly oil goes from the oil filter into the head (to lubricate rockers)?

This is the link to the YouTube video that shows no discharge through that hole.

Thank you.

 

[chris-s]

From what I saw when our head was off there is small hole/oil way at the front of the block into which a bent tube is fitted that also plugs into the rocker arm.



..or maybe I misread your question and what you are actually asking is why no oil is squirting out of the block?

 

[noob_sloop]

From what I saw when our head was off there is small hole/oil way at the front of the block into which a bent tube is fitted that also plugs into the rocker arm.
View attachment 179692


..or maybe I misread your question and what you are actually asking is why no oil is squirting out of the block?

Yes, the question is why no oil comes from that hole.

I assume the oil passage is clogged. Will be trying to clean it on Sunday. That is why I’m quite interested “how far does it go and how to clean it?”

 

[Dreamrider]

Yes, the question is why no oil comes from that hole.

I assume the oil passage is clogged. Will be trying to clean it on Sunday. That is why I’m quite interested “how far does it go and how to clean it?”

Afternoon noob_sloop, great question, I have a similar issue on the same model motor.... V2003. Were you able to get the oil flow blockage resolved? I have turned the motor over without the head in place like you did, but zero oil. It has proved difficult in my area to get experienced repair information on this issue. Would like to resolve before re-istalling the head. All help gratfully received. Thanks.

 

[Bilgediver]

Afternoon noob_sloop, great question, I have a similar issue on the same model motor.... V2003. Were you able to get the oil flow blockage resolved? I have turned the motor over without the head in place like you did, but zero oil. It has proved difficult in my area to get experienced repair information on this issue. Would like to resolve before re-istalling the head. All help gratfully received. Thanks.

Maybe the oil pump could do with a little help at starter speed. It might be worth pouring a cup full of oil down the drilled passageway to prime the oil pump.

 

[Dreamrider]

Thankyou bilgediver, but deeper issues may be at play in my particular case. The engine is rising 30 years old, and is likely the victim of the previous owners 15 year negligence. My ownership of the vessel started when purchased from a paddock, so my bad luck with this one. The engine started well initially but is now not starting without ether..... so off with the head. Suprises all round with the first look at the rocker assembly. Sump oil level is good and oil is only slightly changed in colour through use.


Clearly no oil to the rocker arm assembly for some considerable time. Oil riser gallery, the one in question with this forum thread, clearly blocked with oil sludge of a "runny honey" consistency. My first thoughts were why not enough oil pressure to push it through?.... Un-answered for now.
Long story short, new refurbished second hand head with valve grind ready to install.

Block: piston bores have measured up fine with .05mm wear average.... (allowable wear .25mm before rebore). Before installing the recon head the oil issue needs to be nutted out. Why no oil? Sludge say the old hands scratching their chins.....needs oil flush and oil change.
Maybe.... but need to establish how this Volvo oil system delivers oil up the gallery to the head and rocker arm assembly. A small piece of wire with a little hook on one end has failed to locate any thing other than a dead end at the bottom with no evidence of side galleries for oil entry from the pump output. Volvo manual very vague in general, with no real leads to help resolve the lack of oil up to the head. So ends the story so far. All help gratefully received. Dreamrider. Will soldier on.

 

[noob_sloop]

Afternoon noob_sloop, great question, I have a similar issue on the same model motor.... V2003. Were you able to get the oil flow blockage resolved? I have turned the motor over without the head in place like you did, but zero oil. It has proved difficult in my area to get experienced repair information on this issue. Would like to resolve before re-istalling the head. All help gratfully received. Thanks.

Hey Dreamrider, yes I’ve managed to rebuild the head. In my case the issue was that the oil hole got clogged. I had to soak it with wd40 and gently clean if with wire/zip tie.

I did about 10 hours on engine since last year. So far so good. usually I use it only to leave the mooring and catch it again.

Note that the oil gallery goesn’t go vertically for the whole length..
There is a diagonal gallery from oil filter to the “vertical one”. And they are connected. But not at the bottom of the vertical one. Tried to explain that on photo. White lines.

 

[Dreamrider]

Hey Dreamrider, yes I’ve managed to rebuild the head. In my case the issue was that the oil hole got clogged. I had to soak it with wd40 and gently clean if with wire/zip tie.

I did about 10 hours on engine since last year. So far so good. usually I use it only to leave the mooring and catch it again.

Note that the oil gallery goesn’t go vertically for the whole length..
There is a diagonal gallery from oil filter to the “vertical one”. And they are connected. But not at the bottom of the vertical one. Tried to explain that on photo. White lines.

O-K, thanks N_S, The following by way of completing the thread and listing what I found on my engine, for others that may come across this issue:
The V2003 in my yacht is engine number FL15524. It is possible that as these engines came into service various modifications were introduced.... Maybe???
What I found was an 8mm diameter oil gallery straight down throught the block ending on top of the front cam shaft bearing. The bottom of the hole has a smaller diameter hole (approx 5mm) connecting directly to the cam shaft bearing. I can see the cam shaft rotating as I turn the engine over by hand. I was unable to locate any angled galleries leading to the filter position on this particular engine. Following imaged taken from Google with brown lines drawn by myself to represent block and oil gallery. No cylinder head represented.

After cleaning out the sludge from this oil gallery I was able to pump oil up the hole to reach the top of the block. Great. This indicates that the oil feed to the rocker arm assembly in this engine is achieved by bleeding some of the oil pressure away from the front cam shaft bearing.

Engine assembled now with replacement head, valve grind done and injectors serviced, three oil flushes with filter change each time, and all running well. Plenty of oil getting to the rocker arm assembly, and newly installed oil pressure gauge showing 50+ p.s.i. Happy chappy. Excellent result all round.

Questions for any readers with some knowledge of these Volvo engines:
1 - Should there be a zinc anode installed in the raw water cooling circuit?
I have been unable to locate a tapped plug or position at any location on this engine to install one.
It seems to have successfully spent its 30+ years running without a zinc anode installed.
2 - Is 12v 680cca a large enough start battery for this Volvo V2003 engine?
The fully charged 3year old 12v 680cca battery that was installed was unable to achieve the cranking speed for the restart with the reconned head.
With a valve grind done and therefore increased commpression the 680cca struggled to do the job.
It was neccessary to charge up an old lead acid tractor battery from my workshop with 780cca to get the turning speed for the restart.
The engine manual simply states 70ah....no further comment.
What cold cranking amps do other owners use?

Thankyou, and all information and help gratefully received.

 

[noob_sloop]

O-K, thanks N_S, The following by way of completing the thread and listing what I found on my engine, for others that may come across this issue:
The V2003 in my yacht is engine number FL15524. It is possible that as these engines came into service various modifications were introduced.... Maybe???
What I found was an 8mm diameter oil gallery straight down throught the block ending on top of the front cam shaft bearing. The bottom of the hole has a smaller diameter hole (approx 5mm) connecting directly to the cam shaft bearing. I can see the cam shaft rotating as I turn the engine over by hand. I was unable to locate any angled galleries leading to the filter position on this particular engine. Following imaged taken from Google with brown lines drawn by myself to represent block and oil gallery. No cylinder head represented.
View attachment 198497
After cleaning out the sludge from this oil gallery I was able to pump oil up the hole to reach the top of the block. Great. This indicates that the oil feed to the rocker arm assembly in this engine is achieved by bleeding some of the oil pressure away from the front cam shaft bearing.
View attachment 198500
Engine assembled now with replacement head, valve grind done and injectors serviced, three oil flushes with filter change each time, and all running well. Plenty of oil getting to the rocker arm assembly, and newly installed oil pressure gauge showing 50+ p.s.i. Happy chappy. Excellent result all round.

Questions for any readers with some knowledge of these Volvo engines:
1 - Should there be a zinc anode installed in the raw water cooling circuit?
I have been unable to locate a tapped plug or position at any location on this engine to install one.
It seems to have successfully spent its 30+ years running without a zinc anode installed.
2 - Is 12v 680cca a large enough start battery for this Volvo V2003 engine?
The fully charged 3year old 12v 680cca battery that was installed was unable to achieve the cranking speed for the restart with the reconned head.
With a valve grind done and therefore increased commpression the 680cca struggled to do the job.
It was neccessary to charge up an old lead acid tractor battery from my workshop with 780cca to get the turning speed for the restart.
The engine manual simply states 70ah....no further comment.
What cold cranking amps do other owners use?

Thankyou, and all information and help gratefully received.

Good to hear it worked out for you! Now I’m really interested in checking oil gallery on my engine one more time. Lol.

Attaching the location of the zink anode for 2003 penta.

 

[Bilgediver]

Is this an engine where the oil gallery can be blocked if the head gasket is reversed. I know there is at least one engine where this is the case,(

 

[chris-s]

Is this an engine where the oil gallery can be blocked if the head gasket is reversed. I know there is at least one engine where this is the case,(

Yes, at least in the case of the head gasket I fitted.

 

[davidej]

As far as I remember, Yes , the raw water cooled ones should have an anode on the port side of the block

 

[Dreamrider]

Yes, one way only for head gasket to go. Photo of original gasket below. The Parts4Engines head gaskets are also one way only.