Volvo penta d2-55hp

[MagicalArmchair]

So my new boat has a VOLVO PENTA D2-55HP in her. My current boat has a venerable, awesome, bullet proof Yanmar 2GM20 that I wrote a little guide to winterising and generally looking after:

http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/yanmar-2gm20-engine-winterising-and-service/

I get loads of hits on it, showing its useful to others. I don't suppose someone else has done something similar for the D2-55 or has any useful workshop manuals etc?? I like to winterise the engine myself and know my way around it as if I am at sea and something goes wrong, I like to know what I'm doing with a spanner. Err, also, stupid saildrive question, as it draws the cooling water from the leg, is there a seacock to turn on for cooling water??

 

[PaulRainbow]

So my new boat has a VOLVO PENTA D2-55HP in her. My current boat has a venerable, awesome, bullet proof Yanmar 2GM20 that I wrote a little guide to winterising and generally looking after:

http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/yanmar-2gm20-engine-winterising-and-service/

I get loads of hits on it, showing its useful to others. I don't suppose someone else has done something similar for the D2-55 or has any useful workshop manuals etc?? I like to winterise the engine myself and know my way around it as if I am at sea and something goes wrong, I like to know what I'm doing with a spanner. Err, also, stupid saildrive question, as it draws the cooling water from the leg, is there a seacock to turn on for cooling water??

Workshop manual here Mark https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1025286/Volvo-Penta-D2-55.html

Nice, straight forward engine that's easy enough to work on. Parts4Engines are a good source of service parts. https://www.parts4engines.com/volvo-penta-d2-55-parts/

Seacock is just behind the engine as a rule, usually just to the Stb side of the saildrive.

 

[richardbrennan]

I have a D1-30 and assume it's not dissimilar. There is a seacock on top of the saildrive base and then a hose to the water filter.

 

[RichardS]

I have a D1-30 and assume it's not dissimilar. There is a seacock on top of the saildrive base and then a hose to the water filter.

If the seacock has never been used, it might well be seized with dead sea creatures. Both of mine Yanmar ones were seized absolutely solid and turning them backwards and forwards until they were usable took about 4 hours for each one.

Richard

 

[pvb]

The Operator Manual says you need to open a bleed screw on the fuel filter after changing it. This can be a bit messy. You don't have to do this though, if you just keep pressing the hand pump the fuel will flow right through the return pipe and back to the tank, taking any air bubbles with it.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Same process for winterising as my 2GM20, ish? I’ll study the manual carefully in the morning. Thanks for posting.

 

[RJJ]

I have same engine. Seacock for cooling water is at the top of the saildrive, port side. But I would guess it could be rigged either side.

Should be easy to identify. Mine goes directly up to a vetus bucket strainer. The whole assembly is accessible just inside the aft cabin.

Interested to hear any other tips on this engine, I am still figuring out my way around it.

 

[Rafiki]

If the seacock has never been used, it might well be seized with dead sea creatures. Both of mine Yanmar ones were seized absolutely solid and turning them backwards and forwards until they were usable took about 4 hours for each one.

Richard

The problem with this approach is that with 'quarter turn' seacocks you can think you have got it working, but in fact the handle turns but the seacock stays open ( or closed), but the handle feels like it is turning something. At least that is what happened to mine !

 

[RichardS]

The problem with this approach is that with 'quarter turn' seacocks you can think you have got it working, but in fact the handle turns but the seacock stays open ( or closed), but the handle feels like it is turning something. At least that is what happened to mine !

That's true .... although the Yanmar saildrive seacocks are gate valves that turn about 5 full turns from closed to open. I don't know if the Volvo ones are the same.

Richard

 

[Rafiki]

So my new boat has a VOLVO PENTA D2-55HP in her. My current boat has a venerable, awesome, bullet proof Yanmar 2GM20 that I wrote a little guide to winterising and generally looking after:

http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/yanmar-2gm20-engine-winterising-and-service/

I get loads of hits on it, showing its useful to others. I don't suppose someone else has done something similar for the D2-55 or has any useful workshop manuals etc?? I like to winterise the engine myself and know my way around it as if I am at sea and something goes wrong, I like to know what I'm doing with a spanner. Err, also, stupid saildrive question, as it draws the cooling water from the leg, is there a seacock to turn on for cooling water??

Nice write up Mark. I have a Volvo D2-40, so I guess very similar and basically you could follow your Yanmar instructions ! A couple of things, The Volvo doesnt have any engine anodes, or not that I've found. A couple of general tips, I have found that oil spillages on removing the oil filter are minimised by loosening it a bit and then slipping a freezer type plastic bag over it while completing the removal, also using disposable nappies to catch any drips from the filters etc works better than paper towels.

 

[richardbrennan]

My seacock is a ball valve with a one quarter turn.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Thanks for all the information, I'll remember the tip about the freezer bag! With running antifreeze through the 'engine', (although I guess as its indirectly cooled, its actually running antifreeze through the err, heat exchanger is it?), is it the same principle? Take the hose off the water pump, put it in a bucket of antifreeze, run the engine until the antifreeze is gone, shut down? I used to pour water into the strainer, the strainer on the new one is not very accessible!

 

[RichardS]

Thanks for all the information, I'll remember the tip about the freezer bag! With running antifreeze through the 'engine', (although I guess as its indirectly cooled, its actually running antifreeze through the err, heat exchanger is it?), is it the same principle? Take the hose off the water pump, put it in a bucket of antifreeze, run the engine until the antifreeze is gone, shut down? I used to pour water into the strainer, the strainer on the new one is not very accessible!

That will, indeed, run the antifreeze through the seawater part of the heat exchanger which is what you are hoping to do.

Richard

 

[Skylark]

I understand the point about poor access to the strainer but I wouldn't remove/refit a hose unless it was necessary. I don't like disturbing hoses as I fear it's inviting a secondary problem. Not really fact based, just personal prejudice. The strainer basket needs cleaning anyway so I flush sea water and add antifreeze from there. Put a rag in the inlet hole to avoid waste and risk the impeller turning fresh air.

Something I did at 5 years was to flush the saildrive inlet water channels with diluted brick cleaner to remove beasties and other growth. The leg is aluminium so I did it just prior to season launch to ensure flush. Wrapped clingfilm around the bottom of the leg, rag in strainer engine inlet, wait about 10 minutes, release cling film, catch acid in bucket and examine content. Seemed to work quite well.

Mine is Yanmar and, like Richard's experience, the seacock is near impossible to turn by the end of the season, even if it's been "worked" mid season. Just one of the many weaknesses of an SD50 saildrive, in my opinion, of course.

 

[dunedin]

Thanks for all the information, I'll remember the tip about the freezer bag! With running antifreeze through the 'engine', (although I guess as its indirectly cooled, its actually running antifreeze through the err, heat exchanger is it?), is it the same principle? Take the hose off the water pump, put it in a bucket of antifreeze, run the engine until the antifreeze is gone, shut down? I used to pour water into the strainer, the strainer on the new one is not very accessible!

We generally take the hose off the saildrive seacock and place it in a bucket of antifreeze for this job.

Whilst the hose is off, can then use a welding rod or similar to ensure the seacock and saildrive isn’t clogged up with shellfish

 

[RichardS]

We generally take the hose off the saildrive seacock and place it in a bucket of antifreeze for this job.

Whilst the hose is off, can then use a welding rod or similar to ensure the seacock and saildrive isn’t clogged up with shellfish

The seacock on the Yanmars goes through a right-angle so I'm not sure that it would be possible to rod the saildrive through it as that would mean a double right-angle.

Richard

 

[MagicalArmchair]

We generally take the hose off the saildrive seacock and place it in a bucket of antifreeze for this job.

Whilst the hose is off, can then use a welding rod or similar to ensure the seacock and saildrive isn’t clogged up with shellfish

Thanks for that, I'll do just that when I winter her up! The saildrive seal was replaced in 2013 (I thought it had been done sooner) - the surveyor is going in next Tuesday, so presume he will have a poke around here, however, how often should these seals be replaced? Are there any tell tale signs of failure?

 

[pvb]

The saildrive seal was replaced in 2013 (I thought it had been done sooner) - the surveyor is going in next Tuesday, so presume he will have a poke around here, however, how often should these seals be replaced? Are there any tell tale signs of failure?

Volvo Penta say 7 years, but I think they're being overly cautious. I don't know of any failures.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Okay, so I was going to get the VP engineer to service the engine but a combination of loving working on engines, wanted to save my pennies for more toys and wanting to understand the engine before I set off on my passage back has led me to the conclusion I want to do it myself.

So the order of 'bits':

• Run a bucket of antifreeze though the heat exchanger as above.
• Turn off the fuel valve.
• Change main fuel filter - looks like a CAV type, stupidly I didn't take a photo last time I was there, probably a Delphi HDF 296?
• Change the fine filter - Spin on! Oh the luxury! (https://www.parts4engines.com/volvo-penta-d2-55-oil-filter-74-mm/)
• Take out the impeller and replace (keep old one as a spare). - https://www.parts4engines.com/volvo-penta-d2-55-raw-water-pump-impeller-service-kits/ -£25
• Pela out the oil and replace - Question - What oil? The Volvo specific stuff looks expensive for what is it? Recommendations please? - Err this stuff? (https://www.parts4engines.com/lucas-magnum-15w40-engine-oil-5-litres/ - £19.50)
• Poke a rag up the exhaust to keep icey blasts at bay.

Question, worth taking the Thermostat out to take a look?
Question, worth changing the drive leg oil? If so, what oil?

Anything else I should be doing other than inspecting the belts?

I'll be sure to write it up when I'm done for other hapless souls.

 

[Heckler]

Okay, so I was going to get the VP engineer to service the engine but a combination of loving working on engines, wanted to save my pennies for more toys and wanting to understand the engine before I set off on my passage back has led me to the conclusion I want to do it myself.

So the order of 'bits':

• Run a bucket of antifreeze though the heat exchanger as above.
• Turn off the fuel valve.
• Change main fuel filter - looks like a CAV type, stupidly I didn't take a photo last time I was there, probably a Delphi HDF 296?
• Change the fine filter - Spin on! Oh the luxury! (https://www.parts4engines.com/volvo-penta-d2-55-oil-filter-74-mm/)
• Take out the impeller and replace (keep old one as a spare). - https://www.parts4engines.com/volvo-penta-d2-55-raw-water-pump-impeller-service-kits/ -£25
• Pela out the oil and replace - Question - What oil? The Volvo specific stuff looks expensive for what is it? Recommendations please? - Err this stuff? (https://www.parts4engines.com/lucas-magnum-15w40-engine-oil-5-litres/ - £19.50)
• Poke a rag up the exhaust to keep icey blasts at bay.

Question, worth taking the Thermostat out to take a look?
Question, worth changing the drive leg oil? If so, what oil?

Anything else I should be doing other than inspecting the belts?

I'll be sure to write it up when I'm done for other hapless souls.

I certainly wouldnt use expensive VP oil, any of the oils available that meet the spec in the recommendations will do. My old MD22 does fine on supermarket finest. The oil you memtion looks good