Volvo Penta D4 300 experience/feedback

[Latestarter1]

In thread elsewhere somebody is looking to replace a very high hour VP KAD 300 with another power unit.

I have been asked to comment regarding Styer and Yanmar BY options. My response was straightforward forget Steyer and the Yanmar BY jokemotor and take a serious look at the VP D4 300, hate to say it but in my mind the only kid on the block in this power node.

KAD 300 has been stellar with exception of the supercharger which has been constant source of trouble. The fact that D4 employs similar compound pressure charging technology as KAD300 is putting the guy off.

D4 300 appears to be good however I do not move in Volvo circles.

 

[julians]

Cant comment specificaly on the d4 300, but I do have the d4 260 in my boat, its now 8 years old and has just required regular servicing. It recently started to overheat at > 3200rpm, but cleaning the various coolers has sorted that problem out. And I believe this should be done as part of the servicing regime anyway.

So , from my experience it seems like a solid reliable engine.

 

[Fmicol]

Does somebody have some experience in term of life time of this engine?

 

[[2068]]

Does somebody have some experience in term of life time of this engine?

It’s hard to say, because almost all of even the first ones are still going strong.
Engines like these often fail from “something going wrong” rather than wearing out.
Guys on the boatdiesel forum are running them to 3000 or 4000hrs or so.

.

 

[volvopaul]

Does somebody have some experience in term of life time of this engine?

It all depends on how you look after it , ignore service interval , cooler ability, injector servicing And you have a recipe for low hours failure , a strange question to ask on a used motor as you don’t know it’s history , unless you get history to the letter , a survey with oil sampling it’s a guessing game , I’ve not seen one with more than 3000 hours before it required a rebuild , this was in a dive boat rib and it was worked hard.