Volvo Preenta 2003 - any known problems?

[Tintin]

Are there any known recurring problems with the Volvo Penta 2003 engine?

Does it suffer from the spline shaft issue that the 2020/2030 series do?

 

[macd]

Yes, for the earlier versions. Google will produce lots of hits (but only if you spell it 'Penta'). The main issue wasn't so much the splines themselves, as the absence of a transmission shock absorber, allowing fretting of the splines. Yours may well be a later or modded version (both aftermarket and Volvo fixes were available), but it's certainly a prudent thing to check.

 

[Tintin]

grrr - phone keyboards

 

[Tintin]

Yes, for the earlier versions. Google will produce lots of hits (but only if you spell it 'Penta'). The main issue wasn't so much the splines themselves, as the absence of a transmission shock absorber, allowing fretting of the splines. Yours may well be a later or modded version (both aftermarket and Volvo fixes were available), but it's certainly a prudent thing to check.

Thanks.

 

[Stork_III]

Are there any known recurring problems with the Volvo Penta 2003 engine?

Does it suffer from the spline shaft issue that the 2020/2030 series do?

Does the 2020/2030 suffer from spline problems? Thought it was earlier 2000 series on MS2 gearbox. see here http://www.dbmarine.co.uk/ms2.php

 

[robmcg]

Can be a bit smoky on start up, often benefit from a top end rebuild if leggy on the hours. Check for brown discolouration around the head which can mean it has overheated at some time. Use the proper cold start procedure or they can labour from cold. Freshwater version obviously more preferable to the raw water cooled one. Engine mounts can give up at the back and can cause vibration. Expensive and awkward to change as they are proprietary. Generally, they are pretty long lived as they were fitted to loads of different boats.

Rob

 

[Sans Bateau]

The spline problem only affected early 2000 series engines. Ours is in a 1993 boat and needed attention. As far as I know the later 2020/2030/2040 engines were very different and did not suffer the same problem. The 2000 series engine is an old engine, visit Vyv Cox web site and read all about oil's, the 2000 series engines ideally need a API CD oil. Put synthetic in it and eventually you'll kill it.

 

[michael_w]

Not one of Volvo's finest efforts. Well documented problems with the injectors which sit in a copper sleeve. Special tools required. Complex multi pass heat exchanger on the FW models. The 2003 turbo has a concealed oil cooler, which can corrode and cause all sorts of problems.

Spares generally easily available though expensive. My boat came with a 2003 that had motored to the moon and back. I replaced it with a Westerbeke 35D Three.

 

[Tintin]

The spline problem only affected early 2000 series engines. Ours is in a 1993 boat and needed attention. As far as I know the later 2020/2030/2040 engines were very different and did not suffer the same problem. The 2000 series engine is an old engine, visit Vyv Cox web site and read all about oil's, the 2000 series engines ideally need a API CD oil. Put synthetic in it and eventually you'll kill it.

Thanks for that - have started a new thread re API CD oil sources

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?371707-API-CD-Oil-is-this-it&p=4350935#post4350935

 

[MoodySabre]

The 2003 (and the whole 2000 range) doesn't have glowplugs so can be a slow starter in cold weather. There is a cold start procedure but even so a good starter battery in the colder weather is helpful.

Splines - most will have been done by now - only applies to engine numbers up to 2300059128 (probably up to early 1990s). Not a difficult job.

MIne still starts well and runs fine after 25 years.

 

[tyce]

Been really impressed with mine, it's now 27 years old and sounds and runs like new. Injector sleeve is only an issue if you want it to be, for me it cost 5p for a copper washer, front engine mount stud weld broke, fixed it myself for the cost of a welding rod. Other than that it is faultless and effortlessly powerful and starts easy no matter the temp, raw water cooled as well.

 

[corinthmistral]

+1.
mine 23 yrs old. no particular problems. starts and runs as new. only things I have fixed were the blue plastic seacock on the saildrive, so not really enginespecific, and I cleaned out the heat exchanger when it got crudded up. my local volvo dealer said that if theres nothing wrong with it, dont change it. he said the 2000 series were built specifically as a marine engine and that is why all the filters and impeller etc are on the front. a pretty simple but rugged piece of kit. happy motoring.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Mine is 24 years old; still running well. Dismantled and rebuilt the top end a couple of years ago - some of the internal waterways needed clearing out. The previous owner had to have the engine mounts replaced, but I don't know anything more about that.

It is a fairly easy engine to work on - I am a complete novice in that area and my wife and I with a bit of help from my more mechanically gifted brother managed to strip and rebuild the top end.