Volvopenta ECU

[volvopaul]

Guess what they are out of stock again with a minimum 4 week lead time .

 

[SC35]

4 weeks is better than 12 months!

 

[James jameson]

4 weeks is better than 12 months!

Min 4 weeks could be 12 or even 13 months !

 

[Solent Sailor]

If, heaven forbid, mine ever go, I will have to seriously question whether I'd be better re-powering due to issues like this and the perennial high cost of spares.

We're going to keep our boat for the foreseeable, and long term I think my ownership of VP engines has a limited lifespan. You never hear of issues like this with Cummins and others (cue lots of people proving me wrong!).

 

[Momac]

Can't say I have needed many Volvo Penta spares in the last 15 years.
But the few parts required have been easily obtained.
Its only ecu's that seem to be scarce. Fortunately I dont have ecu,s.
I hear others can be more expensive.

 

[jon and michie]

How many were made in this recent campaign ?

 

[jon and michie]

I think my ownership of VP engines has a limited lifespan. You never hear of issues like this with Cummins and others (cue lots of people proving me wrong!).

This where some folk will say "but you can get most spares straight off the shelf" - well yes you can mainly because it's money for old rope for volvo.
As I was told by a forumite a few years back the bolt on bits are made of milk bottle tops but the engines themselves are good - which I have to agree with him

 

[Portofino]

This where some folk will say "but you can get most spares straight off the shelf" - well yes you can mainly because it's money for old rope for volvo.
As I was told by a forumite a few years back the bolt on bits are made of milk bottle tops but the engines themselves are good - which I have to agree with him

That might be me .
I make no apology either .
My first mobo was a VP from Sunseeker .I thought at the time 2005 every ones got them , Sunseeker had won multiple awards they being S/Skr + VP must know what they doing ……gotta be good .

But bolts rusted , every time you opened the strainer ( as per owner manual) you drenched the alternator.This rusted , it’s connections rusted .The elbow corroded , the turbo started to get orange rust marks …..yup it’s jacket rusted .I got sick of the whole supercharger wining , it’s clutch actuation.The pulleys ( there were 3 layers of belts ) rusted = black dust syndrome .Various air pipes came loose , there jubilees clips or other fastenings corroded. Throttle unit contents looking like christmas cracker quality bits .

I had come from German cars , Swiss watches , B + O home entertainment and previous boats albeit sail boats Japanese ( Yanmar ) engines .+ Generally like nice stuff build quality and component wise .

I had then serviced and looked after by main VP franchised SoF agents at long range .They never let me down but did cost a lot and I did a lot of what I thought preventative maintenance.eg rub down rusty alternator connections , design and fit a cover for it .Waxoil the rusting pulleys .I replaced an elbow , cleaned up a stuck turbo ( lack of use ) .
I recall re sealing a weepy rocker box .It had just had its valves done as per the manual by the techs .
Just couldn’t be arised mid August, multiple FR bank hols calling them back ……so reseated and re sealed my self .
9issed off no gasket , no nothing .Just gunk it up and hope !
I have loadsa rocker boxes off over the years so was amazed at this VP engineering fix

Changing boats draws on a myriad of reasons .No one large reason it’s a sum of lots of little reasons .

Vowed “ VP never again “ There are plenty of others out there .
Spoke to a friend who sells Riviera in the SoF and he quietly told me avoid VP in his boats , whispered it in my ear aboard a VP powered modal at Cannes boat show .They did a CAT version as well the the demo we were stud on was a VP 74P from memory.
He had to put his arm round my shoulder and whispered in my ear ,as other prospects were crawling over the demo boat as well .

So returning back to the other factors in boat determination the engine side started to increase its relevance.
Ferretti stuff didn’t do VP .That got me thinking turning it around “ who doesn’t do VP “ = quite a lot of Italian builders 40 ft up on shafts don’t do VP .You can’t help wondering why ? Oh Yeh mobo no 2 ditch the outdrives migrate to shafts .

I know there’s a lot of VP boats out there so it’s not easy figuring out why there’s a lot or imho a disproportionate number of VP woes threads on this forum, stuck turbos , rusty elbow/ horns , trim ram + steering ram issues , recently ECU issues etc etc .But go figure yourself .

At your next boat show take a lot of peeks at the German ,Japanese or American , equivalent .

Some one once said VP do a helpful credit line to builders in the sense they invoice them when boats delivered to the customer .
Where as the others won’t send the engines until they are paid for ie no credit . Wether this is true or still happening who knows ? If so you can see why VP have dominated the small builder , fickle business , cash flow strapped boat market .
Its not on actual product merit .Figures !

 

[jon and michie]

That might be me .
I make no apology either .
My first mobo was a VP from Sunseeker .I thought at the time 2005 every ones got them , Sunseeker had won multiple awards they being S/Skr + VP must know what they doing ……gotta be good .

But bolts rusted , every time you opened the strainer ( as per owner manual) you drenched the alternator.This rusted , it’s connections rusted .The elbow corroded , the turbo started to get orange rust marks …..yup it’s jacket rusted .I got sick of the whole supercharger wining , it’s clutch actuation.The pulleys ( there were 3 layers of belts ) rusted = black dust syndrome .Various air pipes came loose , there jubilees clips or other fastenings corroded. Throttle unit contents looking like christmas cracker quality bits .

I had come from German cars , Swiss watches , B + O home entertainment and previous boats albeit sail boats Japanese ( Yanmar ) engines .+ Generally like nice stuff build quality and component wise .

I had then serviced and looked after by main VP franchised SoF agents at long range .They never let me down but did cost a lot and I did a lot of what I thought preventative maintenance.eg rub down rusty alternator connections , design and fit a cover for it .Waxoil the rusting pulleys .I replaced an elbow , cleaned up a stuck turbo ( lack of use ) .
I recall re sealing a weepy rocker box .It had just had its valves done as per the manual by the techs .
Just couldn’t be arised mid August, multiple FR bank hols calling them back ……so reseated and re sealed my self .
9issed off no gasket , no nothing .Just gunk it up and hope !
I have loadsa rocker boxes off over the years so was amazed at this VP engineering fix

Changing boats draws on a myriad of reasons .No one large reason it’s a sum of lots of little reasons .

Vowed “ VP never again “ There are plenty of others out there .
Spoke to a friend who sells Riviera in the SoF and he quietly told me avoid VP in his boats , whispered it in my ear aboard a VP powered modal at Cannes boat show .They did a CAT version as well the the demo we were stud on was a VP 74P from memory.
He had to put his arm round my shoulder and whispered in my ear ,as other prospects were crawling over the demo boat as well .

So returning back to the other factors in boat determination the engine side started to increase its relevance.
Ferretti stuff didn’t do VP .That got me thinking turning it around “ who doesn’t do VP “ = quite a lot of Italian builders 40 ft up on shafts don’t do VP .You can’t help wondering why ? Oh Yeh mobo no 2 ditch the outdrives migrate to shafts .

I know there’s a lot of VP boats out there so it’s not easy figuring out why there’s a lot or imho a disproportionate number of VP woes threads on this forum, stuck turbos , rusty elbow/ horns , trim ram + steering ram issues , recently ECU issues etc etc .But go figure yourself .

At your next boat show take a lot of peeks at the German ,Japanese or American , equivalent .

Some one once said VP do a helpful credit line to builders in the sense they invoice them when boats delivered to the customer .
Where as the others won’t send the engines until they are paid for ie no credit . Wether this is true or still happening who knows ? If so you can see why VP have dominated the small builder , fickle business , cash flow strapped boat market .
Its not on actual product merit .Figures !

Lol yep it was you back in 2016.
majority of the jubilee clips used on the hoses are not even stainless steel - and who on earth thought up the idea of using cast iron on the horn, exhaust elbow and the turbo (but i dont think that was just Volvo) fortunately my Turbo was reconned with a stainless insert which was done properly ie the sleeve machined to fit the fan and works like a dream after 2 years and no corrosion.
every thing else is like chocolate like the sealant used around the supercharger outlet which gives up - re sealed using quality high heat sealant.
we could go on but the next boat I am after I just know it will have volvo on the cover

 

[jon and michie]

@volvopaul or anyone who maybe able to answer this question - What actually causes this ECU to fail - is it deterioration over time issue - turning the batteries on and off .
just seems odd that there has been a few reported failing within a shortish period of time.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have just ordered a new Volvo penta. Collect it wednesday.
Can someone sort my ignorance- What the heck is an ECU. I just cannot relate the initials to any thing that is not rude
I should know but the brain cells have failed.

 

[SC35]

I have just ordered a new Volvo penta. Collect it wednesday.
Can someone sort my ignorance- What the heck is an ECU. I just cannot relate the initials to any thing that is not rude
I should know but the brain cells have failed.

Electronic Control Unit

 

[Daydream believer]

Electronic Control Unit

thanks

 

[Seastoke]

Emptying Card Unit

 

[petem]

@volvopaul or anyone who maybe able to answer this question - What actually causes this ECU to fail - is it deterioration over time issue - turning the batteries on and off .
just seems odd that there has been a few reported failing within a shortish period of time.

Voltage issues (e.g. from knackered batteries / chargers) is my suspicion.

 

[jon and michie]

Voltage issues (e.g. from knackered batteries / chargers) is my suspicion.

Thanks Pete - if this is the case ie chargers / batteries they have done well on say a 20 yr boat if say the batteries started to fade after 5 years.
I know on my Kad 300 ever since I have owned the boat 7 years it has always been plugged into the mains apart from obviously sailing out and the batteries isolated when I leave the boat and every thing is still fine (fingers crossed)

 

[lynallbel]

@volvopaul or anyone who maybe able to answer this question - What actually causes this ECU to fail - is it deterioration over time issue - turning the batteries on and off .
just seems odd that there has been a few reported failing within a shortish period of time.

I think you will just find they are carp, we replace/have others replace several a year on a fleet of 150 trucks.
Nox sensors with their own ecus, these we change hundreds every year, at 500 plus vat each!

 

[SC35]

Voltage issues (e.g. from knackered batteries / chargers) is my suspicion.

I don't have any hard evidence to say this is definitely a good thing, but the engineer inside tells me that disconnecting the shore power cable before starting engines is probably a good idea.

 

[oldgit]

The ECU "problemo" is not a recent one.
Chum had an ECU fail in a Phantom 46 ,kept many years ago in Porta Petro in Majorca.
What finally killed the golden goose was two events, conking out halfway between Majorca and Menorca and failing when entering Palma and a Ferry about to run him down
Just about everything was tried.
New lift pumps.
Holes cut in tanks to enable cleaning.
Bits/looms replaced and various joints and connections cut out and hard wired.
No stone was left unturned, the ECU came back to UK to be reprogrammed.
Finally after a couple of wasted seasons and a fortune spent he gave up and sold boat.
A forumite did suggest that
problem was still plaguing an owner years later.
It would appear that anything VP that has the supercharger/turbo combination needs a brave skipper with deep pockets. ?

 

[petem]

The ECU "problemo" is not a recent one.
Chum had an ECU fail in a Phantom 46 ,kept many years ago in Porta Petro in Majorca.
What finally killed the golden goose was two events, conking out halfway between Majorca and Menorca and failing when entering Palma and a Ferry about to run him down
Just about everything was tried.
New lift pumps.
Holes cut in tanks to enable cleaning.
Bits/looms replaced and various joints and connections cut out and hard wired.
No stone was left unturned, the ECU came back to UK to be reprogrammed.
Finally after a couple of wasted seasons and a fortune spent he gave up and sold boat.
A forumite did suggest that
problem was still plaguing an owner years later.
It would appear that anything VP that has the supercharger/turbo combination needs a brave skipper with deep pockets. ?

Conversely, I have 5000 plus members of my Fairline FB group, many of who have EDC engines. It's rare to see any of them reporting issues with ECU's.

If you decide you don't want an ECU powered boat then that just about rules out everything made by Fairline, Sunseeker, Princess and Sealine from 34ft to 45ft from 1999 to 2005 (arguably the golden age of British boat building).