Volvopenta ECU

[Portofino]

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).

So out of 100000 units that’s 5 % or 10 % if twins .
If the unit No is greater ( probably) than your misrepresentation is worse .

 

[dankilb]

Any way these engines could be made to run with something like a ‘Haltech’ (or other brand’s) programmable road vehicle ECU?

I know to date that map-able/programmable ECUs are a petrol (and, obviously, automotive) domain.

But with multiple inputs and outputs programmable by laptop, perhaps one could be made to switch supercharger clutches, turbo actuators or whatever else is needed? They can be programmed for limp modes etc.

Is the issue controlling some electrickery in the injector pump?

 

[petem]

So out of 100000 units that’s 5 % or 10 % if twins .
If the unit No is greater ( probably) than your misrepresentation is worse .

Where did you get your 5% or 10% from?

 

[petem]

Any way these engines could be made to run with something like a ‘Haltech’ (or other brand’s) programmable road vehicle ECU?

I know to date that map-able/programmable ECUs are a petrol (and, obviously, automotive) domain.

But with multiple inputs and outputs programmable by laptop, perhaps one could be made to switch supercharger clutches, turbo actuators or whatever else is needed? They can be programmed for limp modes etc.

Is the issue controlling some electrickery in the injector pump?

There are numerous threads on this topic that answer your questions.

In summary:

There are programmable ECU's on the market that could work.

The KAD44/300 engines can also be reverted to a mechanical injector pump governer.

Volvo continue to supply these ECU's however supply appears to be intermittent due to chip manufacturing challenges.

 

[oldgit]

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).

The fact that VP opted to use electronics to regulate their engines in order to meet emissions and to make them more efficient is not really the problem.
Its the fact they left all those skippers devoid of help for years after being fully aware of the problem and VP were the only ones with knowledge and engineering capabilities and sheer clout to sort it out.
A cynic might observe that it was not until a few big hitters tuned their guns onto VP that anything got done. lesser mortals with older boats and smaller pockets could obviously be ignored as highly unlikely to be bothering the salesmen of boats fitted with their new engines. ?

 

[petem]

The fact that VP opted to use electronics to regulate their engines in order to meet emissions and to make them more efficient is not really the problem.
Its the fact they left all those skippers devoid of help for years after being fully aware of the problem and VP were the only ones with knowledge and engineering capabilities and sheer clout to sort it out.
A cynic might observe that it was not until a few big hitters tuned their guns onto VP that anything got done. lesser mortals with older boats and smaller pockets could obviously be ignored as highly unlikely to be bothering the salesmen of boats fitted with their new engines. ?

Who do you think these "big hitters" were?

There was a chip shortage (due to the pandemic) and as soon as VP have been able to get the chips they resumed supply. Even car manufacturers like BWM and Mercedes were affected.

 

[jon and michie]

Any way these engines could be made to run with something like a ‘Haltech’ (or other brand’s) programmable road vehicle ECU?

I know to date that map-able/programmable ECUs are a petrol (and, obviously, automotive) domain.

But with multiple inputs and outputs programmable by laptop, perhaps one could be made to switch supercharger clutches, turbo actuators or whatever else is needed? They can be programmed for limp modes etc.

Is the issue controlling some electrickery in the injector pump?

There are numerous threads on this topic that answer your questions.

In summary:

There are programmable ECU's on the market that could work.

The KAD44/300 engines can also be reverted to a mechanical injector pump governer.

Volvo continue to supply these ECU's however supply appears to be intermittent due to chip manufacturing challenges.

The fact that VP opted to use electronics to regulate their engines in order to meet emissions and to make them more efficient is not really the problem.
Its the fact they left all those skippers devoid of help for years after being fully aware of the problem and VP were the only ones with knowledge and engineering capabilities and sheer clout to sort it out.
A cynic might observe that it was not until a few big hitters tuned their guns onto VP that anything got done. lesser mortals with older boats and smaller pockets could obviously be ignored as highly unlikely to be bothering the salesmen of boats fitted with their new engines. ?

@dankilb exactly what @petem said and as @oldgit has spoken about - yes there is programmable ecu's - The problem is when you purchase an ECU from Volvo it is blank ie Volvo use a third party to manufacture the unit it is only when it is orderded for an engine then Volvo program it for engine type - so the issue if you where going to avoid using a "Volvo ecu" is to reverse engineer the unit and then find the correct software to instal - not impossible but time consuming - there is a chap on here cant remember his user name claims to be able to repair them as he says its not the software that goes bad but some of the components.
That all being said - I do think a better unit could be made with better electronics as these things are now 20 yr old.

 

[Tranona]

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.

It will have what Volvo call an MDI. Little box of electronics on the side of the engine under the heat exchanger. This converts the mechanical engine controls to electric to link with the generic Volvo electronic control panel. Were troublesome a few years ago (2014-2017) because of dodgy manufacture but Volvo eventually replaced all the dodgy ones and no issues since. Google Volvo MDI for more history.

Very different from ECUs on the big engines which actually control the fuel injection and all sensors much like a car. The D1 30 is essentially a mechanical engine

 

[Elessar]

Who do you think these "big hitters" were?

There was a chip shortage (due to the pandemic) and as soon as VP have been able to get the chips they resumed supply. Even car manufacturers like BWM and Mercedes were affected.

G/F’s car ordered March 2022 arrived yesterday!

 

[Portofino]

Where did you get your 5% or 10% from?

From your 5000 happy FB users if single or 10 % if twins .
Based on at least 100 000 units in the wild .So you are not representing the other 95 to 90 % of users .

 

[oldgit]

Who do you think these "big hitters" were?

There was a chip shortage (due to the pandemic) and as soon as VP have been able to get the chips they resumed supply. Even car manufacturers like BWM and Mercedes were affected.

This problem was well known to both independent and probably VP engineers years prior to COVID and any shortage of "chips".

VP just left owners swinging on the breeze, my chums boat had a failure of the ECU in his boat at least 10 years ago and would have willingly paid the thousands needed to buy a new unit, but of course there were none available.
Enquiries at the time produced the info that there were none on the shelf and VP, could not or would not be producing any more.
Then more recently one or two folks (possibly forumites ) who may have the ear of VP waded in
and things changed .

 

[petem]

This problem was well known to both independent and probably VP engineers years prior to COVID and any shortage of "chips".

VP just left owners swinging on the breeze, my chums boat had a failure of the ECU in his boat at least 10 years ago and would have willingly paid the thousands needed to buy a new unit, but of course there were none available.
Enquiries at the time produced the info that there were none on the shelf and VP, could not or would not be producing any more.
Then more recently one or two folks (possibly forumites ) who may have the ear of VP waded in
and things changed .

That's not true as I purchase a new ECU from Volvo in March 2020, at the start of Covid.

 

[SC35]

That's not true as I purchase a new ECU from Volvo in March 2020, at the start of Covid.

The ECU shortage is quite specific ... there were plenty in stock for D-Series and KAD.
But some of the larger engines (TAMD-63) they simply ran out, and had to have another manufacturing run.

If they weren't coded to the chassis at the factory, I would use my pension to buy all the available stock and sell them at inflated prices
(ok, I would not really do that)

 

[jon and michie]

Right not to sound boring or anything - but on a more positive / structured note as we can go on forever about the past etc and not to hijack the thread but
these Engines are getting old and I think Volvo aren't really bothered about the manufacture of these units and are more concentrating on spares for more up to date engines.
I suspect like the car industry a manufacturer has to have spares for a car available up to 10 yrs (maybe 15 but you get my jist) then they don't have to continue.
So the question is to keep these engines alive then we cannot just rely on one source ie Volvo so this problem of broken ECU's requires someone who can repair them.
@Norsk says he can repair them and has done in the past so maybe he could shed light on what actually causes these units to fail ?
personally I think @petem @s suggestion of engines being started up while connected to the mains electricity and dying batteries are a good possibility

 

[oldgit]

That's not true as I purchase a new ECU from Volvo in March 2020, at the start of Covid.

This boat ( Heart Beat )was fitted with a pair of 480 HP engines possibly 74P. ?
Never actually got to go out on it in the end as the owner had lost all confidence and was concerned about taking out folks in case it broke down again.
It would go into limp mode and the only solution was to turn everything off and restart , which apparently erases all the fault codes. ?
He was also reluctant to sell until he had sorted the problem.
Bought the ECU back to UK, appeared to have got the problem fixed and the boat was quickly sold on.
It later emerged some time later that the boat was still suffering the exactly same problem .

 

[volvopaul]

The 63 P is a mechanical engine it does t require and ecu to run .
The Kad 44/300 is the same ecu as I am on topic .
You cannot buy them blank , they are coded from serial number at time of order then dispatched.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

The 63 P is a mechanical engine it does t require and ecu to run .
The Kad 44/300 is the same ecu as I am on topic .
You cannot buy them blank , they are coded from serial number at time of order then dispatched.

I think he wanted to mean the T73-P 430hp. I hear they are the most common and also older of the 1st Gen ECU series (k44/300,t73/74/75), as this engine was mostly used in the early to late nineties.
Once the 74 arrived it became a a rare order. For example I only see T73 mostly on some Rodman 41/44 (shaft version) and Fairline Targa 43. T74 arrived in 1998 if I am not mistaken.

 

[jakew009]

personally I think @petem @s suggestion of engines being started up while connected to the mains electricity

I’d say that theory makes absolutely no sense at all. What’s the theory behind it?

 

[jon and michie]

personally I think @petem @s suggestion of engines being started up while connected to the mains electricity and dying batteries are a good possibility

I’d say that theory makes absolutely no sense at all. What’s the theory behind it?

I said a good possibility - my thinking could be to with whilst starting the engines when plugged into shore power the battery charger would sense a large drop in volts and amps and would kick in - given that @Norsk has said these fail mainly down components failing not the software gives me a possibility of a surge in electricity hence my thinking / agreeing of @petem 'S theory

 

[jakew009]

I said a good possibility - my thinking could be to with whilst starting the engines when plugged into shore power the battery charger would sense a large drop in volts and amps and would kick in - given that @Norsk has said these fail mainly down components failing not the software gives me a possibility of a surge in electricity hence my thinking / agreeing of @petem 'S theory

Electrically that just makes no sense whatsoever though. Yes voltage will fall when starter motor kicks in. The charger’s voltage will also be dragged down.

The charger will then put out as many amps as it can to help recharge the battery but it’s not going to have any meaningful impact vs the huge draw of the starter motor.

If anything having the charger connected whilst starting the engine probably helps as it maintains a more stable voltage for the ECU.