VP 2003 - Where to get alternator and starter motor?

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West Coast

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20 years on, my VP 2003 is running well, good compression and starting. But having had bad experiences this season with failed water pumps (just getting old and worn) I am thinking of renewing the original alternator (preferably for a higher output) and the original starter as a precaution.

Will try Volvo Agents, but suspect they will be expensive! Can anyone recommend a good source of equivalent parts for these two items?

Thanks
 
I have a 2003 I bought 7 yrs ago for spares and then bought Beta and then sold the orig 2003, if you are interested I can go see if alt and sm are there. Engine stored in dry covered with rags doused with anti corrosion spray. Should you be interested I will have them tested and then send you photos. Both are orig spec so doubt if alt is high output.
Keith
 
I bought a high output alternator for my 2003 - around 90 amp from memory. It works OK but it was a real pig to fit because there is very little space behind the alternator and fitting the new one, which I assume is slightly larger, meant that it was extremely difficult to make all the electrical connections to the rear of the alternator. I can't recall the model or make - the documents are on the boat - but I would take measurements before you upgrade. The alternative would be to get your alternator serviced by a car specialist and then, it you want more amps, fit an Adverc, Sterling or similar alternator controller.
 
Hi my old 2003 was a pig to start in winter as the starter struggled to turn it over. Went to a car factors and bought an off the shelf starter automotive one with more umph. Took them a while to locate something but I think the replacement was actually off a Volvo car- huge improvement.
I doubt installing a bigger alternator will make much difference, I rarely see more than 20amps on any boat I've owned and it soon falls back to single figures. On my 2003 I fitted a smart controller to the standard Paris rhone alternator, and this really boosted the output. However something went wrong and it started smoking one day! I had the alternator refurbished never refitted the controller and instead I removed the diode splitter and replaced with a relay (couple of quid automotive one), the results were noticeably better than my original setup.
 
Thanks all - just looking for a reliable recommended UK source of equivalent parts! eBay sellers have some, this could be a route.
 
cagey said:
I have a 2003 I bought 7 yrs ago for spares and then bought Beta and then sold the orig 2003, if you are interested I can go see if alt and sm are there. Engine stored in dry covered with rags doused with anti corrosion spray. Should you be interested I will have them tested and then send you photos. Both are orig spec so doubt if alt is high output.
Keith
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Hi Keith - thanks, but would prefer to buy new - reliability from a new unit is what I am looking for.
 
West Coast said:
Thanks all - just looking for a reliable recommended UK source of equivalent parts! eBay sellers have some, this could be a route.
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But overkill to buy new if your current ones work. There is nothing special about them so just take them to a specialist and get them checked out. Full reconditioning about £110 each less than half new price.
 
Tranona said:
But overkill to buy new if your current ones work. There is nothing special about them so just take them to a specialist and get them checked out. Full reconditioning about £110 each less than half new price.
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Have to agree. If you carry this process to its logical conclusion you'd just replace the engine!

My 2003T still has the original starter and alternator, which both work fine.
 
Tranona said:
But overkill to buy new if your current ones work. There is nothing special about them so just take them to a specialist and get them checked out. Full reconditioning about £110 each less than half new price.
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Thanks - reconditioning is also an option, but had not explored this route as yet. Will do so.

I appreciate they are working OK - for now - but so was my FW pump at the start of the season and its failure due to bearing collapse cost me a weeks cruising! So - the idea is preventative maintenance........
 
West Coast said:
Thanks - reconditioning is also an option, but had not explored this route as yet. Will do so.

I appreciate they are working OK - for now - but so was my FW pump at the start of the season and its failure due to bearing collapse cost me a weeks cruising! So - the idea is preventative maintenance........
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So where do you draw the line? Are you going to fit a new fuel pump, new injectors, new bearings, etc? The 2003 is a sturdy reliable engine and with simple routine maintenance should be good for many thousands of hours.
 
pvb said:
So where do you draw the line? Are you going to fit a new fuel pump, new injectors, new bearings, etc? The 2003 is a sturdy reliable engine and with simple routine maintenance should be good for many thousands of hours.
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Totally agree with your comments and have (hopefully logically) thought this through. With advice from a forum friend, line drawn as follows: (bear in mind, this is a 20 year old engine, probably 2000 to 2500 hours).

Main engine components working fine, tampering will disturb this, so leave well alone, including injector etc.

But focus on externals. FW and Seawater pump both overhauled this year so fine. Replace all water hoses, also diesel flexible fuel lines look tired so replacing these. Exhaust hose looks very tired and some cracks showing, so replace also. Muffler boxes fine, so leave alone. The negative pole solenoid on the starter motor failed a year back, was replaced then so fine. Air filter has never been cleaned, so will try cleaning or replace (bearing in mind another recent thread on VP engine air filter!)

Which leaves the starter and alternator - looking at options, Tranona's suggestion of overhaul is a good one, unless new ones are similar price.

Line drawn.

As I mentioned, the idea is a level of preventative maintenance to cost effectively increase reliability.
 
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West Coast said:
Air filter has never been cleaned, so will try cleaning or replace (bearing in mind another recent thread on VP engine air filter!)

As I mentioned, the idea is a level of preventative maintenance to cost effectively increase reliability.
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If you're so interested in preventative maintenance, why have you ignored VP's instruction to clean the air filter every year?
 
West Coast said:
Air filter has never been cleaned, so will try cleaning or replace (bearing in mind another recent thread on VP engine air filter!)
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Just in case this refers to my recent problems with the 2003 silencer (air filter), I never did find a substitute for the obsolete item. An email to the manufacturer went unanswered. I'll be aralditing the two parts of my spare back together.

Cheers
Bob
 
RIBW said:
Just in case this refers to my recent problems with the 2003 silencer (air filter), I never did find a substitute for the obsolete item. An email to the manufacturer went unanswered. I'll be aralditing the two parts of my spare back together.

Cheers
Bob
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Or fit a universal K&N filter which would just clamp on in place, priced about £31. Just wish I could remember the diameter of the inlet or I would order one for my 2003.

http://www.knfilters.com/search/univround.aspx
 
Pete7 said:
Or fit a universal K&N filter which would just clamp on in place, priced about £31. Just wish I could remember the diameter of the inlet or I would order one for my 2003.

http://www.knfilters.com/search/univround.aspx
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The diameter of my spare filter is 51.5mm - I found a Krone 41 021 87 013 which is labelled as 'Silencer air cleaner' at this website. It is 52mm. I haven't checked price.

http://www.krone-filter.de/files/pdf/silencer-air-cleaners-krone-filtertechnik.pdf

Cheers
Bob
 
I have a 2003 and for the past couple of years, it had been taking a lot of churning to start from cold. The battery seemed happy to provide the churning power, so that "obviously" wasn't the problem. Last winter, it finally died and was replaced by a new one with close to double the AH capacity and CCA (the old one's quoted CCA was more than enough). This year, the engine turns over much quicker and starts a lot more readily - better last Saturday at 5 deg than in the summer previously.

The moral is, before saying 2003s are bad at starting/my engine's knacked/my starter's knackered, try a new battery. Of course, before doing that, clean up all the connections!

It won't help the cloud of smoke that overfuelling cold start systems produce in cold weather (my apologies to the shiney new mobo opposite me that disappeared from view for a few seconds), but it may take away that "will she, won't she" nervousness.
 
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