VP TAMD 63

[RD60]

Interested in boat wth twin TAMD 63s at 3,000 hours each, professionally serviced annually.
Should I walk away or are they good for many more hours?

 

[oldgit]

Depends entirely on condition, those engines do not "wear out" , the main trouble occurs if the cooling systems are not maintained.
What boat ?

 

[RD60]

Nelson

 

[Machaseo]

Only based on my own experience with the 63P, Good base engines, simple non electronic control, no ECU to worry about.
I have had a few boats with them in now. As Oldgit says all comes down to how they have been maintained.
They can be a bit sooty so make sure Injectors have been checked / serviced every 1000 hours I think it is from memory, might be wrong.
Fresh water cooling system needs to be kept clean same as any other engine, intercooler can get gummed up with oil residue and needs cleaned periodically.
Low boost issues due to inlet manifold gasket failure / turbo wear or waste gate siezing, silicone pipe from turbo to intercooler splitting.
There was a modification to the raw water pumps from a single to a double bearing, depending on the age of the engines it might have come from the factory with the double bearing pump all mine did but I ordered a rebuilt kit and was sent a single bearing kit once by mistake, that's the only reason I know about the mod.
Exhaust manifolds can rot / crack causing leaks, no different to any other marine engine if not looked after.
Keep on top of the internal anodes again no different to any other engine.
Depending on the installation access to the STB raw water impeller and oil filters can be a challenge unless you are a gynecologist built like a racing snake.
A pal of mine had one in a fast creel boat with over 10k hours on his before he pulled it.
I have a brand new turbo for one that I bought and never used if anyone needs one.

 

[IDAMAY]

I owned three Sealines fitted with these engines. Although we didn`t get anywhere near those hours, they were generally very reliable and I don`t remember much needed doing beyond normal servicing. One set of engines took us from Plymouth to Plymouth via Scotland, Shetland, Bergen, Denmark and the Kiel Canal. 3000 Nm in one season and no problems, other than an oil feed pipe coming adrift.

Wish I could say the same for later electronically controlled engines.

 

[RD60]

Only based on my own experience with the 63P, Good base engines, simple non electronic control, no ECU to worry about.
I have had a few boats with them in now. As Oldgit says all comes down to how they have been maintained.
They can be a bit sooty so make sure Injectors have been checked / serviced every 1000 hours I think it is from memory, might be wrong.
Fresh water cooling system needs to be kept clean same as any other engine, intercooler can get gummed up with oil residue and needs cleaned periodically.
Low boost issues due to inlet manifold gasket failure / turbo wear or waste gate siezing, silicone pipe from turbo to intercooler splitting.
There was a modification to the raw water pumps from a single to a double bearing, depending on the age of the engines it might have come from the factory with the double bearing pump all mine did but I ordered a rebuilt kit and was sent a single bearing kit once by mistake, that's the only reason I know about the mod.
Exhaust manifolds can rot / crack causing leaks, no different to any other marine engine if not looked after.
Keep on top of the internal anodes again no different to any other engine.
Depending on the installation access to the STB raw water impeller and oil filters can be a challenge unless you are a gynecologist built like a racing snake.
A pal of mine had one in a fast creel boat with over 10k hours on his before he pulled it.
I have a brand new turbo for one that I bought and never used if anyone needs one.

Many thanks,useful information

 

[Bandit]

I have had two boats over 20 years with 63P's in, First boat a Fairline Sedan 36 I had them fitted new then in 2007 I bought a 6 year old Aquastar 48 with a pair in with only 240 hours on the clock, now 1200 ish hrs.

They have never let me down yet, but whenever something needs doing, I have it done.

VP 63P's were in production 1995 to 2005.

They are mechanical , robust, no obvious achilles heels, Get a Volvo Penta engineer to look over them carefully and go for a seatrial.

I had new turbos, injection bends, inlet manifolds, new injectors recently and one new gearbox about 6 years ago.

 

[volvopaul]

Interested in boat wth twin TAMD 63s at 3,000 hours each, professionally serviced annually.
Should I walk away or are they good for many more hours?

Great engine , only flaw at high hours are.
worn waste gate on turbo.
blocked coolers .
worn timing gears .

 

[RD60]

Great engine , only flaw at high hours are.
worn waste gate on turbo.
blocked coolers .
worn timing gears .

Many thanks, what would be approx cost of sorting these?