VP TMD40 overheating at high RPM

Leighb said:
Your recollection is correct.
The starboard one is the problem, and has the later type 40B heat exchanger.
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Ok. Last one with issues had delaminates rubber end cap so wasn’t diverting flow back up the tube stack .

The work done by whoever sounds very sketchy, has the exchanger been taken off and cleaned? This is the first job anyone would do relating to your overheat problem , if not I’d be looking at other engineer, I remember you having a sea water pump issue with bearings etc , not the same man is it?

I have a new end cap here if you need one , right price .
 
Thanks Paul,
It is not the same one who wrecked the water pump bearings, but I am still not happy with this one, particularly as I have asked him to remove the exhaust elbow and check it and he said "It is OK as I can blow through it!" No he hasn't taken off the heat exchanger, just flushed with RydLyme, I also asked him specifically to check the rubber end cap and he has not seen fit to do that either!!!
I am getting another local firm who are Volvo specialists to start from scratch to identify the problem.
 
An update on the saga, the latest engineers, who at last seem to be sensible and actually listen to what they are told, have checked the system. Almost the first thing they did was remove the end cap on the heat exchanger, a request that the previous one simply ignored in spite of 3 or 4 askings. :mad-new:

As suggested by several of you the problem was clear, the diverter flap was distorted and the flow was by-passing. See pic.

rfVJAYZ.jpg


The tubes were all clear - they had been Rydlymed - and no other problem was found.

Yesterday we finally went out for a sea trial after waiting some time for suitable weather.

The temperature gauge still went a lot higher than on the other engine, but a lot more slowly and settled at about 95degC at max RPM 3600.

However the engineer was checking the actual engine temps using an infra-red gauge and found that both engines were at exactly the same temperature. He feels that the cooling issue is now resolved, but there is possibly a faulty sender or an electrical problem in the circuit on that side.

Does sound likely?

Certainly we returned to harbour happily cruising at 3300 rpm - about 16 knots - with the temp sitting at 85-90. It was going off the clock at 3000rpm before the latest fix.

Any further advice most welcome. Thanks again for all the input.
 
Both my TAMD40b's are healthy, but the gauges register very different readings, so I have no doubt with regard to what you have done already the engines are running fine for cooling.

The cooling systems are simple, River water in-out while the circulation system does it's simple stuff.

Most issues appear to arise when not enough River/Sea water is pushed though....
 
Thanks, how different are your temp readings? On mine the Port engine hardly gets above 80, whereas the Stb goes to 95 or a bit more. At least now it does not keep going up which was happening before as soon as you got to 3000rpm.
 
I have looked through this saga with interest and am happy to add any input, just ask. We had TMD40A with the early cooler for near 16 years in our Storebro 31 Baltic until our current TAMD41A's in a 340 biscay.
for 10 years the 40's ran happily, 90 degrees, only one overheat with the problem fount to be blocked stub pipe out the exchanger.
However, After I did a routine cooling service, cleaned the elements ultrasonically, all pipes including the gunge that collects near the front drain tap low down, new stats, etc she ran at 85 on both thereafter and only marginally warmer in height of summer with warmer cooling (sea!) water.
The port engine always could take a good time to catch up with the starboard due to the calorifier and piping adding another cooling point.
We had an oil cooler go old and blocked and proved it by only a brief gentle run bypassing it which restored full flow.
Also a recurring theme was the raw water pump sucking air due to horrid rubber o-rings and poor sealing on old pipes. This was cured by all new seals plus self amalgamating tape over the joints which is easy to remove when required.
We loved our 31Baltic, the 340 biscay too though its not the same at least to me.
Oh, by the way the first thing I do with twins is switch over parts, simple switch is to switch senders from one engine to other and see what they read and the same with gauges too if required. If you have a duff part the other engine will read hot instead!
If wiring is suspected it is not too difficult to unplug both ends and use a jumper wire instead, although usually wiring issues make the gauge read max or Nil depending if it is shorted or open circuit fault.
 
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temperature senders and /or gauges can read wrong (both mine do by 8 degs), as per other posts swap the senders over and see if the problem moves with the senders. The infra red temperature guages are really useful and you can keep an eye on things yourself.

They only cost about £10 from ebay/maplins and easy to verify by pointing at a bowl of crushed ice (0 degs) and a coke can with black paint on it full of boiling water 98 - 100 degs.
 
Leighb said:
Thanks, how different are your temp readings? On mine the Port engine hardly gets above 80, whereas the Stb goes to 95 or a bit more. At least now it does not keep going up which was happening before as soon as you got to 3000rpm.
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One reads under 50 degrees the other 70 on the river.
 
No Regrets said:
One reads under 50 degrees the other 70 on the river.
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Thanks, in my case the difference is similar, so maybe I will just keep an eye on it. I do have an IR Temp gauge so I can monitor the engine temps directly when underway, but it involves lifting sections of the wheelhouse floor so not something to do constantly.

Where are the temp senders fitted? I have had a quick look and could only see the RPM and Oil senders. I have looked at the picture in the manual but it again only shows the location of Oil and RPM. The Parts catalogue online is unhelpful as it does not indicate where any senders are located.
 
snowbird30ds said:
The infra red temp sensors are best if you have a matt black area to aim at as shiny surfaces can give false readings, a bit of masking tape and permanent marker can do the trick if you don't want to paint bits of engine.
I would guess dipping the senders will require an earth lead.
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Would somewhat grubby Volvo green not be fairly suitable. :D
 
petrolhead63 said:
I have looked through this saga with interest and am happy to add any input, just ask. We had TMD40A with the early cooler for near 16 years in our Storebro 31 Baltic until our current TAMD41A's in a 340 biscay.
for 10 years the 40's ran happily, 90 degrees, only one overheat with the problem fount to be blocked stub pipe out the exchanger.
However, After I did a routine cooling service, cleaned the elements ultrasonically, all pipes including the gunge that collects near the front drain tap low down, new stats, etc she ran at 85 on both thereafter and only marginally warmer in height of summer with warmer cooling (sea!) water.
The port engine always could take a good time to catch up with the starboard due to the calorifier and piping adding another cooling point.
We had an oil cooler go old and blocked and proved it by only a brief gentle run bypassing it which restored full flow.
Also a recurring theme was the raw water pump sucking air due to horrid rubber o-rings and poor sealing on old pipes. This was cured by all new seals plus self amalgamating tape over the joints which is easy to remove when required.
We loved our 31Baltic, the 340 biscay too though its not the same at least to me.
Oh, by the way the first thing I do with twins is switch over parts, simple switch is to switch senders from one engine to other and see what they read and the same with gauges too if required. If you have a duff part the other engine will read hot instead!
If wiring is suspected it is not too difficult to unplug both ends and use a jumper wire instead, although usually wiring issues make the gauge read max or Nil depending if it is shorted or open circuit fault.
Click to expand...

In our case part of the temp difference will also be down to the calorifier attached to the Port engine, however I would have thought that once the water in calorifier was up to engine temp the difference would get less? Perhaps it does over a longer period of time?
 
Leighb said:
Thanks, in my case the difference is similar, so maybe I will just keep an eye on it. I do have an IR Temp gauge so I can monitor the engine temps directly when underway, but it involves lifting sections of the wheelhouse floor so not something to do constantly.

Where are the temp senders fitted? I have had a quick look and could only see the RPM and Oil senders. I have looked at the picture in the manual but it again only shows the location of Oil and RPM. The Parts catalogue online is unhelpful as it does not indicate where any senders are located.
Click to expand...

It looks like the sensors are fitted near the filler on my 'B's and easy to check by unplugging and watching the gauges once warmed up a bit!

However, having listened to the exhaust and engine note now my oil cooler is clear, it's very obvious something was wrong, but is now fixed.

I checked the thermostats, which predictably were fine, and all the other peripheral rubbish, but the only thing that will really make these engines overheat is a lack of raw water being pumped through at vast quantities! The other stuff (internal water pump, thermostats, wrong coolant mix, loose belts etc etc) is not going to make a huge difference in percentage terms.

I hoped it would be a thermostat, etc etc etc....I just wish I had popped that Oil cooler pipe off in the first place, would have saved a lot of wasted time... :encouragement:
 
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