Yanmar or Volvo?

[Elza_Skip]

Hi all,

I am looking at buying a used Aquador 32c and 2 of the ones I am considering have different engines and I am after the forums collective wisdom on the topic

The first is a 2005 boat with a Yanmar 6LY2 370hp with 226 hours and the other is a 2006 with a Volvo D6 370 with similar hours

I am more familiar with the Volvos although I have not had a D6 but I am not sure there is much to choose between them

Any experiences with either that would help?


Thanks

 

[Beamishken]

I'm not sure how good or bad either engine is mechanically but reading all the 'volvo electrical problems' posts on here I'd go for the yanmar as I believe it's mechanically controlled and free from electronic gremlins
Some people seem to like the bells & whistles but I like the simplicity & fixability of old school engines
I'd hate to have to rely on a volvo agent with a laptop to diagnose every fault

 

[superheat6k]

My vote would be the Yanmar for the reasons stated, but I have never had a D series engine. I do not like the idea of an engine that decides when it will limit how much you can use it - that's the owners decision IMHO.

I personally abhor common rail. Not sure whether the Yanmar is all electronic.

I just love my new to me Cummins 6BT5.9Ms. The boast at the start of the service manual is the ability to do virtually all maintenance and even a full overhaul with 'normal tools available at any hardware store'. 10,000,000 buses can't be wrong.

 

[Cashbuyer]

Currently running a single Yanmar. Parts are pricey. Our engineer was surprised at the high cost of of an impeller. So that might be an issue.
Ours is apparently based on a Toyota engine and has been trouble free so far...

 

[Beamishken]

Currently running a single Yanmar. Parts are pricey. Our engineer was surprised at the high cost of of an impeller. So that might be an issue.
Ours is apparently based on a Toyota engine and has been trouble free so far...

Obviously buying your parts from the wrong place all the filters are toyota landcruiser and my pump impellers are less than a tenner
The 6ly isn't toyota though I think it may by scania or some sort of collaboration with them

 

[volvopaul]

Service costs are about the same, the D6 and 6ly impeller is the same.
Quite right the yanmar is a more simpler engine but no where as smooth as the D6 or smoke free. The yanmar is a more diy motor than the Volvo. It's a personal choice in my view. The Volvo has better network of dealers and has electronic control.

 

[volvopaul]

Obviously buying your parts from the wrong place all the filters are toyota landcruiser and my pump impellers are less than a tenner
The 6ly isn't toyota though I think it may by scania or some sort of collaboration with them

6ly is an industrial based unit no connection with Toyota , none of the filters are the same as the LP apart from the air and some anodes .

 

[Spi D]

Some opinions in this old thread:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?364806-are-yanmar-370-engines-ok-hope-so-!

 

[Elza_Skip]

Thanks al,

Sounds like a bit of a personal preference then and probably more down to the individual condition and service history.

I use the boat on the river quite a bit at the moment so a low smoke option has it's attractions (will be returning to a sea marina in the future). I wonder if there is a view of which of these 2 is less susceptible to the issue of low speed running- certainly the D4 engine boat we saw recently got up to 85 degrees quickly whereas my TAMD41bs on my current boat never warm up till under load....

 

[wakeup]

What is the Yanmar mated to? There were quite some problems with Yammers chewing through Bravo 3 leg gear boxes as they couldn't seem to cope with the torque of the Yanmar. Equally there are quite a few issues over the last 10 years with D6 units and legs especially the steering rams. So it needs buyer beware with either option IMHO.

 

[AllanG]

What is the Yanmar mated to? There were quite some problems with Yammers chewing through Bravo 3 leg gear boxes as they couldn't seem to cope with the torque of the Yanmar. Equally there are quite a few issues over the last 10 years with D6 units and legs especially the steering rams. So it needs buyer beware with either option IMHO.

No problem for the OP, as the Aquador 32C is a shaft drive.

 

[curiouskb]

I'm not sure how good or bad either engine is mechanically but reading all the 'volvo electrical problems' posts on here I'd go for the yanmar as I believe it's mechanically controlled and free from electronic gremlins
Some people seem to like the bells & whistles but I like the simplicity & fixability of old school engines
I'd hate to have to rely on a volvo agent with a laptop to diagnose every fault

Totally agree.

 

[lynall]

Thanks al,

Sounds like a bit of a personal preference then and probably more down to the individual condition and service history.

I use the boat on the river quite a bit at the moment so a low smoke option has it's attractions (will be returning to a sea marina in the future). I wonder if there is a view of which of these 2 is less susceptible to the issue of low speed running- certainly the D4 engine boat we saw recently got up to 85 degrees quickly whereas my TAMD41bs on my current boat never warm up till under load....

Not sure on the diesels but on my petrol v/p theres different stats for fresh or salt water.

 

[Wavey]

Personally I'd go for the Yanmars. Got a pair of 6LYs in my Broom and very happy with them. Much prefer to keep things simple and avoid electronics that are often unnecessary.

Last year I met the owner of a Broom with 6LYs who is based in Holland. He had clocked up over 3,500 hours with no issues, just routine servicing.

 

[KevB]

I think you should also consider resale value. A Volvo engine boat, all being equal, would probably more desirable to the majority of potential purchasers.

 

[Beamishken]

I think you should also consider resale value. A Volvo engine boat, all being equal, would probably more desirable to the majority of potential purchasers.

I'd dissagree with that statement whilst when fairly young the boat will probably be owned by a person who will possibly just give all the work to an engineer & the cost of servicing may be similar although you will have more choice of engineers able to service & repair the yanmars due to their simplicity so maybe cheaper to maintain the yanmar.
As the boat ages and moves on to its second or third owner the chances of that owner being a DIY owner increase so id suspect most DIY owners would prefer the simple yanmar so I think in time the yanmar boat will become worth more than the volvo
Also as the volvo ages it will become less economical to repair as electronic items start to die it will be more economical to re power than repair
Boat engines will go the way of cars 15 years ago scrap yards used to be full of rusty rotten heaps still running this isn't the case now many cars get scraped because of the expensive electronic items that give up on them

 

[KevB]

I'd dissagree with that statement whilst when fairly young the boat will probably be owned by a person who will possibly just give all the work to an engineer & the cost of servicing may be similar although you will have more choice of engineers able to service & repair the yanmars due to their simplicity so maybe cheaper to maintain the yanmar.
As the boat ages and moves on to its second or third owner the chances of that owner being a DIY owner increase so id suspect most DIY owners would prefer the simple yanmar so I think in time the yanmar boat will become worth more than the volvo
Also as the volvo ages it will become less economical to repair as electronic items start to die it will be more economical to re power than repair
Boat engines will go the way of cars 15 years ago scrap yards used to be full of rusty rotten heaps still running this isn't the case now many cars get scraped because of the expensive electronic items that give up on them

I know what I'd go for and it'll be green and honestly believe the vast majority of Joe public boat buyer would do the same. Lets me honest, Volvo are huge in the leisure boat market compared to all the other put together.

 

[Greg2]

I wouldn't agree that Volvos make a boat more desirable either. They may be huge with good parts availability but they are also expensive and there are other quality makes out there. We are on our fourth boat and have had both Volvo and Perkins - two of each in fact and currently on the latter. Whilst I would have either I wouldn't actively look for a VP powered boat and I much prefer the pricing schedule for the Perkins parts

 

[volvopaul]

I'd dissagree with that statement whilst when fairly young the boat will probably be owned by a person who will possibly just give all the work to an engineer & the cost of servicing may be similar although you will have more choice of engineers able to service & repair the yanmars due to their simplicity so maybe cheaper to maintain the yanmar.
As the boat ages and moves on to its second or third owner the chances of that owner being a DIY owner increase so id suspect most DIY owners would prefer the simple yanmar so I think in time the yanmar boat will become worth more than the volvo
Also as the volvo ages it will become less economical to repair as electronic items start to die it will be more economical to re power than repair
Boat engines will go the way of cars 15 years ago scrap yards used to be full of rusty rotten heaps still running this isn't the case now many cars get scraped because of the expensive electronic items that give up on them

It's a lottery on which engine to buy, what I will say about yanmar V Volvo is that the price of parts for the yanmar are far higher than Volvo.
An example of the 6ly on yesterday I services a pair in a broom 42, a set of anodes alone is round figures £130 plus vat, you have 4 in a D4/D6 at £8 each, then there are belts at silly prices, impellers that you need to buy the o ring separate, on the 6lp you have to remove the pump in a lot of boat to remove the impeller , more gaskets required to do this.

Pumps and injector repairs for the yanmar are silly money compared to Bosch VE pump or even a common rail CP pump.

Then you get into age related issues like exhaust elbows, coolers etc, yanmar parts are a step above in price compared to Volvo.

Don't be fooled that a non common rail engine with no electronics is a cheap option. It isn't at all, I will also add the yanmar said seem to rust very quickly compared to a Volvo.

The other issues are the coolers, there not if a type where the tube stack can be split from the main housing to be cleaned like a Volvo which leads to overheating issues.

Personal choice I know but don't write the volvos off just because of electronic issues, at least there is a dealer within 20 miles of most ports on the south coast of the U.K and a good inland network too should you need it.