How to determine number of hours on diesel engine

[Sailing Drummer]

My hour meter (digital) is visible maybe 1/4 the time. I added an analog meter. I first hooked it up to 12v source that was always on. I determined approximately how long to let it run up - it was weeks. When it got close I kept checking the digital meter until I got a reading. I also keep a log of hours (sometimes based on the meter, sometimes based on the clock). I finally got to within about 2 hours and installed the analog meter to the ON switch. For me there was no chance the ON switch would be on for more than a few seconds at any time. It's never used for anything other than running and I remove the key when it's off so it can't be in the ON position. There's a note posted by the analog meter about the difference.

[GarthGregory]

A suggestion - Perhaps have an oil analysis done on a sample - it is not expensive and is used extensively on heavy vehicles / earth moving equipment to assess the engine or transmission - it will give you a very good idea of the state of your engine .Good luck

[parkstone bay]

Valhalla 36 on the 24th was correct - unless the existing system can be interrogated, as detailed by others, all you can do is make a note in the engine log (and, you do keep a separate engine log, don't you?) "new hours meter installed xx date". Hours meters - which are basically a quartz clock - are dirt cheap (UK price £30 or so), and eye-watering easy to wire in. Take any convenient terminal from the starter switch that is live when the switch is on - but NOT the starter solenoid (because that's only energised when you crank the engine), and wire the hours meter between it and earth. At least, from now on, you know the hours since the meter went in that the engine has done for oil changes, filter swap-outs, etc.
Yes, if you wire it to the starter switch, it registers all the time the switch isn't at OFF. But the difference is only a few seconds when starting and shutting down: it ain't enough to worry about. And you don't leave the starter switch ever on anything but OFF when the engine isn't running.
(Your engine has "probably" been used around 100 hours/year, if she's a normal weekender/family boat. But I wouldn't stake my life on it)

[KarenSJ]

When our meter stopped working we simply began to record engine hours in the ship's log to keep our own running tally. The captain will surely be interested to read the back door ways to potentially recover this data from the instrument itself which, as you say, keeps turning over even though the lapsed hours are not reflected.

[MJH]

My boat has a Volvo Penta D2-55B. Before the hour-meter stopped revealing the hours is was intermittent. However, when it came back on the hours had increased appropriately, meaning the display was not functioning but the counter was still working. Assuming all electrical connections were still functioning, maybe some electronic wizard knows how to get into that particular function to give you the hours.

Secondly, the cost of replacing the Volvo Penta hour-meter was ridiculously expensive and the local Volvo Penta service manger recommended just putting in an aftermarket meter. When I did that I wired it in at my Navigation Station rather than in the cockpit since thats where I'm located when making all my log entries...saves a lot of trips back into the cockpit just for those numbers.

You don't say what D2-75 "model" you have...that should be on the engine block somewhere (Google to learn where it should be) and that year span of production will give you a ballpark of engine age.

Good Luck.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[jpitman]

I had the same problem with my 2003 Volvo D2-55. I took the hour meter along to the local agents for the instrument itself. They repaired/ replaced the display, recovering the current hours which were still logging correctly within the instrument memory. Three years on it is still working fine. Now I always record engine hours manually in the log book in case it fails again.

[parkstone bay]

The manual log is, of course, the best.
But - question - why keep a log of engine hours at all? Answer: to tell me when to service filters, oil change etc. As a yottie, I'm not really worried about my trip from point A to point B being X hours under sail and Y hours under engine. But, at the end of the year, have I done 30 hours with the donk (in which case, I can probably leave it until the spring, or even next autumn, but must do it then), or have I done 300 hours in which case, yes a full service now is a good call. I have a little Mobo, I service my engine 1/year, regardless of hours.
Install an hours meter - less than £30 sterling, probably less in USD- mark it "new meter installed 27Oct18" or similar. AND keep the engine log, but, of course, you did that anyway, didn't you .......... ?

[Dockhand]

Call Lauderdale Speedometer & Compass at 800-951-5123, they can fix your hour meter, they fixed mine. They said that the hour keep tallying on even when they don’t show. I think mine was about $100, there turn around time was fast.

[Jaymc93]

I’m a broker and we often come acros this issue with hour meters not displaying
As mentioned a few it is normally just the LCD dislay itself that has failed with the tachometer continuing to record engine hours.
Just remove the unit and any decent autoelectrician will be able to replace the LCD display and you will have your correct hours back and displaying.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by swflguy

We bought an 2006 Elan 434 this spring. The digital hour meter no longer works.
My objective is to install an analog hour meter in the engine compartment and reset the meter to reflect the the number of hours currently on the engine.
Any suggestions as to choosing an hour meter, installation and how to determine the number of hours currently on the engine is appreciated.
The engine is a Volvo-Penta D75 saildrive.
Thank you!

Why wouldn’t replace with the same meter?

[KeelMe]

We don't have any fancy hour meters. I write in the log what time something was started, what time it was turned off, how long it ran, and then tally the numbers and write the total hours. I do this for everything; the main engine, the generator, the water maker. My logs are so good I can tell you how many hours I have on the alternator.

One fancy thing we do have is current and voltage trending on all of our electrical and electronic equipment.

[jacktheflyer]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

If you do a search for Volvo hour meter repair, you’ll find various references to dismantling the dial and cleaning the ribbon contacts leading to the lcd display. This can often recover the display, at least long enough for you to read off the value. Apparently, the hours keep recording even though they don’t display. This will allow you to set the new hour meter correctly when you replace it.

I have some replacement readouts which I can probably sell for AU$35 + postage.

[mike d.]

If you bought the boat and the engine did not function, why can't you get in touch with p/o and ask estimated hrs. yearly ! A ball part is better than nothing ! If the meter died when you owned the boat, the p/o hours would have been on the sales receipt ! Guesstimate your hours since purchase !