Volvo D1-30b Oil Sensor Data

[zboss]

Hello,

I recently added an engine gateway to my system so I can see the J1939 messages from my Volvo engines on my Raymarine devices. Several metrics such as RPM and Coolant Temp correctly display but I can't seem to get the system to display the oil pressure.

We have a volvo d1-30b and I am thinking that maybe this is because the engine only includes a switch and not an actual pressure sender... only ON/OFF to signal a problem rather than an analog operating range.

Does anyone have any experience with getting actual oil pressure out of these engines?

- z

[Newf1]

I recently saw a video that showed, what appeared to be an oil sending unit, next to the very top of the oil line that runs up from the oil alarm sensor located at the bottom starboard side of the engine. Hard to tell from the video but it appears to be tapped into a port that's currently filled in with a allen head plug. I have the D1-30F and know of a guy on another forum with same engine that's trying to tie into this port so that he can install an oil pressure gauge.

Attached is a screen shot of the video showing what I believe is the oil sending at the top of the engine. Just left of the glycol/coolant tank.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by zboss

Hello,

I recently added an engine gateway to my system so I can see the J1939 messages from my Volvo engines on my Raymarine devices. Several metrics such as RPM and Coolant Temp correctly display but I can't seem to get the system to display the oil pressure.

We have a volvo d1-30b and I am thinking that maybe this is because the engine only includes a switch and not an actual pressure sender... only ON/OFF to signal a problem rather than an analog operating range.

Does anyone have any experience with getting actual oil pressure out of these engines?

- z

I did the same thing with the same engines and had the same questions. I asked my volvo-penta mechanic as well as doing some google searching and it turns out all the MDI box on the D1-30 provides is RPM and coolant temp. So we're basically out of luck absent installing third party sensors.

[Dsanduril]

There are a couple of other threads you may want to peruse, but the short answer is the MDI doesn't have oil pressure, only the idiot switch alarm, so no pressure display. The second thread has a post listing the available data.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ge-205133.html

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-a-186392.html

[a64pilot]

However it’s pretty simple to add a sending unit, all you need to do is find an unused oil galley plug, and that’s pretty simple.
I haven’t but I believe it’s pretty simple to add the oil pressure to NMEA 2000 and that ought to get it into your Ray devices, because I believe that is what you did with your engine data

[Dsanduril]

As a really cheap possible option, the MDI includes a fuel level sensor input that is 3-180Ω. Most VDO and similar resistive oil pressure senders are the same, so you could hook up an oil pressure sender to the fuel tank level input on the MDI and it would show up on the network, just with the wrong label.

[Newf1]

I got a confirmation today from the guy on another forum that he was able to install an oil sending unit on his D1-30F in the location I noted in the photo on my previous post. Said it was working great. Not what you were looking to do but does give you the option of seeing the oil pressure on a separate gauge. Will be installing the oil and temperature gauges on mine in the near future.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Newf1

I got a confirmation today from the guy on another forum that he was able to install an oil sending unit on his D1-30F in the location I noted in the photo on my previous post. Said it was working great. Not what you were looking to do but does give you the option of seeing the oil pressure on a separate gauge. Will be installing the oil and temperature gauges on mine in the near future.

Thanks! I checked to see if my D1-30B had a plug there but there isn't one there. Maybe he drilled and tapped it out.

[Newf1]

Originally Posted by zboss

Thanks! I checked to see if my D1-30B had a plug there but there isn't one there. Maybe he drilled and tapped it out.

This schematic shows the port location at Item 37. This is showing as same for D1-30, D1-30B and D1-30F. On my D1-30F the allen head plug is almost filled with paint so it might be worth another look. I just purchased the sender unit with a 90 degree elbow to install it as shown in the original photo I posted. I'm waiting for a metric adapter so I can install a sender and temperature gauge as well.

[DougR]

There are a couple of options to get an oil pressure sender into a D1-30 engine:

- Use the drilled, tapped, and plugged with Allen screw hole in the rocker box as mentioned by Newf1. I have heard of this being done before, but also heard of leak issues here because of non-compatible threads. Should bear some checking of threads. It’s also good to note that this is what Nothern Lights does on their generators using the same base engine.

- Use parts from the “extra sender kit” that VP had available for the prior series MD 2030 engine. This consists of a threaded block that attaches to the head with an extra long banjo bolt, and the oil sender then threads into the block. The kit was #873569 and it can be researched under that number, but the kit contained more than is needed here. The part numbers needed are:
Adapter block- 861388. Qty1
Hollow screw- 861389. Qty 1
Sealing washer- 947620. Qty3

- use the same port as currently used for the oil pressure alarm switch at the lower end of the rocker arm oil feed pipe, on the stb. side of the engine block. You would have to remove the alarm switch and replace it with a combination alarm switch/ pressure sender as available from VDO or others. Connect the alarm switch portion to the existing engine system wiring, and use the sender terminal for your gauge or to feed into your CAN bus gateway. This is what was done on certain versions of the D2-55 engine. NOTE: I haven’t done this myself and am not sure there is enough physical space to fit the combination sender in lieu of the original alarm switch. Will need to be checked for interference with the engine mount bracket. It could, of course, be done with a short hose and remote sender.....

[zboss]

Awesome everyone! Thanks.

It seems that Raymarine won't recognize the oil switch (without pressure) sentence, which is a real bummer, at least when don't through the Yacht Devices YDEG-04. Or maybe the i70 doesn't recognize it... there is no "oil pressure" alarm selection.

Does anyone know where to find a list of Volvo SPN and FMI numbers?

[Newf1]

Completed the install of the oil pressure and temperature sender and gauges on my D1-30F. Everything is working fine but had to install a 90 degree brass elbow on the rocker box to fit the oil sensor. Should I be concerned with increased corrosion between the aluminum rocker box and brass fitting? (Dissimilar metals concerns.) Anything I could have used or done to reduce potential issues?

On a different note, the temperature reached and stayed at 220-225F at my crusing speed. (7.5Knts at 2800 RPMs) I was thinking that this is rather high but after doing some reading online I found that the thermostat fully opens at 220F and commentary by others noted that 220-225F would be normal for this engine. In the electrical manual it notes that the alarm on this engine is set to activate at 230F if temperature stays there for longer than 15 seconds. Not a big spread between operating temperature and alarm point if my gauge is accurate. Any thoughts?

[DougR]

Originally Posted by Newf1

Completed the install of the oil pressure and temperature sender and gauges on my D1-30F. Everything is working fine but had to install a 90 degree brass elbow on the rocker box to fit the oil sensor. Should I be concerned with increased corrosion between the aluminum rocker box and brass fitting? (Dissimilar metals concerns.) Anything I could have used or done to reduce potential issues?

On a different note, the temperature reached and stayed at 220-225F at my crusing speed. (7.5Knts at 2800 RPMs) I was thinking that this is rather high but after doing some reading online I found that the thermostat fully opens at 220F and commentary by others noted that 220-225F would be normal for this engine. In the electrical manual it notes that the alarm on this engine is set to activate at 230F if temperature stays there for longer than 15 seconds. Not a big spread between operating temperature and alarm point if my gauge is accurate. Any thoughts?

Couple of thoughts.....
- Oil sender - I don’t think you will have corrosion issues between the aluminum valve cover housing and the brass elbow, but I would wonder about the strength of the brass elbow shaking around with an oil sender attached to it....

-temp gauge- you don’t say exactly what you did here....did you:
- leave the original temp sender in place and just add a VP daisy chain CAN bus gauge? Or
- replace the original sender with a new sender and a matching gauge? Or
- leave the original sender in place and add a second sender and gauge? Are the sender and gauge matched to each other?

As you pointed out, the thermostat is fully open at 220* F, but it begins to open at 194*F and that means, if your gauge is accurate, you are running with a fully open thermostat and the engine is working as hard as possible to keep itself cool...when at cruising RPM!
And there is no extra cooling capacity available for when the impeller gets a little worn or the HE gets a bit dirty, or a barnacle grows in the thru hull fitting. Not necessarily a good place to be if you are running 220*F at cruising RPM.

I think I might:
- get and use a photo tach to confirm your maximum reachable RPM.... you should reach 3200 @ wot in your normal cruising load condition, and then consider dropping back your cruise RPM a bit more.....90% of wide open is a pretty high constant cruise speed.
- get an infrared heat gun and confirm the engine temp on the sender. If it’s actually running at 220*F then I would check for seawater flow restrictions at the thru hull, strainer and connecting hose, and the HE tubes. Also confirm your antifreeze concentration is not more than 50% antifreeze.....a little less might be helpful.

DougR

[Newf1]

Originally Posted by DougR

Couple of thoughts.....
- Oil sender - I don’t think you will have corrosion issues between the aluminum valve cover housing and the brass elbow, but I would wonder about the strength of the brass elbow shaking around with an oil sender attached to it....

-temp gauge- you don’t say exactly what you did here....did you:
- leave the original temp sender in place and just add a VP daisy chain CAN bus gauge? Or
- replace the original sender with a new sender and a matching gauge? Or
- leave the original sender in place and add a second sender and gauge? Are the sender and gauge matched to each other?

As you pointed out, the thermostat is fully open at 220* F, but it begins to open at 194*F and that means, if your gauge is accurate, you are running with a fully open thermostat and the engine is working as hard as possible to keep itself cool...when at cruising RPM!
And there is no extra cooling capacity available for when the impeller gets a little worn or the HE gets a bit dirty, or a barnacle grows in the thru hull fitting. Not necessarily a good place to be if you are running 220*F at cruising RPM.

I think I might:
- get and use a photo tach to confirm your maximum reachable RPM.... you should reach 3200 @ wot in your normal cruising load condition, and then consider dropping back your cruise RPM a bit more.....90% of wide open is a pretty high constant cruise speed.
- get an infrared heat gun and confirm the engine temp on the sender. If it’s actually running at 220*F then I would check for seawater flow restrictions at the thru hull, strainer and connecting hose, and the HE tubes. Also confirm your antifreeze concentration is not more than 50% antifreeze.....a little less might be helpful.

DougR

Sorry for hijacking your thread "zboss". I can move to a new thread if that's more appropriate.

Thanks for your response Doug.
I had not considered the brass elbow failing but was more concerned with the threads in the aluminum casting failing from the vibration and overhand of the sender. The elbow was the only way to make it work for me in this location. Hopefully neither of those two conditions happen.

With respect to the temp sender, I installed a separate sender in the port directly below the sender for the alarm. Gauge and sender are by Faria. I had to use a metric to NPT adapter for this connection point.

I will do the checks you recommended and see what it turns up. I normally cruise at 2800rpm. New impeller prior to this run, raw water system recently flushed and water flow out of the discharge appeared to be normal. I had removed and cleaned the riser and HE core at 1400hrs. There was very minor build-up internally and externally on the tubes but I know it wouldn't take much to affect the cooling efficiency. Also I replaced the antifreeze with the Volvo premixed at the same time. Now at 2100hrs so maybe time for another look at the core.

I received feedback from another guy today with same boat,(RangerTug21EC) same engine, but with fewer hours than mine, around 400hrs versus my 2100hrs. He did the same install and tested it today. Running at only 1500rpm's for about 30 min his temperature reached 215F. He didn't run it higher. He used a different brand of gauge and probe than mine. (Seirra, I believe) Not sure what RPM I was at when I reached 220F. Will check next time out.

Again thanks for the feedback and will report back after my checks are done.

[zboss]

My manual says that the thermostat is fully open at 203F...not 220!