Volvo Penta 2003 lifespan?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Vasco

You're very fortunate. My experience was different with a 2003 (1988) which was brand new in a brand new boat. Here's some other views on these engines:
Volvo-Penta 2000: Worst ship diesel engine ?

So if you had a choice as the first owner what mid 1980s engine would you have chosen instead which still has parts available, 30 years later, world wide? I look forward to your reply.

Sure our 2003 will go bang one day, but it's 30 years old next month so not doing too bad and the replacement parts come from 3rd party suppliers not Volvo if I can help it. Why do these companies make spares, because there is a demand from thousands of owners who still own these engines which are going strong. How many did they make, lots and they were popular with boat builders because they didn't have to pay for the engine until the boat was sold, so good for cash flow.

Pete

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Pete7

So if you had a choice as the first owner what mid 1980s engine would you have chosen instead which still has parts available, 30 years later, world wide? I look forward to your reply.



Pete

Hi Pete,

I still have the boat (1988 CS36 Merlin), just don't have the lousy Volvo engine anymore. I got so sick of an engine that many of the Volvo mechanics on the east coast US swore at and could not fix I re-powered in 91 or 92 to a Yanmar 3GM30F which is what powers the boat today. So far filters, belts and impellers are all I've had to replace. The Yanmar was available in the mid eighties. I just wish that CS had put a Yanmar in originally instead of saving the few bucks that Volvo offered them to put Volvos in their boats. Prior to the Volvos CS had used Yanmars, Bukhs and Westerbekes.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Pete7

So if you had a choice as the first owner what mid 1980s engine would you have chosen instead which still has parts available, 30 years later, world wide? I look forward to your reply.

Sure our 2003 will go bang one day, but it's 30 years old next month so not doing too bad and the replacement parts come from 3rd party suppliers not Volvo if I can help it. Why do these companies make spares, because there is a demand from thousands of owners who still own these engines which are going strong. How many did they make, lots and they were popular with boat builders because they didn't have to pay for the engine until the boat was sold, so good for cash flow.

Pete

So that's how they sold so many of the Green Devil's.

[doug cusick]

i have same motor. mine is over 20 yearsw old. many of the parts are becoming obsolete, so when you rebuild there can be issues. also the parts from volvo are ridiculously expensive. sometimes after market parts can be had, but id you have to go to volvo your gonna bend over.

[jamhass]

So far (knock on teak) my 2003T is running well at 5000 hrs. Of course, I have removed the heat exchanger and oil cooler, replacing them with generic after-market units. The "guts" of the engine appear pretty reliable. It's the "marinizing" bits that are half-a$$ed.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by jamhass

So far (knock on teak) my 2003T is running well at 5000 hrs. Of course, I have removed the heat exchanger and oil cooler, replacing them with generic after-market units. The "guts" of the engine appear pretty reliable. It's the "marinizing" bits that are half-a$$ed.

Yep. That's almost always the case. The peripheral equipment brakes or doesn't get maintained and causes catastrophic damage (exhaust elbows). The engines seem to last forever if the oil is changed on a regular basis and they are winterized properly.

[coastalexplorer]

The link Vasco provided. Volvo-Penta 2000: Worst ship diesel engine ? is the article that I referred to in my first submission on this thread. My observations were that it did not seem to be written by a very intellectual Person. The seals to the fresh water coolant are not 'cut off pieces of rubber pipe' They are special rubber grommets. I have acquired and replaced mine with new ones. I imagine that in a hot tropical climate they could be a maintenance Item that would require more frequent replacement. As for fitting the copper tubes back in? I wonder IF he read the shop manual ? Regarding the suggestion that the 2003 was developed from a Peugeot engine I have not found any evidence to support this. 'Experts' in England have told me that it was a propitiatory Volvo design as a marine engine from the get go.

In cases where negativity exists, How much can be attributed to the attitude that is just a tired old engine and not worth anything. I thought that the report that one pushed as needed a 44 foot 17,000 lbs plus loaded trimaran from British Columbia to south America...interesting.

Back in the day Volvo did not have a product to compete in the 40 Hp market. So they turbo charged the 2003 to create the 2003T. This does seem to have put too much load on it and perhaps was not such a good idea.

So since I can not see anything wrong with the one I have I will continue to fit it in and find out for my self. I note that some owners do not report problems. The OP started this thread asking about 7,000 hours. However I did not see anything about that engine not working. Was the question predicated on imagined future fear that it might fail to work. Perhaps it would be useful to know what engine hours other owners report on the ones they have working & still using?


To any one thinking of re-powering because of the damper spline failure take a look at this.

[olaf hart]

I recall there is a FWC conversion on the market that uses an electric pump, anyone used one and/or have a reference?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

I recall there is a FWC conversion on the market that uses an electric pump, anyone used one and/or have a reference?

I think Volvo also had a kit for after market fitment, at a huge cost. However, I decided the "keep it simple" approach rarely fails so have stuck with the raw water cooling on a 29 year old engine.

They come up on ebay occasionally but I have had enough of playing with someone else's cast offs with all the problems that brings.

Pete

[Neptune's Gear]

Well, contrary to most of the negative posts here, I have a 2003T , that has taken me around the world. It has almost 10,000 hours, and still goes fine. Compressions are good, ancillaries have been replaced (Starter, saildrive, alternator, water pumps, engine mounts) heat exchangers have had some work.
Regular service, filters and oil every time.

[ottow]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

I recall there is a FWC conversion on the market that uses an electric pump, anyone used one and/or have a reference?

I think there may be several, but one brand is Martec.
Here is a outfit that sells it: https://allpa-marine.com/martec-heat...l-engines.html

I recently converted my 1985 VP2002 with such a kit. The engine was recently completely rebuilt so I figured it would be worth it. Plus it makes winterizing much easier.

[Bill Byrne]

Originally Posted by Pete7

So if you had a choice as the first owner what mid 1980s engine would you have chosen instead which still has parts available, 30 years later, world wide? I look forward to your reply.

Sure our 2003 will go bang one day, but it's 30 years old next month so not doing too bad and the replacement parts come from 3rd party suppliers not Volvo if I can help it. Why do these companies make spares, because there is a demand from thousands of owners who still own these engines which are going strong. How many did they make, lots and they were popular with boat builders because they didn't have to pay for the engine until the boat was sold, so good for cash flow.

Pete

Has anyone ever tried an acid flush for the cooling system?

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by ottow

I think there may be several, but one brand is Martec.
Here is a outfit that sells it: https://allpa-marine.com/martec-heat...l-engines.html

I recently converted my 1985 VP2002 with such a kit. The engine was recently completely rebuilt so I figured it would be worth it. Plus it makes winterizing much easier.

This conversion would only make sense for a raw water cooled motor.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Bill Byrne

Has anyone ever tried an acid flush for the cooling system?

I've done it with muriatic acid & it works.

[Kestrahl]

I have a 2003 which is from 1986, while is goes fine there isn't a need to replace it as far as I'm concerned.

However after not being used for a couple of months I found the water isn't flowing, troubleshooted it and found there is a blockage inside the gearbox.

1. Does the Non-Turbo 2003 need the water running though the gearbox?
2. Anyone successfully cleared a calcification blockage inside the gearbox?