New purchase Volvo

[Nobby]

Hi everyone. I'm a new member and looking for a little help with a new purchase of a 32ft Fury Mark1 boat. It has a Volvo TAMD 60b with twin turbo. Has 150hrs since total rebuild.
What im looking for is this a reliable motor.
It has a fresh water flush.
Owner says it does 20knots and cruise at 16 knots.
What fuel economy it has.
Any help will be appreciated.
I have not owned a Volvo before as my last boat has a Detroit v6 two stroke.
Thanks every one

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[High Wire]

Welcome aboard.
Do you have a Volvo mechanic near you to contact? Parts cost and availability are frequently mentioned when Volvo diesels are discussed. Talk to him BEFORE you put in any offers. It would be good to have the engines surveyed.

 

[Arc]

Did you see invoice for “ total rebuild”?

 

[slowgoesit]

Did you see invoice for “ total rebuild”?

Yep, that was my first question as well. Many a boat I've seen where the engine is repainted (poorly), even painted over the hoses and clamps, and the seller claims "engine rebuilt", but cannot provide any receipts, or even the name and address of the shop that did the work. Many times, if you have that info, you can go to the shop and get a copy of the work order. Anyway, if there are no receipts to prove what, if anything besides a couple cans of white, grey, green, yellow, red paint (depends on the engine model) then it never happened, and I'm not paying for it! But that's just me . . .

 

[Nobby]

Thanks. That's good advice

 

[BruceK]

Assuming you have not bought it yet, get a mechanical survey to ensure the engine is as claimed/documented. The surveyor can answer your queries. Volvo is a negative for me but not everyone.

Where are you located? "Australind" is a tad vague.

 

[Nobby]

Did you see invoice for “ total rebuild”?

Will do.

 

[Nobby]

Assuming you have not bought it yet, get a mechanical survey to ensure the engine is as claimed/documented. The surveyor can answer your queries. Volvo is a negative for me but not everyone.

Where are you located? "Australind" is a tad vague.

Western Australia. South of Perth. Club is in Banbury and is one of the oldest in Australia

 

[Comodave]

I don’t know about Down Under, but Volvo parts here are very expensive and very difficult to get. Here it could cost the entire season waiting on some parts. If you have not closed on the boat yet, check that out before. Good luck.

 

[BruceK]

Western Australia. South of Perth. Club is in Banbury and is one of the oldest in Australia

Bunbury? We explored south of Perth 5 years back, as far as Albany many more years back, I`ve relatives over there. Hope the purchase goes well.

 

[Nobby]

Thanks mate.
Hope covid has not stopped you coming to see your relatives in WA
Cheers

 

[FF]

"Has 150hrs since total rebuild."

Most diesels can go 5,000 to 10,000 hours with out being worn out.

What happened to require a "rebuild"?

 

[Peter Keating]

Welcome aboard Nobby!

A couple of things here. Volvo has been working with boat manufacturers lately, where the manufacturers receive and install the new motors and don't pay Volvo until the vessel sells. This is pretty attractive to some builders, so overall you're seeing more Volvos these days.

The older Volvos, where all the "systems" are mechanical (read adjustable/serviceable) are/were used by lobstermen and commercial vessels alike, with great success.

Volvo has had a tendency (from what I've read), to design/build "new technology" (increased HP) model before the efficacy and infant mortalities could be sorted and fixed. They've gotten a (deserved) bad rap in the last few years, where despite these issues, they continue to be terrible at warranty and getting parts to support these follies (at least in the US).

As was said, you'll need a Swedish mechanic who knows your specific model and has a good supply chain connection to get whatever is needed in a timely fashion. FWIW, these parts will be far more expensive than an equivalent part from CAT or Cummins (again, in the US)

My .02

 

[Nobby]

"Has 150hrs since total rebuild."

Most diesels can go 5,000 to 10,000 hours with out being worn out.

What happened to require a "rebuild"?

The old Perking died a sorry death as fare as I know

 

[Nobby]

Welcome aboard Nobby!

A couple of things here. Volvo has been working with boat manufacturers lately, where the manufacturers receive and install the new motors and don't pay Volvo until the vessel sells. This is pretty attractive to some builders, so overall you're seeing more Volvos these days.

The older Volvos, where all the "systems" are mechanical (read adjustable/serviceable) are/were used by lobstermen and commercial vessels alike, with great success.

Volvo has had a tendency (from what I've read), to design/build "new technology" (increased HP) model before the efficacy and infant mortalities could be sorted and fixed. They've gotten a (deserved) bad rap in the last few years, where despite these issues, they continue to be terrible at warranty and getting parts to support these follies (at least in the US).

As was said, you'll need a Swedish mechanic who knows your specific model and has a good supply chain connection to get whatever is needed in a timely fashion. FWIW, these parts will be far more expensive than an equivalent part from CAT or Cummins (again, in the US)

My .02

Thanks. I had no idea about the model Volvo hick ups. Thanks for the heads up

 

[ancora]

I've owned a boat with twin VOLVOs for 21 years. I would advise you to "Run from VOLVOs as you would the plague."

 

[sailormike]

every volvo I have ever run has been nothing but absolute trouble. I am sure there are plenty of good ones out there too. the parts are hard to come by and expensive just my 2 cents worth

 

[Nobby]

every volvo I have ever run has been nothing but absolute trouble. I am sure there are plenty of good ones out there too. the parts are hard to come by and expensive just my 2 cents worth

Oh that's not good. Thanks for the input.
Sounds like volvos are a hassle

 

[koliver]

Oh that's not good. Thanks for the input.
Sounds like volvos are a hassle

In Australia, the US experience, if that is what earlier posts represent, may not be yours. Here in SW BC, Canada, Volvos generally are well represented in both pleasure and commercial service, have a solid network of dealers/experienced mechanics, and a correspondingly good reputation.
Do your local research.

 

[Fletcher500]

I cant comment on the older Volvos. I had a pair of 2014 vintage D6’s. I was good to them, and they did not return the favor. Never again.

 

[tiltrider1]

I find Volvo's to be just as reliable as the other big name diesels. I find CAT parts to be very expensive but the service and availability is amazing(everything I have ever needed was on its way to me same day). I find Volvo parts to be more expensive and the service is no where near that of CAT, availability can some times be weeks instead of next day.

Al this is a West Coast experience and the East Coast experience might be different. I have no knowledge of the Australian experience.

 

[lwarden]

I don’t know how many of you follow Sailing La Vagabond but I’ve been very surprised how many issues they’ve had with their twin Volvo saildrives. The boat is only a few years old and they’ve had engine issues from day one.

 

[Comodave]

We had twin Volvos in a brand new Chaparral back in the 90s. Virtually every time we had a problem with an engine the parts were back ordered. The only saving grace was that I sold boats part time for the dealer. So they would take parts off a new boat to fix mine. Unfortunately Volvo doesn’t seem to have fixed the supply problem here still. And did I mention that the parts were very pricey?

 

[BruceK]

In Australia, the US experience, if that is what earlier posts represent, may not be yours.....Do your local research.

My marine Volvo experience was a Volvo outboard(unreliable) and the small diesel auxiliary(ok) in a sailboat, a long time agur marina mechanic dislikes Volvo Penta for their parts cost, complexity, and availability. When a neighbour acquired a lovely Riv 40 with twin Volvos he observed" It has a problem, 2 problems actually, the Volvos".

 

[Southern Boater]

My marine Volvo experience was a Volvo outboard(unreliable) and the small diesel auxiliary(ok) in a sailboat, a long time agur marina mechanic dislikes Volvo Penta for their parts cost, complexity, and availability. When a neighbour acquired a lovely Riv 40 with twin Volvos he observed" It has a problem, 2 problems actually, the Volvos".

Hi Bruce

In European based forums, where Volvo is quite accepted as a normal boating engine choice, they are running scared of IPS drive issues, as in serious reliability problems.
I’ve noticed Riviera are including IPS in quite a number of their range lately.
Like many other posters, I wouldn’t choose Volvo marine anything.

 

[catalinajack]

Bob Smith's (American Diesel) demo engine that was used for the maintenance seminars he gave on Lehman 120s reportedly had 25,000 hours on the clock. I do think that 5 -10k hours on a diesel before rebuild is a bit understated unless maybe those big ones in sport fishermen boats that are run hard. In a full displacement boat with diesels run at 1,600 - 1,800 RPM, properly maintained, a Perkins or Lehman should last 15,000 or more hours. Adjust the valves at the recommended intervals and change the oil every 200 to 300 hours and they will live a long life.

"Has 150hrs since total rebuild."

Most diesels can go 5,000 to 10,000 hours with out being worn out.

What happened to require a "rebuild"?

 

[PM]

Unless there are no other boats to buy, why put yourself at such a risk? The deciding factor should be the rebuild. Demand complete proof or walk. Complete rebuild, to me , means starter, pumps, heat exchangers injectors,etc, etc. all the things which fail over time and take so long to find replacements.

pete

 

[soin2la]

Complete rebuild, to me, means starter, pumps, heat exchangers injectors,etc, etc. all the things which fail over time and take so long to find replacements.

Complete rebuild, to me means assessment and replacement, as needed, of rings, bearings or other components in addition to reconditioning cylinders if necessary. Replacing parts listed in the above quote, would be part of the rebuild.

Documentation of a rebuild should include the assessment of internal components and why replacement was or was not required.

 

[Arc]

Volvo must have worked really hard to get this bad of a reputation