Volvo Penta Engines

Hope this is not to repetitive but I am looking at a Trader that has two Volvo Penta 165 HP Engines with 500 hours each. Comments on the reliability of the Volvo Engines and Maintenance?

Thanks

I had a boat with twin Volvos. Nice engines but parts are hard to get and very expensive.

Do you have age and model #
if 80's vintage tamd 40b?

Thanks, how long did they last and did you have trouble finding parts for routine service?

Mine were gassers and new when I bought them. But every time I needed parts it took forever and they were expensive. This was 20 plus years ago but in listening to others nothing has changed with respect to their parts system. You need to post specific model and you will get better feedback. 500 hours seems very few if this is a 1980s vintage boat. With diesels it is usually better to have been run than sitting.

The engines were replaced a year ago before husbands death. both engines same: Make: Volvo
Model: Penta
Drive Type: Direct
Fuel: Diesel
Engine Power: 165hp
Type: Inboard
Engine Hours: 500

Then the hours look more reasonable. You still need to get the specific model number of the engines. Should be a tag somewhere on the engine. Some models are better than others so it pays to be specific.

I literally just order a New Merc stern drive gas 350 hp engine. I was seriously looking at Volvo. But the Volvo distribute was putting me through the ringer, finally got a multiple page document to fill out before they would sell me one. I was working through three different companies sort of locally. Each one said the same thing, we'll sell you the Volvo but we really recommend the Merc, parts are much more available, add on's are much more available, you can cruise just about anywhere here in BC and some one can work on your engine. They said Volvo will change parts, leading to shortages of what you are after, everything is more expensive, and less people can work on them.

At first I really wanted Volvo but now I'm much happier with the Merc I ordered. What I ordered included two new props (duoprop), harness, whatever else attachment stuff I needed, new leg along with the new motor.

The hole will be glassed in and a new whole cut out. The exhaust from the old Merc which was a twin exhaust will be filled in as the new engine and leg exhausts under water, something I really wanted. I was getting gaseous back fill into the cabin, not a good thing while underway.

I could purchase a new BMW with what this will cost me, but my boat is a 1969 and I have just bought some piece of mind. I knew I was in trouble when one of the guys looking the boat over for needed space etc for the new stuff said: "I've heard about these old Merc stern drive legs, but yours is the first one I've seen. Its massive. Parts for it will be difficult to impossible to get."

I have what may be a later volvo. Tamd 41p. It seems to be a very nice engine. As others have said, parts are expensive. But, if you have a chance to shop around and look, you can find parts more reasonable. E.g. I had to change out the oil cooler. Something like 2500 from volvo and I found it new on ebay from a guy in norway of all places, for about 1300. I found an exhaust elbow for about 2/3 of volvo prices up in BC. One thing I don't like is the tendency to use O rings a lot. Dam things can be a pain. Keep the coolers cleaned and serviced, oil and transmission changed like anything and they are fine.

I have a boat with twin 1988 Volvo TAMD 61A engines, only have owned it for about 6 months. Before I purchased it, I investigated the cost of maintaining it, since the engines are 30 years old.

I had a previous boat with a much smaller older Volvo engine in it that I ended up repowering with a newer Volvo engine. So I've had some experience with both old and new Volvos.

Parts are definitely more expensive if you buy them from a Volvo dealer. For these older engines, I agree with ctjstr that finding them online elsewhere is much more economical. I've already replaced a couple of things for a very reasonable price, finding the parts on eBay.

I've heard horror stories of folks being held for ransom for parts, waiting for months in remote cities, and much more. But I've also heard those about many other types of engines as well, it just seems that there are more of those stories about Volvo.

I personally haven't had that happen, but I am sure it could for hard to find parts.

A friend of mine was crewing on a delivery of a ST from Maine to Florida. They went to pick up the boat and sat for almost a week waiting on Volvo service for the pod drive. Gave up and flew home. Went back after it was fixed. Got to Annapolis before it needed servicing again. Flew home for 2 weeks. Went back and got to Georgia before it went down again. Flew home. Owner called the dealer and told the dealer to get the boat fixed and get it to Florida. Had delays on parts and delays getting qualified service personnel and this is on a new product. I don’t know why Volvo can’t get their stuff together but it has been this way for years and years.

Checked out boat today. The Teak as figured was so soft it sagged under my foot. The engines looked nice with 500 hours on original engines. However, the boat had not left the slip in six years.

We passed this one by.

Delete. I meant to post this on a different thread.