Volvo TAMD40B costs

All
I know I'm about to open a can of worms but the vast knowledge here could be very useful. We looked a Marine Trader that fits almost all our wants and must haves but the main issue is that 1 engine has starter issues and possibly numerous oils leaks, We cannot tell for sure on the oil leaks as the starter is inoperable to determine the origin. Now here's the can of worms; does anyone have a ballpark figure as to what a replacement might cost, or the cost of rebuilding? I have read that parts are very expensive if they can be found in remote locations, outside large urban areas.
The price of the boat makes this issue doable if we can get a generalized cost for either.
BTW its a 1986.

Don’t know what they cost, but Volvo parts tend to be expensive.

I have TAMD40Bs. I see running takeouts all the time for around $5K.


New OSGR starters are cheap. Around $150
Engine Circulating pump new is around $700
Raw Water Pumps are around $300
Heat exchangers, After cooler and oil cooler are big bucks.
The fuel pump and injectors are also big bucks.
There is still a lot of used parts and engines out there.
Hope this helps.

obthomas said:

I have TAMD40Bs. I see running takeouts all the time for around $5K.


New OSGD starters are cheap. Around $150
Engine Circulating pump new is around $700
Raw Water Pumps are around $300
Heat exchangers, After cooler and oil cooler are big bucks.
The fuel pump and injectors are also big bucks.
There is still a lot of used parts and engines out there.
Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Thanks, a running take out for 5K is not to bad. Any idea what it would cost to rebuild the existing engine?

Comodave said:

Don’t know what they cost, but Volvo parts tend to be expensive.

Click to expand...

I would agree. A friend had Volvos and his parts were sometimes 3X what it was for my CATS

madaquarist said:

Thanks, a running take out for 5K is not to bad. Any idea what it would cost to rebuild the existing engine?

Click to expand...

No I do not.

Furthermore I would not do that. If my engines needed to be overhauled rather than fixed, I would look at new electronically controlled 4 cylinder common rails. Todays 4 cylinders have as much or more power than my TAMD40Bs. The fuel mileage would be much better.

As a twin Volvo owner for 20 years, my advice would be to run, not walk, to the nearest exit. Volvo parts, if you can find them, and that's a big if, will cost you triple that of Cats or Cummins.

obthomas said:

No I do not.

Furthermore I would not do that. If my engines needed to be overhauled rather than fixed, I would look at new electronically controlled 4 cylinder common rails. Todays 4 cylinders have as much or more power than my TAMD40Bs. The fuel mileage would be much better.

Click to expand...

I haven't thought of that, would make sense.
Thanks.

ancora said:

As a twin Volvo owner for 20 years, my advice would be to run, not walk, to the nearest exit. Volvo parts, if you can find them, and that's a big if, will cost you triple that of Cats or Cummins.

Click to expand...

That's what I have read but some are reasonable. Just doing my due diligence before I screw up!

If I had exerted "due diligence" I would have never bought a boat with Volvo engines.

Great idea to look at something a bit more modern if you replace the motor. I wouldn't however not look at a boat because it has Volvos. Thousands of boats are built with Volvos every year. If the rest of the boat checks off the boxes it's hard to do otherwise. Maybe while your at it if you want change brands. Weigh all the benefits and make a decision that your excited about. It will be right for you!

madaquarist said:

I haven't thought of that, would make sense.
Thanks.

Click to expand...

Not sure it does. The cost of an engine swap for something different entails lots of changes, exhaust,mounts, electricals, instruments, prop shaft length,gearbox, etc. Way cheaper to fix what is there if it is fixable, or swap like for like. However, the boat in question has Volvos, perhaps its other pluses outweigh that drawback.

Replacing the worn out and expensive to maintain/repair Volvos will be rather expensive. A pair of Yanmar 4LVs will cost maybe $50K for the engines, and at least half of that to install them.

Rebuild the Volvo if it needs it and it doesn't sound like it needs it for sure. $20K is a good round number for a rebuild and another $5K to pull and replace it after rebuild.


But you can replace the starter and chase down the oil leaks a lot cheaper than that.


David

DavidM said:

Replacing the worn out and expensive to maintain/repair Volvos will be rather expensive. A pair of Yanmar 4LVs will cost maybe $50K for the engines, and at least half of that to install them.

Rebuild the Volvo if it needs it and it doesn't sound like it needs it for sure. $20K is a good round number for a rebuild and another $5K to pull and replace it after rebuild.


But you can replace the starter and chase down the oil leaks a lot cheaper than that.


David

Click to expand...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2010-Iveco...e438c08:g:4EoAAOSw8jlco5Fo&LH_ItemCondition=3

F.Y.I. there is a "Volvo Penta Victims" page on Facebook.

Thanks everyone for your input. We talked to the owner and offered to replace the starter at our expense to determine the extent of the oil leak. Surprisingly he declined, or maybe not surprisingly. Big red flag!!!! It is now fallen completely off our list.

Hi,

You can check the prices of spare parts kits (overhaul) here for example. That 40 Series Volvo is one of the best and most reliable marine engines that has been manufactured in great numbers.

Overhaul Kits - Marine Parts Express

NBs

A good decision I think. Some reason he doesn't want that engine running (or trying to run)

madaquarist said:

Thanks everyone for your input. We talked to the owner and offered to replace the starter at our expense to determine the extent of the oil leak. Surprisingly he declined, or maybe not surprisingly. Big red flag!!!! It is now fallen completely off our list.

Click to expand...

For what it's worth, it sounds like you made the right decision in this case.

As a side note, we have twin Volvos and have been very happy with them. We hesitated at first, due to the price of certain Volvo parts, but we're glad we went ahead with the purchase. A well-maintained Volvo will run a long time. There are plenty of boats in our marina with Volvos and none of them are broken down. Also, there are hundreds of thousands of Volvo-powered trucks and heavy equipment out there. Can't recall ever seeing one broken down. Just one person's opinion.

Wow, Put yourself in the sellers position for a minute.

You have a boat for sale, one engine is showing some problems, one of which is a non functioning starter. (Or so he says)

Along comes a potential buyer willing to replace the starter at buyers expense, owner declines...

How fast can you get off that boat?

What would the owner say to a survey ?

This is obviously a "RUN, RUN" situation.

pete

You have escaped the Volvo curse...or as a wise man said, "Beware Volvo, run from them as you would the plague."

Generally Should cost between $2-4,000 per cylinder for an engine overhaul for smaller non commercial diesel engines with liners, less for engines without liners. goes up exponentially as you start pushing big hp# and larger commercial engines, but that should not be applicable to any engine or hp rating on any boats on this forum unless you have an old slow speed diesel in your boat . Difference in price is generally from where you are getting the work done (cost more in Miami than mobile al) and it who makes the engine. If you are thinking about buying a boat where 1 or both of the engines do not run for whatever reason get a quote from someone to replace the motor and subtract that from the sellers asking price. If the engine does not run for a reason as simple as batteries, or a starter what else maintenance wise has the owner deferred or what is he lying about? If the owner cannot go to the starter and start those motors When you step on board it is a NON running motor in need of replacement, or at least that is the attitude that needs to be taken by the buyer. I am not going to pay the premium price of a boat with a non running engine. Sometimes when you brake down the numbers financially the owner should be paying you to take the boat off his hands lol if a boat in perfect condition does for $100,000 and It’s sister boat needs $70,000 worth of engine work it’s sister boat is a 20-&25,000 boat. and that little bit of extra off is for the bs hassles that you need to go through to do the swap. If you don’t brake it down like this you will forever be frustrated when you have dumped double or triple the amount of money than the actual value of the boat before you even leave the dock.

MV Wanderlust said:

As a side note, we have twin Volvos and have been very happy with them. We hesitated at first, due to the price of certain Volvo parts, but we're glad we went ahead with the purchase. A well-maintained Volvo will run a long time. There are plenty of boats in our marina with Volvos and none of them are broken down. Also, there are hundreds of thousands of Volvo-powered trucks and heavy equipment out there. Can't recall ever seeing one broken down. Just one person's opinion.

Click to expand...

I have 1988 TAMD 61A's and really like them as well. They are very simple and don't have lots of electronics and other things to fail on them, and start every single time. I've had Cat, Yanmar, Volvo, and Cummins and they are all great engines for different reasons.

Parts are more expensive for the older Volvos, but I have not found that I need very many of the big expensive ones. Yanmar is just as bad pricing-wise on many things, and in Washington State, you can't buy them online and have to deal with local dealers which are less than helpful IMHO. I have found lots of parts on eBay for older engines at a fraction of normal pricing.

I don't need that many big parts and I think that is for two reasons: one - the bugs and issues from a new engine have been worked out long ago, and some of the less-than-optimal parts have been replaced by newer ideas/after market solutions. Second is maintenance, which has been discussed here and elsewhere ad nauseam. Regardless of the manufacturer, an engine that has been taken care of properly and continually maintained will run well and not require massive amounts of parts and work.

Sounds like you avoided an engine that might have had even more problems than the issues initially found. Probably a good thing to have passed!

Our previous boat had a Volvo TAMD40A. Due to a faulty engine diagnosis we were told we needed to replace. This was in 2012 in Campbell River BC so I'm sure the numbers will be different today and in other jurisdictions, but the relative costs should be similar. Costs are exclusive of pullout/replace labour.
Rebuilt Volvo TAMD40B (200 HP).......... $30K
New Yanmar (150 HP)..........................$25K
New John Deere (160 HP).....................$24K
New Isusu (160 HP).............................$23K

I can't remember the model numbers on any of the non Volvo quotes, just their HPs.

I was quoted $5K for the labour on the non Volvos.
The Volvo labour came in lower due to it being an exact replacement for motor mounts etc.

We decided to go with the Isusu for a number of reasons.
The John Deere was too tall to fit in the engine space.
Didn't like the high RPMs of the Yanmar.
Nervous about getting another Volvo.

But in the end, after all of the research, it turned out our original Volvo was in fine shape so we didn't need to replace it. Other than the one scare (caused by a mechanic's ineptitude) we had great service with the Volvo; it was around 4200 hours when we sold the boat.

Would the opinions remain the same with the TAM-70-D? I am considering a Primo looking 40 footer with 2 of them. Full maint history going back to the original purchase. 2000 hours.

dwiggl said:

Would the opinions remain the same with the TAM-70-D? I am considering a Primo looking 40 footer with 2 of them. Full maint history going back to the original purchase. 2000 hours.

Click to expand...

I know very little about Volvo's, hence why the original question, but with full maintenance records going that far back would be a plus. As I've read here many times, it all depends on the PO and how they maintained everything.

Have you troubleshot the starter?
Is it getting power?
Is the solenoid clicking in?
What if you use jumper cables directly to starter main power lug? Does it crank then?

If starter really is bad why not swap starters to see that engine run?

If you personally can't do this or the owner won't allow it this had better be a heck of a low price.

In all my years of working on things I almost never started something to find an oil leak.

Unless the leak is squirting across the engine room, gravity pulls oil down and air flow pushes oil back. Look for the highest and most forward place covered with oil. That is most likely where the oil is coming from.

If the leak is that bad I would be more worried about the engine being damaged by running out of oil. Otherwise some oil is just a nice coating of rust proofing.

Nobody ever said: I hope I can get that bolt off it looks mighty oily.
Or: That truck is shot, the frame is full of oil holes.

just as an aside. I have a volvo on my Camano. Its true that parts can be expensive, but if you have the time, many are available from alternative sources for better prices. A couple examples; I had an oil cooler go bad...Volvo wanted about 3,000 for a new one. I ordered one directly from a fellow in norway of all places, and it cost me 1,300. Not cheap, but way better. had the same experience with an exhaust elbow. I really like the engine, although that doesn't keep me from hating the cost of parts.

Volvo TAMD 40s are really good engines. I have had three of them over the years and so I have made several routine repairs. A new aftermarket starter is about $150. Water circulating pump rebuild kit is about $200. I found old mercedies glow plugs with the same specs as the Bosch except they are longer on the unimportant end by 1/4 inch, for about $6 each. I buy the seals and bearings and other Johnson pump parts and rebuil;d my seawater pumps. My injector pump reseal kit is cheap as is rebuilt injectors. My alternators have been changed out for 100 amp Delco 10SI units at about $70 each. Other than heat exchangers and coolers I have found these engines very affordable.