Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Hi all, just wanted to share a tale with you...and some pics of what I have been up to this summer so far Without boring you with all the details, I have been struggling to get parts from my local Volvo penta dealer/marine engineer, as everytime I turned up, he was not there...unit was closed. Although a note was on the door with a number, it seemed that it was only for emergencies. Cut a (very long) story short, when I did finally catch up with him, it transpires that he was inundated with work (hence not being at the workshop), so I made the suggestion that being as I have a lot of free time in between my wedding photography, and that I want to understand a lot more about my engines and outdrives, could I be any help? To my absolute surprise, he said OK! I started next day (it is only on a casual basis) and I would like to share some of the "project"s that I have got involved in. Please bear in mind that I am not at all mechanically minded and have surprised myself at what I have done in the last few weeks!!!!!! OK The Fenland lady pictured below came into Lowestoft from a sea trip having lost all of its oil on the starboard (Volvo AQAD41 I think) engine. ALL of the oil had blown out through the oil extraction pipe and was in the bilge. Oil pressure was extremely high on both engines. After a number of tests, it was clear that the engines would need to be taken out to ascertain the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antares_9 Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 This is going to be an interesting thread, and a very long one I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 sorry guys...pressed submit by mistake anyway...leroy bling gets to work stripping the turbocharger...under the strict supervision of Volvo Pentaman!! Then the manifold (by this time I am scared!!!) The head comes off (bye the way...its lil ole me still doing this!!!) Hey guys...I did that!!! Of course the legs need to come off first tooo...I did that Here is a2000 series engine that we are also working on... peter later stripped down to the pistons Here is Fenland Ldies bilge with one engine removed....yuk...I have so far sucked out 50 litres of water/oil mixture!!! And still a way to go yet!!! 2nd engine comes out!! oh dear!!! here is our second enegine ready to go into the work shop... We turn the engine onto its side to access the pistons easily after having removed the sump... Here is the 2000 series which Peter has just put the pistons back in but due to a minor accident would like me to finish the re-build...oh my god!!! we then get called to an urgent job...a professional yatch race and this boat has "lost a prop" and came into lowestoft. ABP towed it into Lowestoft Haven Marina, and we watched from the other side of the water and quickly zipped round to its aid... sure enough...its prop was completely missing. Luckily, he had a spare, but take a look at this prop...this is about ££2k of spare!!! Leroy Bling to the rescue...as Peter is still in pain from his injury the previous day!!!! and after our emergency callout having fitted the prop within 30 mins of his lift out, I come back to finish the 2000 rebuild... Here it is...et voila... I did that : : : My next jobs are to strip the second AQAD31 from Fenlady, test the series 2000 rebuild (oh my god It just isnt going to work is it!!!), lifted a Yanmar from a yatch and have to look into why it has no compression, and of course, clean out that very very oily bilge in Fenlady!! We also have a rib in that has a Kad32 (same as my F33 at 170 hp), that needs bits doing and a "speed/performance" test ps...having great fun and wish you were here!! adam... : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Well there's ya problem!! The liner is missing from number 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 well spotted!!! You have a very sharp eye! Number 1 has the problem...it seems to have ceased given the scarring that I havent got a piccy of. Being totally ignorant prior to this..I now understand that these engines cylinders are "wetlined"...and have a cylinder lining that you quite accurately notice is no longer there That is the cylinder that seems to have the problem, but as yet we dont know why. Did the lack of oil cause it, or did the ceasure cause the lack of oil? The story will continue!!! : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senator Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Thought you were talking about the 2000 series then Jim, was going to say that no. 1 piston is missing and well, No1 is missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 at Ian's post! Looking to the right hand side of number 1 in the up ended picture, it is clear the head gasket has been blown for a while. The water journal has creaped out to the edge of the block and the oil journal just below it looks to have been creaping it's way down the gasket towards number 2 along the edge of the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jupes Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 The floor looks nice and clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnygeoff Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Well...... What a very interesting thread.... Not just because of the mechanical stuff and replacing the lost screw.... But, how further away can you get from WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER to ENGINE REBUILDER. YOU ROCK MR BLING... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senator Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 looks like you have been having fun Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 A great idea you had there Adam! There is no better way of learning, than getting your hands dirty with a bit of engine CSI !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Ian hi, I am having a "whale" of a time Not just learning how these damn things work, but how to hold the ratchet correctly so as not to dismember a limb (or someone elses!) and why the aftercooler in my own Kad32's deliver an extra 15hp of power. Remember that I am totally green to this!!!! Donnygeoff thankyou...I feel the same...from wedding mechanic to boat mechanic (I am only the grease monkey though) but when you consider that my core career for the last 25 years has been commercial logistics I am really grateful that my "employer" is prepared to accept my total lack of experience and engage my enthusiasm as being the reason for me being there! There is still hope for the UK!!! lb : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 The floor looks nice and clean I DID the floor too darling!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbird Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Well done Leroy!!! WHen we first got into boating, volunteering in the yard taught me so much it was invaluable. No better way to learn I reckon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Here is some more of what we have been up to! Today...we are going to re-install the 2000 series engine into the yatch "Antares" at the lowestoft sailing club. Just a 500 yard drive from Northgate Marine and within a few minutes we have the engine ready to go into a rather tight (and expensive) spot!!! THEN...DISASTER STRIKES!!! As we lowered the engine into its position, and just a few inches from the engine mountings, the horizontal block that was supporting the engine (and allows us to raise or lower the front or rear of the engine to position it) failed...the bolt came off and the engine dropped, albeit only a few centimetres and not on the yatchs floor, somehow Peters finger got caught! Unfortunately, it sliced the top of a fingertip (which I know to be excrutiatingly painful). The next few moments were tense, and although I tend to panic in situations like this, I was very calm. Peter, however, understandably went into shock and was very close to feinting! He, like me, doesnt like pain and cant stand the sight of his own blood!!! (Luckily none went on the carpet !!!) A rather worried yatch owner who was operating the crane asked if we needed an ambulance. As best I could, I blocked the engine "in Situ" and explained to the owner that we would have to come back later, as Peter needs medical attention. I got Peter to call his wife to get him checked out at the James Paget, if only to dress the wound properly! After returning to the workshop...I continued the "Fenland Lady" job, dismantling its second engine and suprised myself in stripping down the engine to the Cylinder head in less than three hours, this time unsupervised sorry but the pics are not coming out in the right order!!! Leroy Bling : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 My God! That sounds painfull I suffered a dog attack at work, which involved a Border Collie making a good attempt at amputating my index finger! So finger pain I am up to speed on Wow! That second engine appears to have been blowing water out of everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 ***Engine rebuild update*** Now that the parts have arrived, its now time for me to put it all back together Not bad for a days work huh oh and here is one of the dp280 leg on another job that I had previously stripped and rebuilt and just finished antifouling (I dont have a "before" shot but it was in a terrible state!!) to be continued..... Volvo Pentaman (said in macho echoey voice) aka L Bling. : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&A Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Hey, sounds like ur havin a great time!!!! ..............do u do bridges???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Hey, sounds like ur havin a great time!!!! ..............do u do bridges???? certainly! Blockades "R" Us specialises in such : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&A Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Very glad to hear it!! Wots the uniform? Will make sure Gav n I have ours at the ready!! : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Very glad to hear it!! Wots the uniform? Will make sure Gav n I have ours at the ready!! : : Bikinis of course... gav stick to shorts and t shirt please lb : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DAYTONA-BILL Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I`ve only just dicovered this thread, and i have to say, what a brilliant read it is. There`s something very satisfying about re-building an engine on your own. I did a couple of my bike engines in the past, and the second one was a complete stripdown, but i did`nt change the crankshaft bearings, as these are caged items, and the crankshaft had to be split with specialist tooling which i did`nt have, so i had it done by a guy called Chris Appleby in Thundersley not far from Leigh on sea in Essex. You`ve really done yourself proud Leroy, Well done, and thanks for a brilliant read . Regards ............. Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 awww shucks neil!! Thankyou. I have to say though, Peters workshop (Northgate Marine) has every conceivable tool you could possibly think of (its like a boys sweetie shop!!), and he has even made some of his own tools for those jobs that just defy belief! (checking the valve seats for example). I would never have undertaken doing this work on my engines/drives myself, but with the watchful eye of an extremely experienced Volvo Penta technician, it has been surprising what I have been able to do. I still get confused with a lot of the engine terminology, and this has been a "crash" course" in volvo marine engine/drive technology. Hoping it will last beyond just the silly season as it fits in well with the other job timewise!!! lb : : : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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