01-25-2012
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,112
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Bass :
I have the MD17C powering my 22,000 lbf USC Union Polaris.
When it was running hot back in 1993, I took the exhaust manifold off and it was apparent why it was running hot. There was obvious scaling on the coolant entry ports to the cylinder heads, the forward one in particular.
It was easlily cleared with a screwdriver and coat-hanger wire.
Therafter, the motor has never overheated.
Check first though that your thermostat is not getting tired. The water temperature guage typically should not rise much above 11 O'clock, then be seen to drop off as the thermostat opens. If it gets past about 1 O'clock, or stays in the red, then I really would suspect the thermostat. Try just taking it out and make a wee paper gasket for the seal surface. If the motor runs cool again, then you have a thermostat problem.
They are not too expensive. Make sure you get the correct one, You need the salt water thermostat, the one that runs cooler.
Oil leaks you can fix. Where are the leaks?
You don't mention your oil consumption or starting reliability.
Despite the astronomic cost of spare parts, the motor is very well built and it is a long-lived, slow-revving unit.
A last word of caution... don't let the motor freeze. I did with mine. I survived it, but I do have a coolant leak.
I really would not tear the motor out unless I had to. You may well need a new prop too, as the forward-facing flywheel of the Volvo turns the prop the other way from aft-facing flywheel motors.
Let us know how you get on.
Don't write your motor off yet.
.
Last edited by Rockter; 01-25-2012 at 08:21 PM.
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