I’m thinking about buying a 1981 Pearson 323 with a Volvo Penta MD11C engine and a V-Drive with the hour meter reading 2300 hrs. What is your opinion about this engine and transmission setup?
Tom Wood responds:
If the engine was cared for properly by its previous owners, a 20-year-old Volvo with 2,300 hours is just past the break-in period. At the time your boat was built, the Volvo was considered to be one of the top brands of small diesels and was designed with many features that make it easy to repair and overhaul. At just over 100 hours of use each year, it has had about double the yearly use of most sailboat auxiliaries in the US—and this is a good thing. Most of the common problems associated with any brand of diesel stem from not being used enough and from neglected maintenance.
We once met a couple in Puerto Rico as they were winding up a 15-year Caribbean cruise. Their old Morgan Out Island 33 had a Volvo that they claimed had 20,000 hours on it, and judging by the condition of the rest of the boat, we didn’t doubt that at all. The secret is to run it often and hard and to maintain it assiduously.
One problem that many Volvo owners do complain about is the cost of repair and replacement parts in the US and I have to agree with them in some instances. Like all engines, the Volvos have their little design quirks and common problems—I note here the saltwater pump design driven by the camshaft with a seal between the salt water and the crankcase oil that commonly fails, allowing water into the engine. Carry a few spare seals.
Again, there are no special problems with a V-drive as long as the fluid and cooling system are maintained properly and it is aligned correctly. If you’re used to aligning a straight-drive system, adjusting your thinking to the upside-down and backward alignment procedure on a V-drive can start off as a head-scratcher.
Rather than judge your new diesel by its green color and national origin, assess it by its condition and the telltale signs of previous maintenance. If it is clean, starts easily, and appears content to run for hours at a time, it might outlast you if you continue to take care of it.
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