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....into the water pump of the MD7a.
Anyone got any ideas on how to get the passages inside the transmission clear of 30 years worth of crud? Volvo built the passages so they go around the internal circumference of the transmission.
I can't get water past the inlet elbow into the transmission. Absolutely nothing flows out of it.
Since I can't get water into it, that means CLR or muriatic acid are out. Tried a piece of wire and various other "devices".
Tried back flushing it. Alternating back and forth from inlet to outlet.
If I can't fix it by Sunday, and miss my haul out........
I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means no.
I thought about a coping saw blade - the inlet/outlet holes are only 5/8" - but even that won't fit because the passage turns almost 90 degrees in two directions to follow the contour of the case......
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Going to suggest 14 gauge solid bare copper wire. It is soft enough that it shouldn't puncture anything so that you can poke away at it. If you get through then perhaps mild acid ad lots of flush water. I'm nor sure if you will cause any electrolysis problems.
I will try the copper wire. Thanks.
The Volvo mechanic told me a) "that's an old motor, you need a new one" and b) "if it was easy, girls could do it".......
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I had the same problem. One day I noticed my engine running very hot so I had to sail back into my marina slip. Turned out the transmission housing was plugged up as you are describing.
What I did was remove the raw water inlet hose ( the one that goes to the transmission) from the strainer, the outlet hose (the one that goes to the muffler) from the muffler, and remove the water pump impeller, leaving the cover off. I was then able to blow really hard into the hose to the transmission and clear it. Then I used pressurized water from the dock and blew the water through it for a minute or two (make sure your bilge pump is working). The water and some crud ran out of the impeller housing, not into the engine since the cover was off. If that hadn't worked I would have used pressureized water from a hose nozzle or something to try to force the junk out. On mine it wasn't really jammed in there tight, but enough to keep the water pump from sucking through it.
After I did that a friend of mine suggested I do what he does to his engine once a year and never has any problems. You might be able to do this to clear your transmission and engine too:
Keeping your inlet and outlet hoses (inlet goes to transmission and outlet goes to muffler) disconnected, put the impeller housing cover back on, leaving the impeller out. Run a hose from the inlet so that the inlet is higher than the engine (my intake hose on my CD28 was long enough) and keep the outlet higher than the engine as well. Then take some Sno-Bol extra strength toilet bowl cleaner and pour it into the inlet using a funnel until you see it bubbling out the outlet hose. It shouldn't take but about a bottle's worth as the stuff expands when it bubbles. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, keeping the inlet and outlet high, and over a bucket so that the stuff that bubbles out doesn't go into the bilge to be pumped overboard. Also, the stuff will burn your hands so you might want to wear some gloves. After letting it soak for 30 minutes use the fresh water from the dock and spray it into the inlet to force the stuff out through the outlet into a collection bucket. You will be amazed at how much rust, salt, barnacle, and crud comes pouring out. Let the water flow into the inlet until the water flows out nice and clear, stopping to dump the collection bucket into a bathroom toilet (not the crud mind you, but the cleaner) when it is full. Then put the impeller back in and reconnect everything, start her up and let her run for a bit... making sure everything is good. At this point if everything is good you'll have a big smile on your face because she'll run as cool as ever.
It's been a year and mine still runs cool as a cucumber. (a 140' cucumber) Much cooler than she ever did before I did the treatment.
If you have any questions let me know...
-Dave
PS: The stuff is pretty cuastic, so make sure all the hatches and windows are open when you do it so you don't have to breathe it too much.
I didn't try the dock water yet, but I did try the raw water from both sides of the transmission with the hoses off. Nothing runs out either side. I'm going to clamp a bottle of CLR (calcium, lime rust) remover to the inlet hose tonight and let it "gravity feed `til it runs out the other side. Then viciously attack it with the copper wire.
Thanks for all the ideas.
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So........ the brass elbow on the inlet side of the tranny has now sheared off and I can't get the remainder out, nor can I get CLR or a piece of wire into the tranny.
Thanks again for all the ideas.
I think I'm done with Volvo.
Anyone got anything good or bad to say about Nanni or Beta?
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