Rebuilding the Volvo MD7A

[zekmeister]

In my continuing efforts to finish rebuilding the Cape Dory 30, I tackle the sticky inboard rebuild. In my case it's the Volvo MD7A. With parts not being made, it's a challenge finding them but in my experience but for the most part a thorough online and offline searching yielded me results.

Check out my rebuild here. In my continuing efforts to finish rebuilding the Cape Dory 30, I tackle the sticky inboard rebuild. In my case it's the Volvo MD7A. With parts not being made, it's a challenge finding them but in my experience but for the most part a thorough online and offline searching yielded me results.

Check out my rebuild here. http://www.marineworldclassifieds.net/i ... 7a-part-i/.

[sgbernd]

You may have your reasons and they may be good reasons, but I would recommend against rebuilding. I worked with my MD7B and while it ran reliably up to the end, it was a never ending source of problems. Oil leaks, water leaks, fuel leak, overheating, broken head stud, injector pump leak, you name it. I loved the engine, but it was well past it's prime. It could have been kept running as parts were still available and I am pretty good with such things, but there is a point where you'd rather go sailing than fixing and hunting for spares.

Steve Bernd

[JD-MDR]

Thanks for posting Zekmeister. Fortunatley my MD-7A is running great. The surveyor seemed to think the hour meter was correct with only 400. It seems unlikely for a 40 yr. old boat but the rest of the boat shows little use as well. I mean there was corrosion and rotten canvass but that's for sitting ten years untouched. I think the previous owner was just a Friday afternoon yacht club sailor. He was also in his 80's. I found about 20 life vests onboard. I never got to talk to him. A Broker handled all the transaction. The PO didn't seem like he wanted to talk or meet me at all. Anyway I flushed the cooling system ,replaced the thermostat and impeller. serviced the injectors. That's about it. Of course I change the oil and filters on schedule and I cleaned out the fuel tank. It fires up in the first revolution. I have some oil leaking out of the gear box into the v-drive. I was told just keep an eye on it and it's not a big problem. If I run the engine 8 hrs the crank will be low about 1/2 pt and the v/drive will be overfull the same amount . Since it only holds a pt. it doesn't take much for it to overflow out the breather vent, Other than that my engine pan stays spotlessly clean. Oh I also replaced all the hoses and that same fuel pipe. I had a new one made.

[kerrydeare]

... my MD-7A is running great. The surveyor seemed to think the hour meter was correct with only 400. It seems unlikely for a 40 yr. old boat ...

Hard to judge your machinery from here on the "Right Coast" but it's quite possible that an ancient and simple diesel can still run quite well. My 1981 CD28 started with an MD7A that was subsequently replaced by the 2002. There was simply no way to recover from prolonged salt water exposure on the original raw water cooled beast. I'm writing to suggest that if you want to really get into the MD7A for either parts or advice, there's in my view no person better qualified to contact than Richard Vosbury (or one of his sons or daughters) at Vosbury Marine and Recreation in Annapolis Md about this engine. His father was the Atomic Four guru on the Bay, and Richard filled in for classic diesels. Happy motoring.

[zekmeister]

You may have your reasons and they may be good reasons, but I would recommend against rebuilding. I worked with my MD7B and while it ran reliably up to the end, it was a never ending source of problems. Oil leaks, water leaks, fuel leak, overheating, broken head stud, injector pump leak, you name it. I loved the engine, but it was well past it's prime. It could have been kept running as parts were still available and I am pretty good with such things, but there is a point where you'd rather go sailing than fixing and hunting for spares.

Steve Bernd

Excellent advice.

For some reason I've always loved rebuilt older engines. The MD7A is no different. I hope with good care and maintenance the breakdowns will be avoided.

The head is back from the machine shop and she looks pretty. Couldn't find the right head gasket so we had to swap the inner rings between a VOP859135 and the MD7A gasket which is part number 3809167, will post pics soon.

I'm thinking of going electric when that need comes hopefully not sooner but later.

[zekmeister]

Thanks for posting Zekmeister. Fortunatley my MD-7A is running great. The surveyor seemed to think the hour meter was correct with only 400. It seems unlikely for a 40 yr. old boat but the rest of the boat shows little use as well. I mean there was corrosion and rotten canvass but that's for sitting ten years untouched. I think the previous owner was just a Friday afternoon yacht club sailor. He was also in his 80's. I found about 20 life vests onboard. I never got to talk to him. A Broker handled all the transaction. The PO didn't seem like he wanted to talk or meet me at all. Anyway I flushed the cooling system ,replaced the thermostat and impeller. serviced the injectors. That's about it. Of course I change the oil and filters on schedule and I cleaned out the fuel tank. It fires up in the first revolution. I have some oil leaking out of the gear box into the v-drive. I was told just keep an eye on it and it's not a big problem. If I run the engine 8 hrs the crank will be low about 1/2 pt and the v/drive will be overfull the same amount . Since it only holds a pt. it doesn't take much for it to overflow out the breather vent, Other than that my engine pan stays spotlessly clean. Oh I also replaced all the hoses and that same fuel pipe. I had a new one made.

Hoping you get a.lot of years out her.