CD 30 volvo penta md7a removal

[kevin jahn]

current project is the removal of my volvo md7a diesel so as to rebuild/replace parts, especially the raw water pump and heat exchanger....any comment from owners who have been where i am attempting to go.....thanks...also thinking of replacing stuffing box with dripless system or original spartan marine stuffing box...



kjahn@earthlink.net

[Ken Cave]

Are you sure you need to pull out your engine to work on it? If you have lots of smoke, blow-by, and all the other goodies that make for a tired engine, yup-you gotta do the thing. But if it is only for a water pump (new impeller) muffler system and exhaust manifold, working with the engine in place isn't that bad.

As far as the stuffing box is concerned, I did replace mine with a PSS system with wonderful results. On a Cape Dory 28 it is a bear to put on (that is why I had a local yard do it!) as you need to be part monkey to do the install!

Hope this helps
Ken Cave
Cape Dory 28 #227



bcave@whidbey.net

[John R.]

Are you sure you need to pull out your engine to work on it? If you have lots of smoke, blow-by, and all the other goodies that make for a tired engine, yup-you gotta do the thing. But if it is only for a water pump (new impeller) muffler system and exhaust manifold, working with the engine in place isn't that bad.

As far as the stuffing box is concerned, I did replace mine with a PSS system with wonderful results. On a Cape Dory 28 it is a bear to put on (that is why I had a local yard do it!) as you need to be part monkey to do the install!

Hope this helps
Ken Cave
Cape Dory 28 #227

Like Ken implies I can't see why in the world you would ever even consider pulling the engine to implement the work you've mentioned in your post. I've done all those things and a lot more and never once considered an R&R on the engine to accomplish those tasks. You should have no great problem doing any of those projects with the engine in place. Things can be awkward at times but with some patience (the operative word), the correct tools and perseverence you will get by just fine with the engine remaining right where it is.

I installed a LasDrop shaft seal on our CD30 several years ago. In lieu of trying to inspect and service the seal way back on the shaft log where the original stuffing box was located I opted to extend the shaft log instead. It was more work but the dividends are very high. The shaft seal is now located just under the trans, a couple inches aft of the coupler. A piece of cake to reach, inspect, service or what have you. I never removed the engine to accomplish that modification.

Think twice before you start unbolting engine mounts. In addition, I think the PSS seal is better than the LasDrop. You also might look into the lip seal design shaft seals, very nice units. Also, there are several other shaft seal designs you might want to research before making up your mind on a particular brand or style.

[Larry DeMers]

Good Points Here. Always recognize that you want to take the simplest approach you can to minimize the complications involved. Removing the engine will entail realignment of the engine/shaft, which is a critical and exact adjustment, not to be taken lightly.

As far as a shaft seal goes, we have the Spartan packing gland, and switched over to the teflon dripless packing last year. This *simple* system uses the existing packing gland you already have (save $$), two layers of a flax packing with a layer of teflon sandwiched between the flax courses -and it is totally dripless. The gland runs cool to the touch and is maintenance free until you need to repack the gland (about every 10 years for me it seems). As I said, I favor non-technically intensive solutions when they are sufficient or even superior to the higher technology solutions. It makes it far easier to repair in some small community that has no chandlery to replenish broken, failed or damaged parts. It's all about independance from shore, and how to achieve it I guess.

Good Sailing!

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~~~~~~Sailing Lake Superior~~~

Are you sure you need to pull out your engine to work on it? If you have lots of smoke, blow-by, and all the other goodies that make for a tired engine, yup-you gotta do the thing. But if it is only for a water pump (new impeller) muffler system and exhaust manifold, working with the engine in place isn't that bad.

As far as the stuffing box is concerned, I did replace mine with a PSS system with wonderful results. On a Cape Dory 28 it is a bear to put on (that is why I had a local yard do it!) as you need to be part monkey to do the install!

Hope this helps
Ken Cave
Cape Dory 28 #227

Like Ken implies I can't see why in the world you would ever even consider pulling the engine to implement the work you've mentioned in your post. I've done all those things and a lot more and never once considered an R&R on the engine to accomplish those tasks. You should have no great problem doing any of those projects with the engine in place. Things can be awkward at times but with some patience (the operative word), the correct tools and perseverence you will get by just fine with the engine remaining right where it is.

I installed a LasDrop shaft seal on our CD30 several years ago. In lieu of trying to inspect and service the seal way back on the shaft log where the original stuffing box was located I opted to extend the shaft log instead. It was more work but the dividends are very high. The shaft seal is now located just under the trans, a couple inches aft of the coupler. A piece of cake to reach, inspect, service or what have you. I never removed the engine to accomplish that modification.

Think twice before you start unbolting engine mounts. In addition, I think the PSS seal is better than the LasDrop. You also might look into the lip seal design shaft seals, very nice units. Also, there are several other shaft seal designs you might want to research before making up your mind on a particular brand or style.

demers@sgi.com