ON March 21,
2015, I flew back to Boat Lagoon, from the States, to prepare the boat for
removing the old Volvo Penta 2003T diesel engine. The engine and gearbox had not been
manufactured since 1995 so it wasn’t worth trying to put more money into
them. Additionally, Volvo parts are
outrageously expensive for any of their engines. If parts become obsolete, the price increases
to usurious levels. The old Volvo was
still running OK but needed some work to keep it going. Since our next leg involves the most challenging
part of the circumnavigation, in very remote places, it just didn’t make sense
to keep it.
The main obstacle
for removing the old engine and installing a new one in this Valiant 40 was the cabinetry
surrounding it. Valiant built the
lockers around the engine after it was installed at their shipyard in Lake
Texoma, TX. I had to figure out a way to
remove them to gain access to the engine compartment. I wanted the removal to have the capability
of being reinstalled to the original design and being able to be easily removed
for future repairs. David’s pictures
provided the framework I needed to make the necessary modifications. The Valiant Owner’s website is most helpful
when it comes to requesting and receiving help.
I struck a” Gold Mine” when, David Bridges, owner of the S/V Blue
Yonder, answered my cry for help. He had
repowered his Valiant 40 with a Yanmar 50 but had the same Volvo Penta I was
going to remove. He had documented the
whole process with a few hundred pictures and was unbelievably thorough and
meticulous. He would become one of the
two gurus that kept me sane during this challenging installation. The other Valiant owner, Bob from S/V Sail
Further, had repowered with a Beta 43.
This was the same size as the one I was going to install. These two wonderful and knowledgeable owners
communicated with me from beginning to end; answering all my questions and
giving suggestions. I can only hope that
somewhere, sometime, I will be able to help someone else with information and
experience gained from the repower. The
third party that has been helpful was Stanley from Beta Marine USA; not only a
great businessman, but always working on his customer’s behalf. His replies were always prompt and
knowledgeable.
On April 1,
I had a carpenter onboard to open up the engine access space. It didn’t take long since I had everything
planned out; twelve hours work in two days.
Each piece of the cabinetry and companionway bulkhead was very carefully
cut out so that they could be reassembled after the new engine was
installed. Allowing this much space was
the only way the engine bed modification and new installation could have been
done. The pictures on the blog show all
this in detail.
On April 4th,
two mechanics came onboard to begin dismantling the old engine for removal. It took a day and a half (11 hours) to
dismantle and set it on the protective plywood I had placed on the companionway
sole. Once the old engine was out of the
engine room, I began to remove all the old insulation from the engine
room. This insulation was made up of an
adhesive foam backing, lead impregnated matt and covered with protective
aluminum foil. It had served its purpose
since 1991 but had deteriorated and turned to a fine black powder in many
places. I began the project on April 7th
and didn’t finish until April 23rd.
During that time, in stifling heat and cramped quarters, I worked from
morning until night taking out and installing the new insulation. It’s a pity that I wasn’t able to get the
Sound Down insulation that they sell in the States since it is the best to be
had. What I put in will provide many
years of adequate sound proofing. In
addition to removing the old insulation, the big obstacle was having to remove
or work around every unit that had been installed in the engine room. It’s a herculean task!
The old
Volvo Penta was removed, by crane, on April 10th; goodbye to an old friend that had served us
well. I began to focus on getting the
new engine and installing it.
RETURN TO BOAT LAGOON FOR ENGINE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION
ON March 21, 2015, I flew back to Boat Lagoon, from the States, to prepare the boat for removing the old Volvo Penta 2003T diesel engine. The engine and gearbox had not been manufactured since 1995 so it wasn’t worth trying to put more money into them. Additionally, Volvo parts are outrageously expensive for any of their engines. If parts become obsolete, the price increases to usurious levels. The old Volvo was still running OK but needed some work to keep it going. Since our next leg involves the most challenging part of the circumnavigation, in very remote places, it just didn’t make sense to keep it.
The main obstacle for removing the old engine and installing a new one in this Valiant 40 was the cabinetry surrounding it. Valiant built the lockers around the engine after it was installed at their shipyard in Lake Texoma, TX. I had to figure out a way to remove them to gain access to the engine compartment. I wanted the removal to have the capability of being reinstalled to the original design and being able to be easily removed for future repairs. David’s pictures provided the framework I needed to make the necessary modifications. The Valiant Owner’s website is most helpful when it comes to requesting and receiving help. I struck a” Gold Mine” when, David Bridges, owner of the S/V Blue Yonder, answered my cry for help. He had repowered his Valiant 40 with a Yanmar 50 but had the same Volvo Penta I was going to remove. He had documented the whole process with a few hundred pictures and was unbelievably thorough and meticulous. He would become one of the two gurus that kept me sane during this challenging installation. The other Valiant owner, Bob from S/V Sail Further, had repowered with a Beta 43. This was the same size as the one I was going to install. These two wonderful and knowledgeable owners communicated with me from beginning to end; answering all my questions and giving suggestions. I can only hope that somewhere, sometime, I will be able to help someone else with information and experience gained from the repower. The third party that has been helpful was Stanley from Beta Marine USA; not only a great businessman, but always working on his customer’s behalf. His replies were always prompt and knowledgeable.
On April 1, I had a carpenter onboard to open up the engine access space. It didn’t take long since I had everything planned out; twelve hours work in two days. Each piece of the cabinetry and companionway bulkhead was very carefully cut out so that they could be reassembled after the new engine was installed. Allowing this much space was the only way the engine bed modification and new installation could have been done. The pictures on the blog show all this in detail.
On April 4th, two mechanics came onboard to begin dismantling the old engine for removal. It took a day and a half (11 hours) to dismantle and set it on the protective plywood I had placed on the companionway sole. Once the old engine was out of the engine room, I began to remove all the old insulation from the engine room. This insulation was made up of an adhesive foam backing, lead impregnated matt and covered with protective aluminum foil. It had served its purpose since 1991 but had deteriorated and turned to a fine black powder in many places. I began the project on April 7th and didn’t finish until April 23rd. During that time, in stifling heat and cramped quarters, I worked from morning until night taking out and installing the new insulation. It’s a pity that I wasn’t able to get the Sound Down insulation that they sell in the States since it is the best to be had. What I put in will provide many years of adequate sound proofing. In addition to removing the old insulation, the big obstacle was having to remove or work around every unit that had been installed in the engine room. It’s a herculean task!
The old Volvo Penta was removed, by crane, on April 10th; goodbye to an old friend that had served us well. I began to focus on getting the new engine and installing it.
ON March 21,
2015, I flew back to Boat Lagoon, from the States, to prepare the boat for
removing the old Volvo Penta 2003T diesel engine. The engine and gearbox had not been
manufactured since 1995 so it wasn’t worth trying to put more money into
them. Additionally, Volvo parts are
outrageously expensive for any of their engines. If parts become obsolete, the price increases
to usurious levels. The old Volvo was
still running OK but needed some work to keep it going. Since our next leg involves the most challenging
part of the circumnavigation, in very remote places, it just didn’t make sense
to keep it.
The main obstacle
for removing the old engine and installing a new one in this Valiant 40 was the cabinetry
surrounding it. Valiant built the
lockers around the engine after it was installed at their shipyard in Lake
Texoma, TX. I had to figure out a way to
remove them to gain access to the engine compartment. I wanted the removal to have the capability
of being reinstalled to the original design and being able to be easily removed
for future repairs. David’s pictures
provided the framework I needed to make the necessary modifications. The Valiant Owner’s website is most helpful
when it comes to requesting and receiving help.
I struck a” Gold Mine” when, David Bridges, owner of the S/V Blue
Yonder, answered my cry for help. He had
repowered his Valiant 40 with a Yanmar 50 but had the same Volvo Penta I was
going to remove. He had documented the
whole process with a few hundred pictures and was unbelievably thorough and
meticulous. He would become one of the
two gurus that kept me sane during this challenging installation. The other Valiant owner, Bob from S/V Sail
Further, had repowered with a Beta 43.
This was the same size as the one I was going to install. These two wonderful and knowledgeable owners
communicated with me from beginning to end; answering all my questions and
giving suggestions. I can only hope that
somewhere, sometime, I will be able to help someone else with information and
experience gained from the repower. The
third party that has been helpful was Stanley from Beta Marine USA; not only a
great businessman, but always working on his customer’s behalf. His replies were always prompt and
knowledgeable.
On April 1,
I had a carpenter onboard to open up the engine access space. It didn’t take long since I had everything
planned out; twelve hours work in two days.
Each piece of the cabinetry and companionway bulkhead was very carefully
cut out so that they could be reassembled after the new engine was
installed. Allowing this much space was
the only way the engine bed modification and new installation could have been
done. The pictures on the blog show all
this in detail.
On April 4th,
two mechanics came onboard to begin dismantling the old engine for removal. It took a day and a half (11 hours) to
dismantle and set it on the protective plywood I had placed on the companionway
sole. Once the old engine was out of the
engine room, I began to remove all the old insulation from the engine
room. This insulation was made up of an
adhesive foam backing, lead impregnated matt and covered with protective
aluminum foil. It had served its purpose
since 1991 but had deteriorated and turned to a fine black powder in many
places. I began the project on April 7th
and didn’t finish until April 23rd.
During that time, in stifling heat and cramped quarters, I worked from
morning until night taking out and installing the new insulation. It’s a pity that I wasn’t able to get the
Sound Down insulation that they sell in the States since it is the best to be
had. What I put in will provide many
years of adequate sound proofing. In
addition to removing the old insulation, the big obstacle was having to remove
or work around every unit that had been installed in the engine room. It’s a herculean task!
The old
Volvo Penta was removed, by crane, on April 10th; goodbye to an old friend that had served us
well. I began to focus on getting the
new engine and installing it.
