LFDE18

Ive got a 05 Rinker 232 open bow with 5.7 Volvo/Volvo dual prop out drive. Thoughts? Good or bad? This is my 1st Volvo ive heard good and bad.

-Am I correct saying it is a 5.7 gm block?*
-can I break the 50mph Mark?
-are there engine mods? Or is it a computer thing? (I know it electronic fuel elections)
-Anyone else have this same set up?
-why Volvo vs merc?
-any other info would be great!

BUP

iTrader: (9)

If you were to do an apples to apples Volvo DP vs Merc bravo III - the Volvo DP is a way better drive especially the new design from Volvo 2007 to current. The Bravo III has that constant propshaft leak with running down the lake among has more problematic bellows and shift cable shorter longevity than compare to the Volvo DP.

Also the Volvo has less gimbal ring problems. The Bravo III is the worst for the nut coming lose on top of the swivel shaft going thru the gimbal ring. Next Volvo DP offers Smoother shifting and operation.

Gear Oil is important no matter of the outdrive. The Volvo outdrives have a Nedox coated cone clutch so using the wrong spec gear oil and not changing it enough hurts this coating and or glazes it in which causes shifting problems and or delays and or stuck in gear problems. USE always a top quality GL- 5 syn based gear oil and change it a bare min once a year bare min and especially winter store all / any outdrive with fresh gear oil for lay up..

The long blocks motor side are exactly the same between Merc and Volvo - the difference comes from how the OEM's are marinized as Volvo set up is somewhat differ than Merc along with their EFI and computer systems. Volvo weak links are their cool fuel system and their impellers. 2007 their Volvo impellers changed to a bigger app so they hold up better. The cool fuel has to be properly drained for winterizations - I see this missed a lot even by marine shops. Volvo has by far less IAC failures than any of the 2001 up Mercs (PCM 555) as well. I know Volvo apps from 1994 to current just as much as the merc apps. Volvo's use E-Controls for their controller - ECM from 2004 / 05 and currently. Good luck.

Question on top of do have carb app (GL) or MPI (GI or GXI ) model ?

LFDE18

Thanks that was very helpful. Is it possible to put the newer impeller on my 05 to help prevent a future problem or is the housing and everything different? It was suggested to me to change the impeller every couple of years. I was told there is a weak link when shifting from drive to reverse when docking, is this true? How problematic is this weakness?

And I am not familiar with cool fuel and the need to drain it? Will it gum? Am I guna have problems come boating season in the spring?

BUP

iTrader: (9)

Cool fuel needs to be drain of water before it freezes, I do not recommend Hot rodding the Volvo MPI using E-Controls ECM - you are not going to have people step up and recalibrate your computer to meet the mods being a E-Control computer.

Next - New Impeller and correct gasket install at the beginning if each boating season start. the impeller vanes are their weak link - very thin / short and a lot of them 12 vanes total - dry starts kills these impeller and they are crankshaft mounted also the thin constructed Impeller vanes tear somewhat easy compared to others - OEM offers the best impeller but same design. I am selling the correct Impeller kit in the swap shop FYI.

The cool fuel is week as well as the amount of cooling water is running thru the system is not much and the electric fuel pumps are external mounted as they hate heat, dirt and ran out of fuel at any given time.

NEXT YOU DID NOT MENTION WHAT HAVE - CARB (GL) or MPI (GI or GXI) or even EFI TBI injection (GI) older engine app,

Carb apps do not have cool fuel systems but one external electric fuel pump. Electric fuel pumps hate to pull fuel as the do better pushing fuel especially these Volvo External electric fuel pumps. Anyways posted a lot info but might call it day and catch up with this and questions later or another day.

FIXX

iTrader: (2)

put it thids way,,i have been pounding my volvo drive for 25+ years and has never been apart..over 400 pony's to boot and excess speed of 70 mph as well..they are pretty much bullet proof unless you dont take care of it..i have a older version so i fill mine with 30 w ..

LFDE18

It has the gxi motor not sure of the out drive model. So for the cool fuel, how do I drain the fuel? If drained does it need to be primed come spring time to start? As far as upgrades to gain hp, is it over complicated due to the fueling system and the computer? I just want to break the 50 Mark....tried swaping props last season and learned the hard way that the dual prop one step up is not just one step up......end result lost compression in a cylinder had heads reworked and reinstalled......aka top end rebuild....I dont want to over work or make my boat not dependable, just wasn't sure if there were some easy mods to pick up the ponies. Sounds like I should just leave it alone this winter and just enjoy it.....but thanks for all the info so far. The more I can learn the better care I can take of it!

BUP

iTrader: (9)

So you changed your props and went up in pitch #'s and running over time you lost compression ? So when you did the prop swaps what rpm was your boat / engine running ?

If you have a true 2005 year model 5.7 GXI - full throttle rpm range is 4800 - 5200 being the max. Propshaft hp rating is 320 hp again if this the correct year and model of your engine. .If you went up in pitch #'s too far you had to be lugging the engine badly to cause bad compression overtime. Just saying IMO you had another problem going on.

You mentioned in post # 1 that you have a Volvo dual prop so that is the same when I mention Volvo DP outdrive. Volvo SX are single prop outdrives and from 1994 thru 1998 they were called Volvo Cobra SX outdrive for the single prop outdrives.

It would best at this timeframe to have your Volvo professionayl winterized by a true Volvo tech. There is more to just pulling a few drains and some hoses to winterizing properly. The cool fuel system needs to be drained from the small diameter hose that runs at the top of the t-stat housing pulled off then lowered as far down as it can be lowered, Then blown thru however - mouth or lightly compressed air to be completely drained with no restrictions.

All fuel systems and the fuel tank needs to be fuel stabilized and the motor side complete fuel system needs to ran with fresh gas / stabilizer / 2 stroke motor oil at a 50 to 1 ratio fuel to oil mixture. This is the jist and again have a true current Volvo Penta tech winterize your boat before its too late.

Next the computer to recalibrate is your hold back for hot rodding your engine. Yes it can be done but not many on the market to recal an E-Controls ECM around. Also really to do this 100 % correctly, dependable and longevity of your moded motor - you would want someone to recal & test on a engine dyno. . The only thing I would think about doing to improve performance for your app - is keep the bottom very clean, take some weight out of the boat and maintain balance of the hull. Maybe lab finish a correct set of props for your app.. Also check to see if your bottom of the hull has any hooks or rockers in it and go from there after the inspection..

You have some solid advance here and it is wise to spend the money for someone who knows how to maintain / work on your app. Also very wise to leave it completely stock but your best effort is to properly maintain it all the time.

Next I will add, hope no one replies that I need to pay for membership helping out on the boards here with true solid OEM trained advice for free especially on the Volvo Penta side. . If I ran this site I would welcome it no questions ask. Just saying

LFDE18

It had f5 props and would run to 5400 rpms no.problem but full throttle it would run all the way to the rev limiter. I thought it was just an adjustment need to fix it so full throttle would only run 5000 and it would stay away from the rev limiter. Because of the easy reach of the rev we (me and the place I bought the boat) put the next step prop (or so I thought) f6 to help with reaching a higher top speed and the extra back force would keep it off the rev......clearly this was wrong. After one weekend at the lake the boat would run to the rev still and was sluggish out of the hole. It did pick up the top end cause it would run 50+ mph (GPS) but it would have trouble starting cold and would shut of when bringing the boat to neutral. Took it back to were I got the boat they plugged it up to the computer and the #1 cylinder had no compression. Rebuilt/fixed (on there dime! So no money out of my pocket) put the stock f5 props back on and thats how it sits now. Ran one time after fix b4 winterization it seemed to run great ( I didnt really push it to see how it ran full throttle) so not sure if it is still goin to run to the rev limiter. Or if thats what it supposed to do no.boat ive had b4 has done this. Maybe a Volvo thing, idk.

As far as the cool fuel I dont really understand what it is or how it works. Because of the recent motor work I had the Volvo tech do my winterization this year ( hope he knows about this cool fuel ) it seems it may be best to just continue to have him do it. A little frustrating for me cause up entire now ive always been able to fix anything I own.....( trucks, bikes, 4wheelers, hot wheels, legos....lol) guess I have to except the fact I just dont know enough about it and let someone who does take care of it.

I do put stabilizer in the fuel and I know it was done for the winterization as well.

Again thank you for all your info and if there is anything else u can tell or heIp me with i greatly appreciate it.

BUP

iTrader: (9)

Forgot this part on the Volvo's 2006 and back called the stop lug is junk as it melts like a melted tootsie roll. it is a rubber bump stop that fits in between the impeller housing water necks to support the impeller housing from rotating. The stop lug (rubber) is mounted on the end of the support bracket for the impeller housing. They melt - bad manufacturing curing was the problem. IF it is melted or degraded slightly it will need to be changed to brand new. They cost about 14 to 15 bucks. That bracket and the stop lug are very important for keeping the impeller housing from not wobbling and or any rotation movement in which helps from ruining the internal impeller housing seal that will cause leaks.

You have a rev limit set on your app at 5350 / 5400 max and it is non adjustable except by a tuner very familiar E-Controls ECM's. Also if your engine is not exactly a 2005 year model and if it is older you could have a MEFI IV ECM.

Volvo used MEFI 1, 3, 4 and around 2003 very very late or 2004 they switched over to E-controls ECM's for all their fuel injected engines. That MEFI IV you can find a lot more persons to recal that ECM than E- Controls. .

Earlier Volvo GXI 5.7 were 315 hp at the prop and max rpm was 5000. FYI just in case yours it not a true 2005 year model GXI.

FIXX

iTrader: (2)

you could also have your props tuned..by adding cup it will bring down your rpms..fwiw on a dp set up the outter prop does most of the work,i have seen guys use f5 inner prop and a f6 outter prop as well..like i mentioned if the props are not timed rite you will loose mph and gain rpm's.. here is my prop guy,give him a call and he will tell you if he can help..john is the best..

http://www.dahpropellers.com/