Experience with Volvo Penta 3.0 GS engine, Volvo SX outdrive?

[Michael Dempster]

I'm shopping for good deal on a 17' runabout. $2800 Glasply w/ VP145 got away from me, now looking at $3000 1979 Glasply repowered with 1999 VP3.0 GS engine w/ heat exchanger cooling, and 1999 VP SX outdrive. Not knowing anything about these units, can anyone suggest particular things to check, besides oil, compression, trim, and shifting? Is this potentially a good deal? I really appreciate your willingness to help me!!

 

[QBhoy]

Great wee engines. Same as the mercruiser 3.0 and a GM 4 pot engine. As reliable as they are...they are coarse sounding things compared to a 4.3 for example. None the less. They can’t be faulted otherwise.
I would perhaps be curious about the fresh water cooling system. It could be a genuine system fitted on request for a particular reason...but wouldn’t be cheap or perhaps even worthwhile even. It is a very very rare thing for a 3.0 to come fitted with such a thing. Just make sure it’s not a homemade have a go hero fitted thing. All the best.

 

[Michael Dempster]

Thanks for taking time to send me your thoughts on this. The cooling system was installed by Orca Marine Cooling Systems in Bellingham, Washington. In photos it looks well-made. Will actually see the boat tomorrow (Saturday). I have an older Bayliner runabout of the same length (17') powered by a Mercruiser 120 powerplant. So if this VP engine is essentially the same engine, all other things being equal, with the GlasPly being a heavier boat (I understand), I should expect somewhat diminished performance from what I've become accustomed to on my Bayliner? The owner calls this VP a 135hp engine, while the Mercruiser is at least in name, 120hp. If you have any thoughts on this, I'm all ears. Thanks again. I really appreciate your taking the time to comment!

 

[Scott Danforth]

the 3.0 is a stroked and bored version of the 2.5

the 3.0 is higher hp, where your old 2.5 was 120 flywheel hp, the 3.0 is 135 propeller hp, or about 145hp at the flywheel.

 

[Michael Dempster]

Thanks, Scott. Now I'm less worried about the boat seeming underpowered.

 

[Scott Danforth]

at least slightly less underpowered than a 2.5

if the hull is clean and not water logged, it could be a 40mph boat.

 

[QBhoy]

Sorry for the delay in answering. Yeah Scott is totally right on the money.
They do well for what they are the wee 3.0. Really strong wee engine and likely a contender for the most popular engine ever fitted to a boat. They are literally in every second boat in my marina. If I was being critical of them...they are quite hard on the ears at planing speeds.
Ive been in loads of 17-19ft boats with these engines and well propped they do 40-45 mph and literally sip fuel too. Like all GM raw water cooled engines...they love to crack the block open if not winterised properly. In particular, the 3.0 after a frost damaged cracked block, is sometimes repaired by owners fairly cheaply with welding or liquid metal on the block. Nothing more than a patch up temporary repair and something to look out for certainly.

 

[Michael Dempster]

Well, I checked out the17' 1979 GlasPly with the 1999 VolvoPenta 3.0GS engine and SX outdrive. I'd love your thoughts, anyone with experience, on what I found.

The boat sat in a garage for the last year and a half. Visually the engine and stern drive looked pretty good. Stern drive was elevated, and would not respond to the trim control. Troubleshooting, we bypassed the trim limiter box (approximate name...little thing on the transom near the trim pump, with a handful of LED lights on it) and got the outdrive to go up and down just fine. Might as well leave that little unit out of the loop permanently.

As soon as the drive went down, clean gear oil dripped from the forward side of the prop. Removed the gear oil fill plug, an the oil that came out was light mocha colored. LIght brown. Dipstick at the top of the drive showed totally clean oil up there. Confused about how the oil dripping from the prop shaft (seal?) could be so clean, while the milky stuff came out of the plug at the bottom of the drive, and clear oil was at the top at the dipstick. ???

We got the engine running without too much difficulty, considering how long it's sat. Oil looked clean. Sounded really good, idled well, jumped to life with the throttle. (Had the hose ears attached.) Did a compression test, got 137, 135, 142, and 118. #4 was more than 10% out. We wonder how terrible that is. We took it out for a sea trial. It ran and shifted beautifully, and I was amazed at its power.

Boy, I would sure love to hear from some of you experienced folk out there about whether to lean into this thing or walk away. Only $3000!

Thanks!