1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

[project 85]

i have a 1985 rampage boat and it has a volvo penta outdrive. it has been completely repainted and i cannot find an ID tag on it. from this site http://www.marinepartsexpress.com/vp_engine_finder.htm it looks like its a AQ 280-DP/PT. its a douprop and has those cases on the sides that cover the hydralic pumps. the tilt is not working and i have been told i need to replace the gimbal bearing and the outdrive seal. i really need to figure out what i have here so i can get to fixing it.

it is attached to a 5.7L V8 chevy (260hp) with a drive shaft to the outdrive. the motor is seized. i want to replace the motor with a 300hp mercruiser. is there any limitations with this outdrive as far as HP is concerned? will i be ok with the extar 40hp?

thanks in advance
bill

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

i was told that this is the original outdrive that came with the boat. not sure what i have here. hopefully someone can give me some direction.

thanks
bill

 

[Don S]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

The drive will hold up fine to a 300 hp engine and won't even notice that extra 50 hp, it will handle big blocks and 6 cylinder diesels as well.

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

is there anyway you can tell by looking at it what model it is? or if there is a place i may be able to pull some ID numbers from?

 

[Don S]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

It's a 280PT for sure, rather it was a DP from the start or a single prop, it's hard to say.

If you look at the top of the upper gear box, there should be a metal tag just in front of the top cap. What is the information on that tag?

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

i sent the picture to a guy today and he thinks its a AQ 280 DP/PT. i'm gonna check tommorow and see if i can scrape away some of the paint and read the metal tag, if it's still there.

the guy i talked to today said these were pretty rugged outdrives for there time. is there anything i need to look out for with this model?

 

[billbayliner]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

i sent the picture to a guy today and he thinks its a AQ 280 DP/PT. i'm gonna check tommorow and see if i can scrape away some of the paint and read the metal tag, if it's still there.

the guy i talked to today said these were pretty rugged outdrives for there time. is there anything i need to look out for with this model?

If the drive has the external housings that enclose the hydraulic cylinders, then it's a 280 PT drive. They were not only pretty rugged outdrives for there time, they still are today.

Like Don says, it might have been a single prop originally then converted later to the Duo Prop.
Short of the cylinders and pump, 280 transmission parts will work.
Seals for the DP lower unit should be same in this series.

The shaft that you mention is a PDS [primary drive shaft]. You should install new open bearings on this shaft and fill the cavity with grease while you have the motor out.

Being this age, the concerns with the drive transmission would be main drive gear bearings and the keeper ring on the vertical shaft. You can look at these when you do a reseal.

You can also look at several lower unit bearings and gears when you do a reseal to the lower.
There is a simple tool that you can make for pulling the carrier out.

Very easy to put new seals in this.

Replace the S hose connector fitting at the main fork.

Make sure that the paint on the drive is not hull bottom paint that is conductive.

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

there is definetly not any metal tags left. i have a guy from a boat sho pcoming by saturday to give it a look and see what he thinks i may need done. i'll probably try to replace the seals, gears, shaft bearing and i think i need to replace the hydralic lifting rams. i was told it is easy to work on, i don't have to remove the outdrive, i just have to remove the top of the outdrive and i can get to the shaft bearing. i have a volvo pdf of the outdrive and a seloc volvo book. i havnt read through it all yet.

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

how can i tell if it's bottom paint? its not the same color as the bottom paint on the boat.

 

[jfredboat]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

will a mercruiser outdrive work with a volvo penta 270. the volvo has a chevy 350, the mertcruiser outdrive is off of a hammond challenger mark 4 1883.
thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

You need to start your own thread jfreadboat, not hijack someone elses thread.
Just go here http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=444

.

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

how do i bleed all the air outta the hydralic lines of my 280 DP/PT? do i just fill the hydralic fluid tank and lift the outdrive up and down?

also i have a set of hydralic trim tabs on my boat. i need to fill that up too, and bleed the air out.

both pumps will run when i put power to them, i think they just need a fluid flush and i've never bleed the air out of a volvo outdrive.

thanks in advance

 

[Don S]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

Just run 'em up and down, they are both self bleeding.

 

[project 85]

Re: 1985 volvo penta outdrive questions

well that sounds too easy. thanks. i'll try it out tommorow.