Volvo 3.0L engine Block

[SavinRaven]

So I have done a bit on mercruiser items. I have the opportunity to buy a real clean boat however has a cracked lower unit. (not known to what extent at this time) I know the risks going into this purchase and dont plan on pricing myself out of it completely... But I know GM sells blocks to both volvo and mercruiser. My question is will a short shaft 3.0L mercruiser match up to the 3.0L volvo short shaft? and will the outdrive link up or no? I just cant seem to find much in the way of volvo short blocks for sale to get an idea of pricing for something like this.

 

[Scott06]

So I have done a bit on mercruiser items. I have the opportunity to buy a real clean boat however has a cracked lower unit. (not known to what extent at this time) I know the risks going into this purchase and dont plan on pricing myself out of it completely... But I know GM sells blocks to both volvo and mercruiser. My question is will a short shaft 3.0L mercruiser match up to the 3.0L volvo short shaft? and will the outdrive link up or no? I just cant seem to find much in the way of volvo short blocks for sale to get an idea of pricing for something like this.

By short shaft do you mean short block ? Short and long block are used the describe the engine block with rotating assembly without cylinder head (short block) or with cylinder head (long block). I assume by cracked lower unit you mean engine block vs lower unit aka outdrive?

Volvo and Mercusier use the same long block from GM then add their own accessories so yes they are the same engine. Only hiccups would be pay attention to pre and post 1990 engines. That year the 3.0 went to a single piece rear seal that changed the flywheel size and coupler attachment.

This describes some of the year to year changes https://www.perfprotech.com/blog/articles/3liter-upgrade

if your block froze likely the head and intake/exhaust manifold is cracked as well. You may be better off finding a running take out or a beat up CL boat to jank complete engine out of

 

[SavinRaven]

Sorry yes meant short block. And okay the engine in question is a 2004 volvo 3.0l GL.

I also thought the same thing and thought about buying a beater 4.3 in running condition and doing the swap that way to but would the already installed volvo SX outdrive marry up to a volvo 4.3 or do you start getting into gear ratio issues similar to mercruiser?

The known issue "blown block" is a small hairline crack in the exterior block with some "minimal" moisture coming out which caused some rust spots to appear. Oil does not appear to have been compromised on the dip stick with water so i am hoping this is all an exterior leak and i can just take it to a engine shop and have it welded up. Thoughts?

The engine shop guy said fire her up and see if any water and oil mixture occurs.

For the deal I'd be getting on this I am not opposed to replacing block. However the guy said he doesnt get much in the way of volvo to do this "timely" but if he can just take a long block mercruiser and marry it to the rest of my engine I dont see a problem has to be 1000 of these 3.0l short blocks from mercruiser available?

 

[Scott06]

Sorry yes meant short block. And okay the engine in question is a 2004 volvo 3.0l GL.

I also thought the same thing and thought about buying a beater 4.3 in running condition and doing the swap that way to but would the already installed volvo SX outdrive marry up to a volvo 4.3 or do you start getting into gear ratio issues similar to mercruiser?

The known issue "blown block" is a small hairline crack in the exterior block with some "minimal" moisture coming out which caused some rust spots to appear. Oil does not appear to have been compromised on the dip stick with water so i am hoping this is all an exterior leak and i can just take it to a engine shop and have it welded up. Thoughts?

The engine shop guy said fire her up and see if any water and oil mixture occurs.

For the deal I'd be getting on this I am not opposed to replacing block. However the guy said he doesnt get much in the way of volvo to do this "timely" but if he can just take a long block mercruiser and marry it to the rest of my engine I dont see a problem has to be 1000 of these 3.0l short blocks from mercruiser available?

Ok that being the case I wouldn't weld it but have seen some folks grind it clean and use JB weld on it. This will only work if the water doesn't get into the oil.

It can take a couple uses/hot & cold cycles for the crack start pushing water into the oil. When my neighbor was too lazy to drain his block a few years back, he thought he was lucky until he used it 3-4 times, then got water in oil.

If you want to upgrade to a 4.3 best to get a complete tear out as the exhaust piping, manifolds etc are different as well as drive ratio. I bought a similar project 6 years ago. 37 hr boat with cracked 4.3 merc. I swapped in a 5.0 but both being V engines from the same lineage (4.3 and SBC are same front and back of block) I could swap almost everything over. Just needed exhaust manifolds/elbows, intake, carb and ignition module... you cant do that with a 3.0=>4.3 swap. I was able to re-prop around the drive ratio though...

 

[SavinRaven]

Ok that being the case I wouldn't weld it but have seen some folks grind it clean and use JB weld on it. This will only work if the water doesn't get into the oil.

It can take a couple uses/hot & cold cycles for the crack start pushing water into the oil. When my neighbor was too lazy to drain his block a few years back, he thought he was lucky until he used it 3-4 times, then got water in oil.

If you want to upgrade to a 4.3 best to get a complete tear out as the exhaust piping, manifolds etc are different as well as drive ratio. I bought a similar project 6 years ago. 37 hr boat with cracked 4.3 merc. I swapped in a 5.0 but both being V engines from the same lineage (4.3 and SBC are same front and back of block) I could swap almost everything over. Just needed exhaust manifolds/elbows, intake, carb and ignition module... you cant do that with a 3.0=>4.3 swap. I was able to re-prop around the drive ratio though...

I'm thinking I'm gonna go ahead and buy it if It ends up being just some jb weld kind of fix then I end up getting a real steal. If it ends up being internal block swap i still got it for what the boats worth after making a few calls to some marine engine techs locally seems the swap would cost about 3-4500. Boat lists on nada for 11k I'm going in at 3k...

With that being said I will start it before I buy it just to make sure it rolls over and everything just real quickly anything else I should look for?

 

[Scott06]

I'm thinking I'm gonna go ahead and buy it if It ends up being just some jb weld kind of fix then I end up getting a real steal. If it ends up being internal block swap i still got it for what the boats worth after making a few calls to some marine engine techs locally seems the swap would cost about 3-4500. Boat lists on nada for 11k I'm going in at 3k...

With that being said I will start it before I buy it just to make sure it rolls over and everything just real quickly anything else I should look for?

Is there anything to look for ? Ideally you'd water test it.

Obviously with handyman's specials you get what you get. Generally how clean is the boat and upholstery condition will tell you if some one took care of the boat and covered it. If you have to reupholster in addition to the engine issue I wouldn't bother with the project.

other items
condition of gear oil in drive, drive corrosion- if they failed to winterize doubt they changed gear lube.
bellows
condition of trailer brakes (if it has them) and tires
age of battery

of course all these things can be fixed but you want to make sure at the end you don't spend as much as a turn key boat

 

[SavinRaven]

Update. the seller didnt want to start it said we could turn it over but he didnt want to start it so I said no thanks.

I just wanted to hear it purr for a minute to make sure no gas problems and carb was in working order.

The boat and trailer over all had 0 flaws no tears in interior glass looked new still had factory shine. No soft spots anywhere engine looked super clean, gear lube still blue in tent bellows looked to be in fair condition not great but another season or two probably not even as much as a smudge of dirt or grease in the engine bay/on the engine...

It was really odd about the crack in the block it was probably only 2" in size and very small "hairline" after looking the rest over I probably still could have made out on it. But if he doesnt want to start it there may be a reason for that is what i had to keep telling myself as I walked away. I'll probably be thinking about this one for awhile but is what it is.