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andrew bradley
07-05-2001, 08:05 AM
Hello
I am looking at a fishing boat with a Volvo penta motor and drive. What is the word on the streets about Volvos vs Mercs? The motor is a 1998/1999 270 hp fuel injected & FWC. Does anybody know about this motor?
Thank you
Andrew

RBook
08-01-2001, 06:50 PM
Andrew,
I'm no expert but I do own a 1999 5.0GL/SX outdrive. The parts are more expensive and harder to find. Believe me I know, I just got my boat back. My outdrive locked up with only 70 hours on it and it took 2 months to get it repaired. I even had to raise HE** to get the parts shipped from Sweden to get it repaired that quick. The price to repair the outdrive was $4500.00!!!! Thank goodness for the extended warranty I purchased. It is supposed to be more user friendly as far as normal service. I'm not sure if the unit is more effecient but my 20 foot bowrider with this 220 horse motor runs 59 MPH with a full take of gas on board. If I had the chance to by it again I wouldn't, I would buy a Merc just for the price and parts issue. I may have just got bad service but parts are more available for a Merc.
Hope you weren't in love with this boat.
Robert.....

sea buddy
08-04-2001, 06:23 PM
Both Merc and volvo have chevy build them the same engine. Very minor differences there.
I would go with a Volvo duo-prop over single prop. Go with Merc if you must go with a single prop.
If you want to go over 60 mph, go Merc.
Drive a duo-prop for a half hour and then try whatever else, you will then understand.

RiverDave
08-17-2001, 02:52 PM
Why not a Bravo III? Same concept, Volvo's in general are just cheaper to buy (in the beginning anyways) I don't know about repairs etc... Merc has much more support though.
RD

cot_ton
09-25-2001, 05:04 PM
rbook,
What kind of boat do u have, that will run 59mph as a bowrider? and what pitch prop r u running. i have a 2001 20 ft Ebbtide it weights 2900lbs, 220 merc outdrive with a vengance stainless prop 21 pitch. about 45 mph it seems is top speed. i just tried a alum. 23 pitch and it didn't change much.
thanks
cot_ton

cot_ton
09-25-2001, 05:31 PM
rbook,
What kind of boat do u have, that will run 59mph as a bowrider? and what pitch prop r u running. i have a 2001 20 ft Ebbtide it weights 2900lbs, 220 merc outdrive with a vengance stainless prop 21 pitch. about 45 mph it seems is top speed. i just tried a alum. 23 pitch and it didn't change much.
thanks
cot_ton

Mike Griffin
09-26-2001, 03:52 AM
Originally posted by andrew bradley:
Hello
I am looking at a fishing boat with a Volvo penta motor and drive. What is the word on the streets about Volvos vs Mercs? The motor is a 1998/1999 270 hp fuel injected & FWC. Does anybody know about this motor?
Thank you
Andrew, Can't tell you a lot about the motor, but have a Volvo Penta Duo Prop on my latest boat purchase. It's mounted on a 29' Scarab with a 502 with blower for it's feed. The outdrive works great and is one of the best handling systems that I have driven. After about 20 hours of water time I'm thoroughly pleased with the outdrive (it currently has a little over 275 hours on the outdrive with no prior problems). Sea Buddy seems very knowledgable on the system from what I've been able to learn in the past couple of months. Good Luck
Andrew

Mike Griffin
09-26-2001, 03:58 AM
Originally posted by sea buddy:
Both Merc and volvo have chevy build them the same engine. Very minor differences there.
I would go with a Volvo duo-prop over single prop. Go with Merc if you must go with a single prop.
If you want to go over 60 mph, go Merc.
Drive a duo-prop for a half hour and then try whatever else, you will then understand.
Sea Buddy, Would appreciate any additional info about the DPX by Volvo Penta, I purchased a boat recently (29' Scarab powered by a 502 with blower. After logging over 20 hours I have cracked the rear prop twice and need info about the E-2 versus the E-3. Now spinning E-2 setup and turning 5400 at about 75, I would like to lower the RPM to about 5000. Can the rear prop only be changed to E-3 to acheive this or is it mandatory to change both to E-3? Any help appreciated.

Mirage
09-26-2001, 09:40 PM
I currently own a 98 20.4 Bluewater Mirage stock 5.7 gs volvo with a cobra SX drive 14&3/4 22 SS prop and ran very hard for 250 hours and never a prob with the motor or outdrive. I would say bulletproof. It is my third boat and the performance of the boat is quite exilerating. It is quick out of the hole and pulling hard up to around 55mph GPS. Of course the trim and accelerator is the key there. Topend is 63 on the right ripple and 61 consistant with passengers regardless of gas. It is almost too much for the size and "quality" of boat but as I said it is "exilerating" like a jetski. Accelerate off a small wake and the whole toy is out of the water regarless of speed.
Really no performance parts but a nice motor. PS for under $17k new with the tandem trailer my big boating buddies eyes always open wide as I am pulling away.
Mirage

RBook
10-31-2001, 08:47 PM
Cot_ton,
I have a 1999 206LXI Larson with Volvo 220H.P./SX setup. Not sure on exact weight of boat, I think around 2200. I may have mis-spoke on topend. Two days before my outdrive blew I GPSed it at 56 MPH with two people in boat and 3/4 tank of gas, and speedo was right on 56 also. After getting boat back two months later from outdrive rebuild I put new Michigan Wheel Ballistic 21 pitch stainless prop on and was running 59 MPH on speedo with full tank of gas and two people. This is where I got 59MPH that I stated, remember my speedo was right on when it GPSed at 56. I was having problems with the boat porpoising and didn't seem as fast even though speedo said 59 so I put GPS on it a few days later and it said 54MPH while speedo said 59MPH. I went back to original prop and it would not top 51MPH on GPS and 56 on speedo. I was really confused at this point, the speedo is a standard water flow sytle that is not hooked to outdrive at all. I went back to the stainless prop to run for the weekend, I was going to call the dealer on Monday but the boat did not make it that long. The engine ingested water into cylinders 2,4,6 and 8, and locked up, I ended up swimming for a hour to get back to shore due to lake was deserted. I was told by dealer that they don't know what caused my engine failure and I still don't have my boat back, going on three months, don't even think they have ordered any parts!!!! SO, I know one thing, your boat is faster than mine. I don't even remember what my boat looks like. It sucks to make payments for a year and it is in the shop the whole summer, I got to use the boat maybe 5 days the whole summer. Needless to say I don't know what my boat runs anymore.
I let you know next year,
Maybe....
Robert....
"THANK GOODNESS I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!"

sea buddy
11-05-2001, 04:20 PM
On the boats I have tryed the Merc Bravo III had a vibration that the Volvo did not. If you look back duo-prop 1st, merc bravoIII 2nd, and current duo-prop 3 rd invented. The new duo-prop reflects a complete re-design after over 10 years in field with the 1 st duo-prop. Bravo III was designed to improve 1 st duo-prop and it did and does. But the current duo-prop improves (big time) on that duo-prop. I would buy whatever brand the dealer sells the most of, the differences are not that overwhelming. But once you go two props on one shaft-you will not go back.Its that good.

sea buddy
11-05-2001, 04:30 PM
Mike---DPX drive.
I know that props must be replaced as a set, very important.
Sorry, do not know that much about DPX drives, have seat time and good knowlege on duo-prop, just another voice from the bench on DPX.
Try Volvo- they have tech reps that advised Wellcraft on your boat and a standard 502 installation, find that guy thur Wellcraft or Volvo, and you will have an educated opion.
Try Steve Stepp at Veloicity boat in FL, he is a racer and has tried alot of stuff.
Try Regal boats, they have models that run in the mid-65's with Volvos.

bullhead
11-05-2001, 07:41 PM
try and call joel at bronson hill props 714-953-5010 or check out there web site boatpropellers.com

sea buddy
11-08-2001, 06:04 AM
NEW information on VOLVO high performance drive and props for DPX drive.
Your drive has a choice of three reduction gears inside the drive; 1.59, 1.68, or 1.78. You may "tune" the speed and rpm better with a gear changs versas as with a prop change.
There is about a 4-5 mph change in speed with a prop set change.
Do not spend your money until you understand the gear flexability that Volvo designed into their approuch to high speed.
There is a 7-8 mph speed change for each gear change. Also, a gear change will lessen the loss of accel. grunt.
Is the blower aftermarket? Most 502's leave the factory propped for 5,000 rpm and most guys never run them, if they want engine life, over 5,200 rpm. Again, the 5,000 rpm seems best.

funkcity
12-06-2001, 06:40 PM
Volvo.
Bronson Hill Thrasher prop has been very good to me for years.280 amd 290 drives.
In very high horsepower apps the DPX will fail.
Also there is word of prop blade flattening out on DPX dual propellors.
Where is the factory representation and support?
They just discontinued there 2 big horsepower
Innovation-built motor options.
Great technology...Who (read MM)do you think copied them with their cone clutch and Duo-Props??
Smooth helical cut quiet gears etc...
Now owned by Ford but who would know where they are headed??

sea buddy
12-19-2001, 12:20 AM
Ford owns the car company not the marine company. Its owned by parent Volvo in sweden and they make billions on buses and other products.

Garry S
01-28-2002, 08:08 PM
I have a 2100 Regal bowrider with a 5 litre Gi and Volvo SX drive 2000 model. I have about 100 hours on it with no problems. It will easily top out at 64-65 mph with 1/2 tank and 2-3 people. I believe that its the stepped hull and not the drive that gives the top end. With the OEM aluminum 14 3/4 X 23 pitch prop it is lazy out of the hole or with skiers. I bought a Land & Sea Torque-shift prop and it is great out of the hole and at least as good on the top end but I CANNOT get the prop to stop sticking at high pitch. Does anybody have any experience with these props?
They would be the cats meow if they would downshift reliably. Upshift is superb! Any leads much appreciated.

attyjas
01-30-2002, 03:40 AM
Would you put a volvo in this?? http://home.earthlink.net/~attyjas/

gstark
01-30-2002, 12:35 PM
Check out this months Trailer Boats. They do kind of a head to head comparison of Volvo v. Merc small blocks (5.7 v. 6.2), same HP levels, same hulls. Interesting results.

RBook
02-04-2002, 08:00 PM
I read the article, still would not purchase another Volvo. I still don't have the one I own back..

NMlakerat
02-06-2002, 01:57 PM
A good friend of mine ran an advantage 25' citation with 850+ HP and the duoprop.He was running different front and rear props.
The best advise on props for your application would be to call Bronson Hill Propellers. They are reworking those props with great success from what I have seen. the duoprop system held up for a couple of seasons under blower power without breaking but the gear set did finally give. If your not going to run that much HP great system. I have seen it handle alot of HP without having to buy External steering like you would have too if you had a Merc.

Mike Lindberg
03-04-2002, 06:13 PM
Personally,I wouldn't touch a Volvo on any small boat or anything you want to perform or upgrade later on. There may be some cases for a duoprop on a heavy cruiser for manueverability and efficiency,but is it worth waiting for parts,resale etc.? Check out offshore racing,there may be a Vulva..oops Volvo logo on the screen,but they're all Merc. baby!

Mike Lindberg
03-04-2002, 06:14 PM
Did I mention Volvo's suck! L.O.L.