Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

I have a Volvo Penta 2003T engine in my 1992's 36 ft sailboat; this a
turbocharged version of the 2003 and it have an Oil Cooler instaled
inline, before the fresh Water cooler. The oil cooler is made of
aluminium with the inner tubes of cooper, and because it uses raw
water, is prone to corrosion. A new one, woul cost to me, here in
Brazil, about US$ 1,200.00 wich I think is unaceptable.

This engine is 45 HP, and has a turbocharge (turbine) but the
operating temperature is not so high; the thermostat begins open at
74 °C and is fully open at 87 ºC; the new Volvo Penta 2040 wich is
not turbocharged and has 40 HP, operate at a higher temperature
(82-95°C) but does not have an oil cooler. Both engines uses the same
lub oil (15W40).

The oil cooler, is a very critical piece, since it can cause the
complete desctruction of the engine, in case of the raw water goes to
the engine lub oil. I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.

Thanks for the help

Pascal Goncalves
Salvador-BA-Brazil

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

Look into buying an aftermarket oil cooler, rather than the factory part from
the factory dealer. I got one several years ago that was only a few hundred US.

Because an oil cooler is a bolt-on part and
rather simple technology, a very well made cooler of sufficient capacity should
work for any engine, regardless of name brand.

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

Look into buying an aftermarket oil cooler, rather than the factory part from
the factory dealer. I got one several years ago that was only a few hundred US.

Because an oil cooler is a bolt-on part and
rather simple technology, a very well made cooler of sufficient capacity should
work for any engine, regardless of name brand.

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

In article ,
(Pascal Goncalves) wrote:

I have a Volvo Penta 2003T engine in my 1992's 36 ft sailboat; this a
turbocharged version of the 2003 and it have an Oil Cooler instaled
inline, before the fresh Water cooler. The oil cooler is made of
aluminium with the inner tubes of cooper, and because it uses raw
water, is prone to corrosion. A new one, woul cost to me, here in
Brazil, about US$ 1,200.00 wich I think is unaceptable.

This engine is 45 HP, and has a turbocharge (turbine) but the
operating temperature is not so high; the thermostat begins open at
74 °C and is fully open at 87 ºC; the new Volvo Penta 2040 wich is
not turbocharged and has 40 HP, operate at a higher temperature
(82-95°C) but does not have an oil cooler. Both engines uses the same
lub oil (15W40).

The oil cooler, is a very critical piece, since it can cause the
complete desctruction of the engine, in case of the raw water goes to
the engine lub oil. I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.

Thanks for the help

Pascal Goncalves
Salvador-BA-Brazil

The drawback is, that the lube oil in a diesel is part of the cooling
system, and by not cooling it you are raising the temp that the engine
runs at, inside the engine where the heat is generated, by the froction
of the moving parts. By raising those temps you are adding stress, and
your oil will be breaking down faster, due to the extra heat. Bad for
the bearings and other lubed moving parts. If you choose to remove the
oil cooler then you must cut in half you lube oil change cycle, just to
keep the oil breakdown products to a reasonable level.
Much better to get a third party oil cooler to replace the one that
is causing the concern. These engines are Engineered to operate in
the designed way, and by changing the design, you take the risk of
lowering the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure), and MTBR (Mean time
Between Rebuild), substantially for the engine.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

In article ,
(Pascal Goncalves) wrote:

I have a Volvo Penta 2003T engine in my 1992's 36 ft sailboat; this a
turbocharged version of the 2003 and it have an Oil Cooler instaled
inline, before the fresh Water cooler. The oil cooler is made of
aluminium with the inner tubes of cooper, and because it uses raw
water, is prone to corrosion. A new one, woul cost to me, here in
Brazil, about US$ 1,200.00 wich I think is unaceptable.

This engine is 45 HP, and has a turbocharge (turbine) but the
operating temperature is not so high; the thermostat begins open at
74 °C and is fully open at 87 ºC; the new Volvo Penta 2040 wich is
not turbocharged and has 40 HP, operate at a higher temperature
(82-95°C) but does not have an oil cooler. Both engines uses the same
lub oil (15W40).

The oil cooler, is a very critical piece, since it can cause the
complete desctruction of the engine, in case of the raw water goes to
the engine lub oil. I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.

Thanks for the help

Pascal Goncalves
Salvador-BA-Brazil

The drawback is, that the lube oil in a diesel is part of the cooling
system, and by not cooling it you are raising the temp that the engine
runs at, inside the engine where the heat is generated, by the froction
of the moving parts. By raising those temps you are adding stress, and
your oil will be breaking down faster, due to the extra heat. Bad for
the bearings and other lubed moving parts. If you choose to remove the
oil cooler then you must cut in half you lube oil change cycle, just to
keep the oil breakdown products to a reasonable level.
Much better to get a third party oil cooler to replace the one that
is causing the concern. These engines are Engineered to operate in
the designed way, and by changing the design, you take the risk of
lowering the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure), and MTBR (Mean time
Between Rebuild), substantially for the engine.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

"Pascal Goncalves" wrote in message



I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.


I would not recommend eliminating it completely.

You could add a little plumbing so that you could bypass it. A couple of Y
valves would allow you to divert water around the cooler and thus stop
further corrosion. It shouldn't hurt anything to have the oil flowing
through the cooler, and if you decided you needed it then it is just switch
a couple of valves and you are back in business.

You could also go for air cooling. Oil coolers and fans are pretty cheap.
It would heat up your engine compartment a bunch however.

The best approach would be to change the oil cooler out for one that was not
so prone to corrosion.


Rod

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

"Pascal Goncalves" wrote in message



I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.


I would not recommend eliminating it completely.

You could add a little plumbing so that you could bypass it. A couple of Y
valves would allow you to divert water around the cooler and thus stop
further corrosion. It shouldn't hurt anything to have the oil flowing
through the cooler, and if you decided you needed it then it is just switch
a couple of valves and you are back in business.

You could also go for air cooling. Oil coolers and fans are pretty cheap.
It would heat up your engine compartment a bunch however.

The best approach would be to change the oil cooler out for one that was not
so prone to corrosion.


Rod

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

Thank You for your advise; I have tryed to find another oil-cooler,
but the way this is mounted is so much complicate (is is bolted to
block, and conected with the water cooler, and the engine block,using
many cooper tubes, each of wich costs about US$150 ; the water cooler
is bolted over it, and all this things sits over and behind da motor
starter and alternator..

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

Thank You for your advise; I have tryed to find another oil-cooler,
but the way this is mounted is so much complicate (is is bolted to
block, and conected with the water cooler, and the engine block,using
many cooper tubes, each of wich costs about US$150 ; the water cooler
is bolted over it, and all this things sits over and behind da motor
starter and alternator..

Eliminating the oil cooler on VP 2003T
 

How about routing the FRESH water through the existing oil cooler rather
than raw sea water? The heat exchanger should bring the temperature down
enough to protect you and you eliminate the corrosion risk.

--
Dennis Gibbons
dkgibbons at optonline dot net
"Pascal Goncalves" wrote in message
om...
I have a Volvo Penta 2003T engine in my 1992's 36 ft sailboat; this a
turbocharged version of the 2003 and it have an Oil Cooler instaled
inline, before the fresh Water cooler. The oil cooler is made of
aluminium with the inner tubes of cooper, and because it uses raw
water, is prone to corrosion. A new one, woul cost to me, here in
Brazil, about US$ 1,200.00 wich I think is unaceptable.

This engine is 45 HP, and has a turbocharge (turbine) but the
operating temperature is not so high; the thermostat begins open at
74 °C and is fully open at 87 ºC; the new Volvo Penta 2040 wich is
not turbocharged and has 40 HP, operate at a higher temperature
(82-95°C) but does not have an oil cooler. Both engines uses the same
lub oil (15W40).

The oil cooler, is a very critical piece, since it can cause the
complete desctruction of the engine, in case of the raw water goes to
the engine lub oil. I am tempted to eliminate this oil cooler
bypassing it and not refrigerating the lub oil at all. What would be
the drawback? I use this motor very lightly, at 2,000 rpm, not at
the maximum 3,200 rpm.

Thanks for the help

Pascal Goncalves
Salvador-BA-Brazil