Transmission problems, we could have lost the boat!

C

Captain Mike

Active member
Joined
Aug 9, 2020
Messages
31
Fluid Motion Model
C-248 C
2016 ranger with the D3 150 hp
Cruising through the gulf islands last week just ready to enter Porier Pass, engine running smooth and east, then the propeller stops turning, no forward or reverse. dead in the water.
Left adrift with limited options. thankfully the wind and currents were light.
Contacted Port Boathouse in Port Alberni who suggested I look at the wire connections to the tranny. Sure enough one side was quite corroded and the wire had broken. Tried to fix but the terminals on the solenoid had also badly corroded.
So called in for a tow. $1500 later we were tied up in Naniamo. Took a ferry home to the mainland and waited for parts.
Turns out that this is a common problem and described as a design fault by Volvo. $2000 later for two new and re designed solenoids we should be good to go by the end of the week. Not sure what the boatyard will cost to fix or how much the dock fee will be but lets add at least another $1000. And this is a design flaw, the fix is not with the same parts.
So why were we not told about this issue, we could have lost the boat or worse!!!!!!
I am not impressed.

So anyone with a similar age boat should immediately check the wire harness to the transmission to look for light blue corrosion. Anyone else had this issue? The service guys at Port Boathouse seemed to suggest that this happens a lot and the fact they have re designed this part suggest admission to the problem!
Someone could get killed or lose their boat because of a Volvo design flaw.
Doesn't seem right to me.

Comments appreciated!
 
There is a way to manually engage the transmission. I have not personally done it. Perhaps someone with the experience can chime in. There is a port where you can insert an allen wrench and turn to engage forward or reverse.
 
Early in my ownership of our boat I read somewhere on this site (or perhaps another owner told me in person) to fill the connectors at the transmission with dielectric grease. Good advice. For anyone who has yet to do this take captain Mike’s experience as the motivator to do it now.

Captain Mike, so sorry to hear of your scary experience!

Curt
 
One of the first things I did when I purchased my 2015 28 Cutwater was to cover the stuffing box as it slings saltwater from the shaft. The saltwater is the culprit behind the corrosion of the solenoids connections. Even boats that have the newer connections have had issues with corrosion and failures. Curt is right, protect those electrical connections from corrosion by using dielectric grease, corrosion X, CRC but try and stop the saltwater mist spread in the engine room first.
BBMarine has a great review and pictures of how he accomplished this with his C26. I used a 1/2 of a plastic gallon jug and valcro adhesive strips to fashion a shield keeping the saltwater spray to a minimum in my ER, as recommended by my surveyor. I also coated the electrical connections with dielectric grease and spray them with CRC as part of my regular maintenance. The connections on my solenoids still look new after 7 years.
Don't think that the rubber boot on the new styled solenoids will protect against corrosion in the future, there are many examples where this new system failed if you dig deep enough.
A little dab'll do ya, as they say, and when it comes to all electrical connections in a saltwater environment that dab is dielectric grease and a spray of CRC after ever outing.
Hope this helps.
Terry
 
Yes, I also built a spray shield for the shaft spray like CapT has done. I also cut up an empty gallon oil jug for this purpose though I used only about a third of the jug as it needed to be shortened to fit. Cutting out 1/3 of the jug collar (threaded part) created a tight fit on the packing assembly so it snaps in place with no other connection. This protects the rest of the engine compartment from salt spray as well as the transmission.

And yes, I have adjusted the packing gland for 2-3 drips per minute. Even then there is still some spray when it flings those drips off so a spray guard is still needed!

Curt
 
Honestly Ranger and Volvo should have provided a service buliten to all their dealers about this issue back in 2015 and 2016. I know countless Ranger and Cutwater owners that had to get towed be cause of failed solenoids. The packing gland is so closest the reverse gear that it is inevitable that the solenoids will be damaged. Mike Rizzo repaired a R25 in the PNW when it was a couple of weeks old. (2016)

Has others have stated this design not only needs water proof connections at the solenoids but it need a protectivesheild to stop the small leakage at the packing gland from spraying all over the reverse gear.


This shield snaps in place.
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=70780&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

gallery2.php?g2_itemId=70774&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Photo shows the distance the packing gland is from the reverse gear coupling
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=67903&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
 
Capt. Mike,

That is not the only design flaw. There is a possibilty of a gear failure coming your way. There is a number of failures on this web site about Volvo Penta D3 and ZF gear. I had one and so have others. I believe after much thought and talking with ZF dealers that the tortional interface on the VP D3 flywheel is insufficient for the ZF gears. ZF gears are industry standard and have an excellent reputation, however there is either something wrong with the VP interface or Liquid Motion installation.

Good luck... Dick
 
knotflying":14r2p8qi said:
There is a way to manually engage the transmission. I have not personally done it. Perhaps someone with the experience can chime in. There is a port where you can insert an allen wrench and turn to engage forward or reverse.
Click to expand...

I was the victim of the corroded solenoid scenario yesterday as I was left drifting north of Powell River. I knew what the problem was; but was powerless to do anything about it as the pin attached to the solenoid had broken off.

I called Port Boat House in Port Alberni to ask if there was way to manually engage the drive. The answer was NO. Not on the D3’s with inboards.

Fortunately for me my brother was able to tow me back to Pender Harbour. Now I just just have to find and pay the silly prices for the solenoids and the harness for the revised design. What is $60-$80 for an automotive solenoid is ten times that for the marine equivalent.
 
BGW":3hfeclrj said:
I called Port Boat House in Port Alberni to ask if there was way to manually engage the drive. The answer was NO. Not on the D3’s with inboards.
Click to expand...

They may not be a Volvo dealer. If they are maybe they need some training on their product.

D3 with reverse gear (If a fault occurs that prevents engaging gears with the control lever (shifting), it is possible to engage them manually.). from the owners manual page 58.

Manual shifting of gears
1 Stop the engine and remove the ignition key from the ignition lock.
2 Unscrew the screw (1) on the side where the cable harness marked A is connected.
3 Remove the washer (2) and tighten the screw.
4 Disconnect the wiring A and B from the solenoid valve connections.
The gears are now engaged for forward drive and can- not be disengaged by the control lever.


This will get you off the water. when you get to the harbor you call the harbor master for a fuel dock tie. As you make your approach to the dock you shut the engine down.
 
Excellent post Brian! Your insight, experience and willingness to share is greatly appreciated!
This whole thread has been terrifying to read. We passed Porlier Pass last week on our way to Nanaimo. We will be passing Powell River on Tuesday. I can’t imagine having a boat dead in the water in these relatively remote areas. It’s my worst boating nightmare.
Someone should post a video of the steps involved to get a D3 powered boat into gear after a solenoid failure. Showing the tools needed and clear details of where the referenced locations are on the transmission would be great. Every D3 owner should copy the video for reference - just in case.
Still thankful I have a boring Yanmar 4BY2 in Our Journey!

PS: Before you crash into the rocks in this scenario just remember to drop your anchor and stop getting smashed into those rocks. Don’t worry about scope or anything else, just get the anchor down!
 
I had this happen to my RT25SC as well crossing the upper gulf of Mexico. I didn't know what it was at the time...I thought it was a prop issue, and luckily it was an easy tow into port.

If you have old style solenoid, you may want to think about replacing it with the new style just to prevent this from happening. Yes they are pricey, but do you really want to be someplace and have it fail. I thought about replacing them before my Great Loop trip, but cheaped out which led to an "adventure."

The wiring harness for the new style solenoid is different as well, so that needs to be replaced but is pretty easy to do.

Let me echo Dick Clagett's warning. If you have a mid teens D3 reverse gear...seems to be mostly the 25's...pay attention to the sounds your gear box is making as you get near 600 hours or so. Mine made an unusual sound going into reverse a couple of times...not enough to really worry me...but just unusual enough to catch my attention...before it failed. I had just had an oil sample 15 hours beforehand with nothing shown.

One more thing, Dick has mentioned it several times, but for anyone searching through these posts, the Volvo gearbox is a ZF gearbox. The part numbers are almost identical, and the only difference is the electrical solenoid control part which can be taken off the old gear box and installed on the new. DO NOT PAY the $10,000+ that Volvo wants for the gearbox. The ZF gearbox can be had for less than $2000.

Ok...off my rant now!

Chris Boyd
EX RT 25SC
Destined Nomad
 
Good to know. I inspected my connections without pulling them off the solenoids. Being a freshwater boat,I didn't see any corrosion around the area , though there is evidence of spray from the shaft on the fiberglass of the hull and the connectors seem to be exposed. There are black boots on the cables, but the boots don't cover the connectors . I will heed the advice and fashion a spray guard.

A question about applying the dielectric grease: do I need to pull the connectors off the solenoid, or can I just fill in the gap around the connections..the connections are recessed in a little rectangular white plastic receptacle, which looks as if it's clipped onto a yellow cap on the end of the solenoid. I'm assuming this is the original style everyone is referring to.

If there is anyone willing to take a look at some photos this set up, I'd appreciate knowing what I'm looking at. I'd have to do it via email, since I have no idea how to post photos on this site.

I had a transmission failure (different boat) a few years ago in the middle of the Columbia River and don't need to do it again!

Thanks
 
portlandtug25":1s3fk9y1 said:
…

A question about applying the dielectric grease: do I need to pull the connectors off the solenoid, or can I just fill in the gap around the connections..the connections are recessed in a little rectangular white plastic receptacle, which looks as if it's clipped onto a yellow cap on the end of the solenoid. I'm assuming this is the original style everyone is referring to.

If there is anyone willing to take a look at some photos this set up, I'd appreciate knowing what I'm looking at. I'd have to do it via email, since I have no idea how to post photos on this site.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Volvo does not recommend putting dielectric grease directly on the connector pins. The grease should fill the white/clear connector housing so the salt water cannot enter and get trapped around the back of the pins and corrode them away.

Send me a PM (Private Message) with your email address if you have any questions or want to share photos.

Curt

9/6/22 edit: changed my comment to add that Volvo does not recommend adding grease directly on the pins. The focus here is regarding sealing the connector housing such that salt water does not get trapped in the connector housing. Volvo’s change of the design to use sealed connectors indicates the old open connector design should be protected.
 
This from a certified Volvo Penta Technician:

"DO NOT put dielectric grease on the inside connectors, where the pins are."

We had a problem with the transmission coming out of forward gear and not going back into gear 3 years ago. Had to get a tow from Sucia Island in the San Juans back to dock. Thankfully, we have BoatUS towing policy. As I tried to trouble shoot, as previous owner had replaced the solenoids with updated, sealed ones. I turned off engine, turned off engine battery switch and unplugged connectors for solenoids. Plugged them back in, turned on battery switch, started engine. Engine went into forward gear. However, problem persisted at low speed, thus the tow.

Took boat to North Harbor Diesel in Anacortes. This is where the VP Technician determined the dielectric grease was causing resistance in the connector. He then washed out the connectors with a solution to remove dielectric grease. Since, it has been fine. The Technician said that it says right in the VP literature NOT to put any dielectric grease in the connector. Someone above said to use Corrosion X/Corrosion Block. I wonder if that's ok, since on the can it says it is safe to use on electronics.
 
Yes the Volvo Penta technician was correct partially. The use of dielectric grease to the metal components making the electrical connection should not have dielectric grease applied to them. Dielectric grease is an insulating grease it isolates the connection. Volvo does provide a warning in their service manual to not use dielectric grease on any of the electrical plug-in connections. Now if the dielectric grease is used to help seal the plug-in connections and is not making contact with the metal connectors it will do the job of isolating and sealing the connection from moisture. Coating the ring seal with dielectric grease and the push in plastic connector making sure to not get the metal male/female metal connections coated with the grease will work in protecting the connection from moisture. Using dietetic grease on battery terminals that are made up is a good use of the grease. The metal surfaces are cleaned and then connected making a dry metal to metal connection. Then the dielectric grease is applied insulating the connection from moisture penetration.
 
Brian,
Thank you, thank you for your clarification of how and where to dielectric grease. I know this will help others, as well.
Is it safe to spray CRC or Corrosion Block into the connection with the pins?
Thank you,
Patrick
 
Salmon Fisher":1smye2cy said:
Brian,
Thank you, thank you for your clarification of how and where to dielectric grease. I know this will help others, as well.
Is it safe to spray CRC or Corrosion Block into the connection with the pins?
Thank you,
Patrick
Click to expand...


I have used CRC penetrating spray 3-36 Multi-Purp on the engine and associated parts for years. I have not had an issue with using it. I don't normally spray it directly into the connection. I spray it on the outside of the components to help reduce moisture build up. A family story about this. My Nephew purchased a new Proline 24' with a 225 Mercury outboard in 2002. He still has the boat. The boat is used for fishing on Chesapeake Bay and off the coast of New Jersey. We were visiting last summer and he took me out to his building to look this boat. He maintains it well. He said "Uncle Brian let me show you the power head." He pulled the cowling off and it looked like a brand new motor. All electrical connectors clean the block shined black. You would never know this motor had been operated exclusively in salt water. He then said "I listened to you. I have flushed the engine every time we use it and I spray CRC on the powerhead and all the components every time I put the boat back in the building. His engine is a testament that that stuff works! I used it all the time when I serviced boats. After doing a repair I would clean up the area that I was working in and then spray the engine down with CRC coating the manifolds block, starter ,alternator , motor mounts, electrical and fuel components. I never had any complaints from customers when they looked at there engine.
 
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