Older Volvo (270) mechanics in Maryland???

[Craig]

Anybody know anything about "Elison Marine" north of Salisbury Maryland.

A friend of mine had an older OMC worked on there and said he was pleased with the results. Asked him to check if they'd work on a 270 Volvo. Said they would. Just wondering if anyone knows them. OR if anyone else (other mechanic / marina) in Maryland would be recommended.

[RH]

Hey Craig, I am out in Iowa, but was wondering what is wrong with your Volvo 270. That is the same drive that I have on my 1972 Hornet. It is my first Volvo and aside from the lack of trim, I really like it. I would love to try some different props for better top end, but the left hand rotation is a tough find.
RH

[MOP]

That 270 is a great drive, fairly easy to work on. Maybe some of the guys can help you along, what is the problem you have. The only thing you may have to borrow is a few special tools.

[Craig]

Had an increasing vibration last year. I asked about this earlier (probably around Oct. or Nov.), but had just winterized at that point so now I'm starting to look into it again before this season. It was suggested, even though I replaced the u-joints about 2 seasons ago, that it could be the u-joints again. Maybe it is that. I did a good bit of that work myself. Just wasn't sure I wanted to get into it again. Thought I might want someone who knows the drives well to look it over and make needed repairs. I'll take it off and put it back on, but I am just looking for some trained eyes to go over it instead of just "me and my shop manual." The big disappointment to me is that even though the drives are great, no one close to me services them anymore (the older ones -- prior to SX drives). It's like trying to find a prop for one. Had to steal my last replacement prop off an old Glastron in my neighborhood (just kidding)!

[MOP]

Check the prop, dial indicate the prop shaft, also often overlooked is the two bearings in the bell housing though normaly you will hear them before they cause viabration. I have seen the rubber colapse in a motor mount and it will make you think the prob is some place else. If is the prop shaft most prop shops can check it for fatigue and roll straighten them.

[Steven Cohn]

Craig,
Steve Shipley, The Engine Factory, in Edgewater,Maryland, has worked on all of my outdrives. Give him a call @ (410)798-4568. A father/son operation and they're honest. Steve's built motors for racers and rented boats in the Annapolis area. If he can't do the job he can probably tell you who can.

[Craig]

Thanks M.O.P. Given me some things to investigate. Don't know what "dial indicate" the prop shaft means. Can you explain for us 1st graders? I'm wondering if my problems aren't "multiple" because I did have some, as I said, "increasing vibration" over last season (maybe prop or prop shaft related), but the "bearing in the bell housing" comment has me wondering a bit too because last run or so of last year I was getting a noise too. This may be even a dumber comment, but with regard to rubber in the motor mounts, I didn't think there was any in the old Volvo 270 Holman Moody. I've had motor and drive in and out and don't remember any rubber???? Thanks also to Steve. Sounds like a good lead.

[AVickers]

Check the bell housing bearings and the shaft.

These are open bearings (unfortunately, they have only a guard on them -- not a seal) and they need to be lubricated periodically. Most of them NEVER get service and the problem will be worse if you ever get a hole in the bellows and get them wet. The rear bearing is accessable from the rear after you remove the upper gear housing. The front (if your boat has one) is accessable only from the rear for direct lubrication AFTER you have removed the rear bearing and shaft. If you have to replace it, you'll have to pull the engine to gain access from the front of the housing.

In the case of my boat, I still had some noise and vibration after replacing my u-joints. Turns out that the rear bearing was hammered and the shaft was worn where the inner race was supposed to be a tight fit. The front bearing wasn't bad. When I reassembled things, I knurled the shaft and used Loctite Shaft compound to hold things together. (I also used a sealed bearing so as not to worry about lubrication in the future.)

Tools required after the upper housing is off: a set of VERY good, long reach snap ring pliers -- internal -- and a slide hammer w/ a threaded attachment to remove the shaft and rear bearing after the snap ring is out.

Because it's attached directly to the engine coupler, you can't spin the shaft with it installed, but you can check end play and runout with the shaft in place using a dial indicator. Mine was bad enough that it responded to the "wiggle test." Grab it and see if you can move it sideways to the point that that you can feel it moving a bit. Ths slight "clunk" was enough justification to take it apart and look more closely...

[Craig]

More info!! Thanks A. Vickers. Here's another question re: a comment above. If you found your prop shaft was not straight, apparently you could have it straightened or replaced if available BUT with regard to the "rare as hen's teeth" props for the old Volvos, I seem to recall a marina guy once telling me you could get a shaft (from Mercury) that would fit the old Volvo, but accept the different splines of a Mercruiser drive giving you more options for props. Anyone know more about that? Cost? Availability? Might be something to look into for RH (above) for the Hornet.

[AVickers]

If your shaft is bent, I'd seriously think about replacing the lower unit (or the whole thing) w/ a used 280. I think it'll bolt right up... I've seen complete 280s around here for less than $500. (They don't break and not many people want or need them any more...) My guess is that it would cost more to get a shaft and have it installed. (The nice thing about the 280 drive is that it doesn't have a lot of stuff behind the prop to interfere w/ high rake prop setups.)

As for spline-count, Michigan wheel now makes a bronze insert for their props that will allow any of their new props to fit any drive. From what I understand, a good prop shop can install this setup on any bushed MerCruiser prop as well. The problem here is that most props for these guys are Right Hand.

My experience with the Volvo props was that good stainless LH props w/ the correct pitch were the hard ones to find -- RH props are more abundant. In fact, there's a guy w/ several RH Ultras on e-Bay as we speak (Item # 2710285811 ). I used a RH Ultra for a while on my '76 -- until I spun the hub. I had kids in the boat and it was easy to rearrange their seating to level out the boat... Unfortunately, it turns out that this Ultra had a hub type that couldn't be reconditioned, so I was back to my LH aluminum props -- which, by the way, were cheap and abundant.

Rotation is easy to change on the Volvos and if you have tabs (or a really, really big wife), it won't matter much which direction the prop rotates.

BTW: I just looked and the Michigan Rapture iappears to be available all the way up to a 25 pitch in a LH configuration. You might have to figure out how to bush the prop and you might have to change the nut to get it to fit your setup, but my guess is that someone out there has already worked all of this out...

Bottom line is that no matter how rare a type of prop might be, you only need one...of the right size, pitch, rake, cup and rotation.

[Craig]

The 280 conversion interests me. It has even before this. Didn't know you could find them that cheap. Sounds cool. Would need to know, of course, if it really would be an easy conversion. Are the gear ratio's similar? My 270 is a LH rot. and 1.61:1 gear ratio. Also interesting about the Michigan Wheel stuff. I could put my wife on a high carb diet. Right now I think she's only about 120-130. Still have 3 kids at home though to achieve boat leveling. My 15 yr. old (biggest kid) always jumps in the seat behind me (205lbs and holding). "No No No, How many times do I have to tell you that won't work!!!" I need trim tabs too.

[BillG]

Craig
Go to marinepartsfinder.com Call on the phone. The parts man their has sold me two Volvo Ultra props in the last couple of years. They don't seem to have a problem finding them. I am currently running a 14-24 LH, and it works great. Mine is on a 250 drive.

[harbormaster]

I know an older volvo mechanic. He must be about 70 by now...

:D :D :D :D :D :D

[RH]

What a great thread! I have been pondering the question of trying to either put on a 280 drive or change my rotation. If I change the rotation, willh tere be any wear issues? Maybe this does not make sense, but I have the left hand helm, thus the LH rotation on the prop. The boat is very well balanced at most speeds, but I think that I should be able to get more speed out of the boat. I hit about 50 on the speedo turning around 5300 on the tach if I am remembering correctly. I beleive that the prop is 14 x 21 pitch? ( I think) I had the boat out at Christmas and did a major detail job on the hull. Used the 3M Fiberglass Retorer for oxidation and did a buff job on it. Next project is the engine block itself. I will be painting it and polishing the Corvette valve covers. The interior is slated to be replaced as well. Then it will be time for some nice weather to enjoy! I will be interested in gaining some nice insight on the Volvo prop situation! Thanks for all your help and information on this.
RH

[Craig]

Harbormaster,

I was wondering if someone might say that when I named the post!

I guess a young Volvo mechanic would then be, not necessarily one who works on "SX" drives only, but a Volvo mechanic of no more than, say, baby boomer age.......I don't know thats starting to get pretty old...

Hey as long as they can fix stuff!