Volvo Ocean Series Problems?

[Rob_boater]

Hi - I have a 2005 Rinker 300.  I like the boat allot.  I got the Volvo 5.0 Ocean Series motors/drives.  

The first year everything was fine.  Last September coming home from a trip 45 miles from my home port the Gimbal bearing went on the Starboard motor.  It was so bad the boat was taking on water.  The boat was hauled and I had to hire a hauling company to bring the boat home to find a mechanic to work on the boat.  After the mechanic replaced the whole transom housing and gimbal parts they test drove the boat the port gimbal was about to go.  They changed that side too.  

2 weeks ago I took the boat out for the first time and it lasted 4 minutes until the port drive went.  Not happy at all with Volvo Penta.  Never had these problems with a Mercruiser.

Anyone else have these issues?  The mechanic said it was a defect in the gimbal/exhaust hoses.

[chesbay]

I had also heard from my Volvo mechanic that the early models of the OSXI had gimbal bearing problems.

[vquad]

i had an ocean series drive on an 8.1 and hated it.
the vertical drive shaft snapped on it...TWICE!
i got towed in both times on a 2006

the dealer agreed to take the boat back to avoid court

the boat was not a rinker...

[chesbay]

It's disturbing to hear about some of the issues with the Volvo Ocean series Drive.  I talked to a lot of OSXI owners before ordering what I felt was "new technology" and everyone was raving about the drive.

Have other OSXI owners experienced problems?

[Rob_boater]

The problem is something in the lower drive.  I called Volvo and there is nothing they can/will do until the mechanic breaks it apart and puts in a claim.  THis has been 2.5 weeks so far and nothing.

I lost 2 months last fall and almost a month this year already.  At this rate I will not buy another Rinker or a Volvo product.

[cyber]

I have brought this up before - the same issue with a Volvo drive would of probably happened even if you had a Sea Ray.

Now, have you contacted the dealer and asked the to pressure Volvo (is this the dealer doing the work)??? Then I can see that frustration - but seems like a Volvo issue to me...

[Tony Walker]

Is there any chance the root cause is related to alignments?

I would think there is a cause, since the problem has happened to both engines and reoccurs.

Tony
Salt Shaker 342

[Rob_boater]

The dealer went out of business.  So I am on my own.  

Last year it was the Gimbal bearings

This time its the lower unit.

Its all Volvo no matter how you slice it.

In 17 years of owning Mercruiser I never had a problem like this.

[Greg]

Very disturbing to hear.  I have not had any issues with mine.

Greg

[vquad]

a nice friendly letter from an attorney might light a fire under their buttocks...just a thought

[Hank]

no wonder why your  dealer went out of business..... there is such a thing as a lemon law.... Sorry to hear about all the problems...

[ParkRode360]

Rob, I'd also contact Rinker to see which dealer to go to in case you have any other warranty work.  If a dealer goes out of business it doesn't negate your warranty -- some other dealer someplace has to pick up the service.

[Rob_boater]

My next choice of dealer is Stone Harbor where you are.  It would cost me $1500 to get the boat there.  Who's picking up that tab?

[Dan&Darci]

It's been my experience that the engine/outdrive is warranted by Volvo, not by Rinker.  I don't believe that Volvo will require you to go to a Rinker dealer for Volvo warranty service, but to a Volvo-certified dealer.  After all, the Volvo in your Rinker is identical to the Volvo in a Chaparral, Regal,  Four Winns, etc.

I'd suggest contacting Volvo for where to take it.

[ParkRode360]

And maybe it's worth a call to Stone Harbor (Tom Morrissey, service manager, 609-368-1141) to see under what conditions they'd either (a) send a mechanic out  to fix your boat or (b) recommend a mechanic  / shop up in your area (which is soon going to be my area, so I have a vested interest here!) to do the work.  At least maybe they have some other ideas for things you could try!