AQ 170,anybody still run ?

[diesel1960]

Just wonder how many people still using this ancient engine ?

 

[HorizonblueDK]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

I'm shining up the AQ170 for my 17 footer. Haven't had the boat in the water yet, bought it as a project. The engine has been started a few times after I bought it, compression is decent and equal on all cylinders. It is fresh water cooled.

If it wasn't fresh water cooled, I had probably thrown it out and replaced it with a VW diesel.

 

[TBI Guy]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

I have no idea how many people still run this engine.
What I do know is this is an engine that Volvo built probably by the millions and good parts new and used are still readily available. This is the same straight six that was in Volvo's 160 series autos.
I am sure there are many differences between the marine and the auto engines, like gasket material, cam grind, maybe a few other things. But major components are all interchangeable, blocks, heads, crank, etc.
The cylinder walls are hard as rocks! I have seen blocks with 200k+ miles that were cleaned up with a 0.010" bore.
These are reliable sturdy engines with good economy. The old pushrod Volvo engines are great! If you take your time and build them right, you will get lots of use from them. Enjoy!

 

[matt167]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

Right, they are Volvo B30 6cyls. Volvo only ran them from '68-'75, so it is a fairly limited production run but plenty remain because of Boats/car production combined.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

Right, they are Volvo B30 6cyls. Volvo only ran them from '68-'75, so it is a fairly limited production run but plenty remain because of Boats/car production combined.

Actually, the B30 was used for more than just the 164, and boats. Volvo used it in their C303 truck they supplied the Swedish military till '84.;Volvo C303 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you can keep em cool, full of oil, and the price of parts doesn't put you in shock, they are a pretty tough and powerful engine for their size.

The one I maintain is 36 years old, with the original bottom end.

 

[diesel1960]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

I'm shining up the AQ170 for my 17 footer. Haven't had the boat in the water yet, bought it as a project. The engine has been started a few times after I bought it, compression is decent and equal on all cylinders. It is fresh water cooled.

If it wasn't fresh water cooled, I had probably thrown it out and replaced it with a VW diesel.

Beautiful engine ! Never seen this cooling system before,and also I am VW enthusiast-can we fit 4cyl.diesel to AQ280 outdrive ?

 

[diesel1960]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

Beautiful engine ! Never seen this cooling system before,and also I am VW enthusiast-can we fit 4cyl.diesel to AQ280 outdrive ?

I am proud owner of this inline 6 ,attached few pics before and after :

 

[HorizonblueDK]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

I am proud owner of this inline 6 ,attached few pics before and after :
View attachment 175973View attachment 175974View attachment 175975View attachment 175976

Looks great!
I can see that you have vaccum advance on your distributor, I don't have that on mine.....

The cooling system on my engine is called "MARTEC", maybe only sold in Europe, I don't know. This kit is made specially for the B30 engine, with brackets and plumbing. But I have modified it, since there was not enough space in my engine compartment for the original placement of the heat exchanger. The brackets included in the kit, are ment to be bolted onto the Starbord side of the engine.

I was actually thinking about installing a straight-6 VW diesel, instead of the B30, in case it was dead. You may have seen that engine in the US, it was installed in the diesel version of the Volvo 240 car in the 1980's.

But it will take some custom work, cause there are no companies that makes any adaptorplates for connecting a VW engine to a Volvo outdrive.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

But it will take some custom work, cause there are no companies that makes any adaptorplates for connecting a VW engine to a Volvo outdrive.

That.... Plus you are not going to find a marine exhaust manifold for that engine, or at least one that may work with a Volvo drive. It gets even worse if the diesel you're thinking of is a turbo diesel.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

I am VW enthusiast-can we fit 4cyl.diesel to AQ280 outdrive ?

Sure, if you have thousands to spare for custom built parts. You may be a little disappointed with the performance results too...

 

[HorizonblueDK]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

That.... Plus you are not going to find a marine exhaust manifold for that engine, or at least one that may work with a Volvo drive. It gets even worse if the diesel you're thinking of is a turbo diesel.

Just to make sure we are talking about the same VW diesel engine, this is the one:



Actually, these days there is a manifold for sale for this engine on Ebay




MARINE 6 CYL VW+VOLVO 2.4 DIESEL EXHAUST MANIFOLD MARINE ALUMINUM WATER COOLED | eBay

I know it's a "one hit wonder" and there will probably never be one for sale again, since the manufacturer doesn't exists anymore, AFAIK.

The British manufacturer of heat exchangers, "BOWMAN" has a combined heat exchanger/manifold for this engine in their product range.


But I know that even with one of these two manifolds in the house, it is still a long way, before the boat is on the water. Exhaust connections, raw waterpump, engine coupler, plumbing and so on....

I know, because these days I'm fabricating parts for a marine conversion of two Mercedes 6 cylinder Diesel engines for my 25 footer


Anyway, back to the B30.
Here in Europe, they are still pretty common and many parts are still available. Not necessarily from Volvo Penta, but from one or two aftermarket companies. A Swedish company had new exhaust manifolds on sale for less than 1000 USD earlier this year.

My B30 had a rusty exhaust knee (at the end of the manifold), these are still available, but they were not on sale, so I decided to weld a knee myself (stainless steel)



Haven't tested it yet, so I'm excited to see how hot it gets. The beginning of the knee is not watercooled, so that will get hot, maybe wrapping is necessary. The original knee was not completely encapsulated in a water chamber either. But on the first trip I will keep an eye on what's going on around that knee.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

Actually, these days there is a manifold for sale for this engine on Ebay




MARINE 6 CYL VW+VOLVO 2.4 DIESEL EXHAUST MANIFOLD MARINE ALUMINUM WATER COOLED | eBay

I know it's a "one hit wonder" and there will probably never be one for sale again, since the manufacturer doesn't exists anymore, AFAIK.

I stand corrected.... Although, it seems like allot of work to fit this engine in when competent diesels are available directly from Volvo.

Nice work with that exhaust knee!
I figured parts were easier to come by for this engine in your area. When on the search for parts for mine, a good majority of the websites I found were in Europe. Even a couple of interesting performance sites such as KG Trimning.

 

[diesel1960]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

Looks great!
I can see that you have vaccum advance on your distributor, I don't have that on mine.....

The cooling system on my engine is called "MARTEC", maybe only sold in Europe, I don't know. This kit is made specially for the B30 engine, with brackets and plumbing. But I have modified it, since there was not enough space in my engine compartment for the original placement of the heat exchanger. The brackets included in the kit, are ment to be bolted onto the Starbord side of the engine.

I was actually thinking about installing a straight-6 VW diesel, instead of the B30, in case it was dead. You may have seen that engine in the US, it was installed in the diesel version of the Volvo 240 car in the 1980's.

But it will take some custom work, cause there are no companies that makes any adaptorplates for connecting a VW engine to a Volvo outdrive.

I have an automotive distributor,modified with "hot spark " electronic pickup, vacuum line is plugged.
You have done nice job on your B30.
Diesel-I would rather get original VP diesel 6cyl. to much to modified.

 

[diesel1960]

Re: AQ 170,anybody still run ?

If anybody needs B30 parts ,I have extra two engines for parts.
hubsky.rob@gmail.com