Volvo Penta KAMD 300-A

[seaview123]

I am in the market for a good clean low hour 28 TE. I see most have the 315 HP Yanmar which seems to be very adequate. I am looking at a nice 2005 Flush Deck with the 285HP Volvo. Does anyone have performance data, or at least have any idea how this engine compares to the Yanmar in terms of speed/rpm/fuel consumption?
Thanks, Chris

[JoeH]

I too unfortunately have a Volvo KAMD 300-A in my 2005 flush deck TE. Low hours, however I keep chewing up belts and recently have discovered an oil leak.

Maybe it's just me, however if I had an option I'd stick with the Yanmar. I hear it's bulletproof for the most part.

JH

[derek01010010]

I appreciate that this is reviving an old thread, but many years later I am in the same position as the original poster. I am considering an early 2000s Albin 28 TE flush deck with the 285 HP Volvo KAMD 300-A (around 1000 hours). Searching this site produces very little information about this engine, which makes me think it was a rare spec. Can anyone with this engine offer thoughts on the ownership experience and share typical performance numbers they get on their boat? Bonus points if someone can share any production background (such as relative proportions of models made with this engine vs. others, years of production with this engine, reasons it was moved away from, etc.) or make a comparison based on experience with this engine and the larger HP variants that appear to have been more common. I am trying to find out if a boat with this engine is something to stay away from and, if not, quantify the performance difference relative to the larger HP engines. Thanks.

[Tree]

From experience, the KAD300 wasn't Volvo's finest engine - real dirty engine, valve timing is critical as the stems are only around 4mm diameter due to craming so many into the head of 3.6 litre engine. In its original guise as the AD41P or even a KAD44 with the supercharger they were good engines.

Oil coolers are a killer on them as they tend to corrode out and since its not down as a service item to remove and inspect, most fail and before you know it you have a bilge full of oil and an engine to rebuild.

You will also be running the engine at the top end of the power band and i would expect it to be pretty juicy on fuel compared to the Yanmar.