Volvo Penta reengineers D4 and D6 propulsion systems

Written by Marine Log Staff
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Volvo Penta has totally re-engineered its line of D4 and D6 marine propulsion systems from with redesigned engines, new sterndrive, updated IPS drive and a new Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) system.

“The D4 and D6 series are proven workhorse engines with more than 100,000 deployed worldwide over the years,” said Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Penta of the Americas. “With this major upgrade project, the best has just gotten better. The new D4 and D6 are now delivering higher horsepower ratings, better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance cost, as well as Volvo Penta’s trademark torque across the full range of RPMs.”

Volvo Penta says its engineering team in Sweden put in more than 300,000 engineering manhours (equivalent to 50 people working full-time for three years), plus over 40,000 hours of testing for durability, reliability and performance. The result is 10 percent more power across the range, with maximum ratings of 320 hp for the D4 and 480 hp for the D6.

Upgrades included a new engine management system, new fuel injection system, new turbocharger and supercharger, new cylinder heads, pistons and valves, plus a stronger crankshaft to handle higher loads. They are less costly to maintain with longer service intervals and fewer service items.

The cylinder head, piston and crankshaft are all stronger by design and new materials have been introduced such as a Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating on the piston pin to reduce friction and increase durability. T

he common rail fuel injection system now features a higher pressure of 2,000 bar. Controlled by a new Engine Management System, this enables more precise calibration of parameters controlling the injection, so the engines run more smoothly and are more fuel efficient.

Improvements have also been made to the IPS drive resulting in reduced service costs.

The DPI sterndrive has undergone a major transformation with a hydraulic clutch for smooth, silent shifting at slow engine speeds. Steer-by-wire functionality has been made standard for improved joystick docking, and the Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) provides automatic station-keeping.

Volvo Penta says the EVC2 serves as a gateway to the future of automated, connected and electric technologies. It =has an all-new operating system and modern electrical architecture.

With Volvo Penta’s new On-Board Service Assistant, operators can now check oil levels of the engine and IPS drive from the comfort of the helm station on the Glass Cockpit screen, eliminating the need for manual checks via dipstick. Service schedules are also visible through the platform.

Earlier this year, Volvo Penta also unveiled its new D8 engine and SCR aftertreatment concept that meets the IMO Tier III standards, as well as new upgraded D16 gensets with 450 and 50kW outputs.

Volvo Penta will show its new products in Booth 2101 at the International Work Boat Show Dec. 4-6.

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