2003 396 ES Owner

[Bootlegger137]

Hello all,

My wife and I bought the above-mentioned boat about a month ago and are just learning the ins and outs (and then, miraculously-ins again) of basic seamanship and maintenance routines. The boat (or yacht, to be extra fancy and said with pinky in air) has twin Volvo Penta 8.1 Gil-D engines with low miles, and we are crossing our fingers that the former owner kept up with general maintenance, as he should have. One current issue (as we have already pulled the boat out of the water for prop calibration and shaft-straightening) is a rusty manifold/riser on the starboard engine-outboard side. The issue is all in the locating of replacement parts, more than anything else. I do see some after-market parts that say they are "direct replacements" for Volvo. Maybe someone here can direct me to after market parts that aren't made in china?

Thanks and Happy Puttering.

[buster53]

What parts are you looking for?

[Cooler]

Welcome. The vast majority of owners in that model class take care of the maintenance, and typically with professional marine mechanics. It is not like they are financially strapped. Here is a place to start. When Viper checks this post, he will probably have another link or 2. http://www.marineengine.com/parts/volvo-penta/index.php Good luck! er

[Cooler]

Under the boat engine parts tab, click on Sierra Catalog. That will expand the parts shopping. er

[waybomb]

Welcome aboard!

[Viper]

Welcome aboard.

You really shouldn't have a problem finding parts for those engines. Having said that, limiting yourself to parts that aren't made in China will limit your options. In truth, there's nothing wrong with a lot of stuff made in China as long as the brand is a good one and has strict requirements/guidelines and specs for the manufacturer to follow. Some of the biggest/super brands that are highly regarded in North America are manufactured in China. Whether that's good for us economically or not is for a different thread.

While some aftermarket outfits claim their products meet or exceed OEM specs and standards, I can tell you from experience that in reality, it's not always the case. I use aftermarket suppliers too for some parts but for the most part, I'm an OEM guy for a few reasons. And don't always believe that "direct replacement" means it's going to fit perfectly or perform the same.

The link Cooler provided is a good one, but there are others. A simple Google search will help, and members south of the boarder will likely chime in with their personal experiences of suppliers down there. You may also want to stick with companies that specialize in the parts you're looking for like a manifold manufacturer for example. They supply many distributors and are usually a wealth of information on the subject they specialize in.

[RGrew176]

Welcome Aboard.