The Volvo Penta D4 is a 3.7 L 4-cylinder turbo, aftercooler, compressor engine rated at 3500 rpm, producing up to 191 kW. It powers generator sets from Volvo Penta, including the IPS 350.
Maintenance schedule
| Item | Spec | Capacity | Part # | Interval | |
|---|
| Air filter | | | — | | |
| Fuel filter | | | — | | |
| Oil filter | | | — | 400 hr | |
| Battery | | | — | | |
| Belt | | | — | | |
| Coolant | | | — | | |
| Oil | | | — | | |
| Spark plug | | | — | | |
Pooled from every document that names this exact engine — confirm the interval and part number against your unit's serial number.
Procedures
12Calibrating joystick function adjustment
⚠ Calibrate in open water and safe conditions; avoid strong winds or sea-current.
- Enable docking function.
- Push both joystick buttons and hold for 5 seconds or more until calibration mode; LEDs flash.
- Move joystick sideways to an end position; correct boat movement by turning/moving joystick.
- When boat moves directly sideways, push docking button to store calibration.
- Release joystick; system returns to normal docking function.
Adjusting/changing drive belts maintenance
- Undo bolts on tensioning roller bracket.
- Remove and change belt if necessary.
- Tension belt to 70 Nm on tensioning roller square fitting.
- Secure tensioning roller with bolts torqued to 50 Nm.
- When warm, undo bolts and repeat belt tensioning procedure.
Bleeding fuel system maintenance
⚠ Never detach the pressure pipes.
Tools: transparent hose, hand pump
- Attach transparent hose to air vent valve and lead to receptacle.
- Open air vent valve and pump fuel with hand pump until fuel is free of air bubbles.
- Close and tighten air vent valve.
- Pump another 10 strokes with hand pump.
- Remove hose and refit protective cap on air vent valve.
Changing drive-unit oil and filter maintenance
⚠ Never over-fill the drive-unit.
- Open oil filler cap slowly so overpressure disappears.
- Unscrew draining plug and allow oil to run out.
- Change the filter.
- Refit drain plug and a new gasket.
- Measure correct oil quantity and fill through oil filling hole.
- Never over-fill the drive-unit.
Changing engine oil maintenance
⚠ Hot oil and hot surfaces can cause burns.
Tools: oil bilge pump
- Start engine and run to operating temperature 75–95°C, then stop.
- Connect oil bilge pump to drain pipe and pump up oil.
- Change oil filter and bypass filter at each oil change.
- Fill new oil through filler hole; fill 1.5 liters less than total oil volume.
- Start engine; check oil pressure lamp goes out and no leaks at filters.
- Stop engine, wait one hour, check oil level and top up if necessary.
Changing fuel filter maintenance
⚠ Fire risk. Ensure engine is cold before working on fuel system.
⚠ Do not fill the new filter with fuel before assembly.
Tools: filter wrench
- Close fuel valve/valves.
- Clean filter bracket and place vessel under filter.
- Remove cables from water trap.
- Unscrew filter; use filter wrench if needed.
- Clean sealing surfaces; moisten sealing rings with engine oil including inner rubber seal.
- Screw new filter on by hand until seal touches, then tighten further 1/2 turn.
- Reinstall water trap cables.
- Open fuel valve, bleed fuel system, start engine and check for leaks.
Changing oil filter and bypass filter maintenance
⚠ Hot oil and hot surfaces can cause burns.
Tools: filter extractor
- Place a suitable vessel under the filters.
- Clean the filter bracket.
- Unscrew the bypass filter and oil filters with a suitable extractor.
- Check mating surfaces are clean and no old seal residue remains.
- Moisten new filter seals with engine oil.
- Screw filters on by hand until rubber seals touch, then tighten 1/2 to 3/4 turn.
- Start engine at low idle; check no leakage; check oil level after stopping.
Checking/changing sacrificial anodes maintenance
⚠ Risk of water entering; close seawater cock before work.
⚠ Use no steel tools as this will impair electrical protection.
Tools: sandpaper
- Close seawater cock.
- Drain seawater system.
- Remove sacrificial anodes in heat exchanger and intercooler.
- Check anodes; replace if less than 50% of original size; otherwise clean with sandpaper.
- Fit anodes with good contact; close drain nipples; open seawater cock; check for leaks.
Checking/changing seawater pump impeller maintenance
⚠ Risk for water penetration.
⚠ Impeller will be damaged if lubricants other than glycerin are used.
- Remove cover from seawater pump and remove impeller.
- Replace impeller if cracked or defective; replace flange if pump shaft turns by hand.
- Lubricate pump housing and inside of cover with glycerin.
- Reinstall impeller using a rotating movement; install seal washers on shaft center.
- Install cover with a new O-ring.
Cleaning seawater filter maintenance
⚠ Risk for water penetration.
- Screw off cover and remove seal plate.
- Lift out and clean the insert.
- Reassemble the filter.
Draining fuel filter water separator maintenance
- Stop engine and remove starter key.
- Remove cable from water separator.
- Place receptacle under fuel filter and unscrew water separator enough to let water run out.
- Screw in water separator until it bottoms, then a further 1/4 to 1/2 turn.
- Fasten cable from water separator.
Propeller assembly maintenance
⚠ Make it impossible to start engine when working on propellers.
Tools: special propeller tool
- Apply water-resistant grease part no. 828250 to splines and thread on both propeller shafts.
- Install aft propeller, aft nut, locking ring and four socket cap screws; torque 24-28 Nm.
- Install forward propeller, tighten nut by hand, install locking ring and four socket cap screws; torque 24-28 Nm.
- Tighten screw D until it bottoms.
- Push spinner into place by hand.
Extracted from the manufacturer documentation linked to this model. Values are copied as printed; confirm against your unit's manual and serial number.
Parts cataloged across the Volvo Penta D4 family
1| Part # | Description | Category |
|---|
| EXVOLV001 | Exhaust emission certificate | Service part / kit |
Parts cataloged across all variants of this engine family — verify the exact part fits your specific variant and serial number before ordering.
Common questions
What is the displacement of the Volvo Penta D4?
The Volvo Penta D4 has a displacement of 3.7 liters with 4 cylinders.
Which generators use the Volvo Penta D4 engine?
The Volvo Penta D4 powers 1 generator set(s), including Volvo Penta IPS 350.
What is a common problem with the Volvo Penta D4 engine?
A commonly reported issue on generators using the Volvo Penta D4 is: War, uprising, terrorist actions or other force majeure events.