Re: Cummins Qsd4.2 320 Hp Vs Volvo D4 300 Hp
I have some working familiarity with the CMD 320, in that I've run a boat with the same engine in a 250hp rating. Unless I'm mistaken, that motor is not based on the 5.9 6bta block; it is a straight six and the block is made by an Italian
manufacturer (VM Mortori?) and marinized here by CMD. The good news I can give is that the boat I ran, a 23' Whaler, with the 250hp version and a Bravo 3 drive, ran great. The motor I believe is a common rail design, pretty quiet and smooth, and delivered excellent performance and economy (I have a 23' SeaCraft Sceptre with a 7.4 litre gasser and Bravo 1 as comparison). The bad news is finding a mechanic that knows this motor - even Cummins and Mercury certified guys seem mystified by this thing and obtaining parts can be a real pain. That said, these issues may have been resolved within the last year or two, but I am not aware of it. Recently, there was a thread on The Hull Truth forum started by the owner of a 38' Fountain sportfish express with a pair of these engines. If I remember correctly, while he was happy with the performance when the engines were running properly, he was experiencing multiple issues and much downtime (sorry I could not find the thread to link but remember it being in their general forum section).
On the other hand, I have no direct experience in running a Volvo D4, but have done some research on it for my own potential repower. It does seem a little heavy compared to other 4 cyl. engines, but I have heard good things about reliability. Volvo parts will be expensive, but I would be more concerned about just having a good Volvo (or CMD) shop in your area. Also, I have heard very good things about the DPR drive that the D4 is mated to, and it also is an electronic common rail design.
Hope this helps but remember this info. is coming from a non-expert source.
Best of luck,
Chris
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