Repairing Volvo Saildrive Oil Leak

[Sid at SailAway]

I had posted a question a while back about my port saildrive leaking from the top. I have isolated the leak to the square plate at the top of the drive. My question is, what is involved in removing this plate in order to reseal it with gasket sealer? Does the shifting shaft come out with the plate or does the plate lift up around the shaft and the shaft stays in place? I don't want to pull the shaft out and then realize it should have been indexed or the engine should have been put in forward or reverse before the shaft came out. I have searched and failed to find the answer. Also, if anyone has a source for the workshop manual, can you provide a link. I have the manuals for the engine. Thanks in advance!

[Cotemar]

Need more info.
1) Are you talking about a VP SD 130s Sail Drive
2) Are you talking about the top cover that the shift lever comes out of.
I have a SD130s-Workshop_Manual.

[Sid at SailAway]

Thanks Cotemar! My unit looks like the photo you have. According to the exploded drawing it looks as if I can lift the cover off and leave the shift shaft in place. I just need to be sure....

[Ocean Diamond 2]

Hi Sid at SailAway,

I have a VP 130b SD, leaking tranny fluid onto the rubber diaphram and into the engine bilge. I can see fluid around the filler cap and the nuts were the extraction tube attaches to the box after being wiped over and then run for half an hour.
I cannot understand why its leaking and was wondering if the new seals fixed your leaking box issue or was it a more serious problem?

Derek

[Sid at SailAway]

Melani,
I'm still here on the Chesapeake hanging in a marina. I did narrow the problem down to the seal on the shifting shaft. Replacement is on the list of things to do before we head south again. The seal is about 60 bucks and looks to be easy to replace.

[Ocean Diamond 2]

Hi Sid at SailAway,

I have booked the boat to be slipped on the 8th, as its 7 years old now and the book says to replace the diaphragm every 7 so job one is the lift the engine and new seal and whilst its up they tell me they drop the box off the engine to replace the seal. So while its out I will get them to replace the bottom seals and those that could be leaking on the box.
Strange why its leaking as it is leaking from above the oil level so it needs pressure to force the oil out the seals I think! Cant figure out why its got pressure inside the box?
Anyway good luck with your seal replacement Sid. Hope you get away soon.
Derek

[tamicatana]

I have had two instances of small leaks at the shift lever. I also talk about saildrive issues in this thread

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ew-100265.html

[colemj]

The drives are designed to be slightly over-pressured when operated. This could force the oil out.

I have never seen a diaphragm fail outside of a catastrophic event that wrenches or punches the saildrive away from them. Volvo's recommendations are very conservative (and just happen to conveniently fall outside the warranty period, which gives them extra money). Ours are 15yrs old and look like new. No mechanic or boat dealer I have asked has seen one fail from age, and I haven't seen any web accounts of such. Given the expense and effort, you may consider putting it off a few more years.

Mark

[Ocean Diamond 2]

Hi Marc,

Yes I understand it is overkill to renew the diaphram at this early stage but its a peace of mind thing and out here Aus insurance will look at any out.
Our Volvo dealer mechanic suggests that the oil will hurt the rubber seal so its to be replaced.
I need to stop the leaks and its not water as there is no milky or grey fluid mixed in the gearbox oil.
My leaks are not from the gear shift area but the filler and extraction pipe areas.
They also tell me that the engine needs to come out to do this job so I fine the post be "tamicatana" very interesting. Maybe they cant do it on my yacht!
Strange how the started not long after they serviced the engine at $800 and its then I found oil in the bilge.
Not them though as it could only be Murphy's law for my luck!!
Derek

[Irish rambler]

Hmmm ! Volvo sail drives, cheap to install, and then ? Nah ! sorry parts/expensive I'll give them a miss.

[colemj]

I don't understand the purpose of your post Irish rambler. Nobody "installs" these - they come from the factory on boats. You "miss" them by not buying a boat with one.

But again, what is the purpose of your post on a thread where someone is asking for advice on a problem with a piece of equipment already installed on their boat?

Personally, I would stay away from Birchwood 33 centre cockpit boats. I heard they cause judgmental issues.

Mark

[Sid at SailAway]

Originally Posted by Melani

Hi Marc,

Yes I understand it is overkill to renew the diaphram at this early stage but its a peace of mind thing and out here Aus insurance will look at any out.
Our Volvo dealer mechanic suggests that the oil will hurt the rubber seal so its to be replaced.
I need to stop the leaks and its not water as there is no milky or grey fluid mixed in the gearbox oil.
My leaks are not from the gear shift area but the filler and extraction pipe areas.
They also tell me that the engine needs to come out to do this job so I fine the post be "tamicatana" very interesting. Maybe they cant do it on my yacht!
Strange how the started not long after they serviced the engine at $800 and its then I found oil in the bilge.
Not them though as it could only be Murphy's law for my luck!!
Derek

Melani,
How did you reach the conclusion that the leak was coming from the filler and not the seal at the shifter? Just curious...

[Ocean Diamond 2]

Hi Sid at SailAway,

I cleaned the gear box with paper until all oil was wiped and made sure no oil in rubber diaphram. I then ran the engine for about an hour at high revs. Once back in the marina and on inspection, I saw oil at the filler stick and oil running down the leg extraction pipe and at the nut at the bottom of the extraction pipe. There was a small amount already in the grooves of the rubber diaphram.
So I presumed that the oil had leaked whilst running the engine under pressure.
Reverse was only selected to get back into the pen and when going out I went into forwards and took the revs up to 2800. Oil is still clean, not brown or milky.
Dipstick shows oil level at bottom line. ???

Derek

PS. Can anyone tell me whether or not the gear box should be filled with auto transmission fluid or engine oil as I have conflicting reports?

[tamicatana]

Volvo 120S saildrive fills with engine oil, same as you put in the engine.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

Volvo 120S saildrive fills with engine oil, same as you put in the engine.

That isn't generally true. Volvo put out several iterations of the 120S drive and some use engine oil while others use synthetic gear oil. Getting it wrong can be expensive.

Melani has a 130 drive. Volvo used to recommend ATF fluid, but I think backtracked on that and is now recommending engine oil because of clutch pack slippage and damage with ATF.

Check with Volvo for the service bulletin on which lubricants are recommended for your 130 model.

Mark