450: Oil on top of SD60

[sailnw777]

During oil change this afternoon I’ve noticed a puddle of oil about 1/4” deep in top of sd60 sail drive. Oil inside the drive was low as well. Clean oil with no water or any residue. No visible leaks anywhere. Any suggestions?

[ggray]

Is it cold now where your boat is?

Before I installed a header tank, during the winter I used to find excess oil on top of the leg.

[sailnw777]

Pretty warm... in Carib now. Coldest was in Spain in November.

[HeinSdL]

Do you have two SD60's and if so, is the issue only happening with one of them?

[sailnw777]

Yes just the starboard side. Port is dry and clean. Either of them have no water signs in oil.

[Captain Bill]

I have had this occasionally happen to both my sd60s. I have not figured out the cause. I am speculating it blows a little oil past the filler cap or shift shaft when it gets hot, but it seems to hold at least some pressure ok, as when I open it warm I hear a little psst as the pressure is released. I've never actually observed it coming out, only the aftermath. On mine it has never blown out enough to get it below the add oil mark on the dip stick.

[mcneilms]

The latest video from Parley Revival, on YouTube has something having to do with issues for the SD on 450s. I remember something about overpressurization.
May be worth a look.

[Library70]

The oil could possibly be coming from the SD60's input shaft seal. It can leak into the bellhousing and run down onto the top of the drive. I agree with ggray, a header tank may solve the problem by alleviating the pressure that builds up in the drive when it gets hot. You might also want to do some research into what the correct dip stick length should be. There was a lot of discussion a few years ago about a recall on the dipsticks because they were marked too high. Some dealers were recommending that you only fill to the lower mark.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Library70

The oil could possibly be coming from the SD60's input shaft seal. It can leak into the bellhousing and run down onto the top of the drive. I agree with ggray, a header tank may solve the problem by alleviating the pressure that builds up in the drive when it gets hot. You might also want to do some research into what the correct dip stick length should be. There was a lot of discussion a few years ago about a recall on the dipsticks because they were marked too high. Some dealers were recommending that you only fill to the lower mark.

The over pressure problems and the mis-marked dip sticks were known problems in the SD40/50 series, but I have not heard of this being a problem in the SD60s. That does not mean these problems do not exist in the SD60s, but I have not heard about them. I don't think the problem is coming from the input shaft because I;m getting no drips from the bottom of the bell housing. The oil is on the top of the drive and on the aft drive mount.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by sailnw777

Yes just the starboard side. Port is dry and clean. Either of them have no water signs in oil.

how do you know there is no water ? Devil is in the details. Changed oil colour/bubbles CF story is trap for young players. You need to check at the bottom of saildrive. Maybe have some tube that you can push there and suck out to prove. Also can see rusty top of the saildrive if you remove it. Add breather thing !

I have fixed my SD 50 and now both perfect for 600 hours which is more than 1/2 of their lives (1100 hrs ~ 7.5 years ~ 30,000nm). My wife learned how to move into /out of gears and that's really it.

And sail more.

good luck

[sailnw777]

Found the source of oil but not the cause. One of the o-rings on the oil extraction tube was broken and oil was running out and down to the top of the drive. Strange enough level in the tube was much higher than the rest of the drive. I just done the oil change by getting all oil out with the long rigid oil extractor pump the be which I manejes to push through the filler hole all the way down (it hope), there were no signs of any water and oil was slightly dirty but clear after 250 hours.

[geekoman]

If the oil fill cap is left loose, even slightly, the oil will leak out of the top. As the OP found, a split in the o-ring will cause leakage. There must be quite a bit of splashing going on inside the saildrive.

[Captain Bill]

The oil extraction tube actually goes to the bottom of the saildrive in the SD60. When the drive gets hot the air at the top tries to expand thus pressurizing the whole drive. If the extraction tube has a leak the air will expand and force oil up and out of the extraction tube.