450: SD 60 need some quick advice.

[Krabimike]

I have sent a private email message to PaulinOz & Steve on Emerald Sea. But I am not sure if they have service or are awake! I have the hook near a reef south Maldives and don't want to be with out power before sundown.

I am in the Maldives, preparing to leave for Chagos, one month there and then back to thailand. I will have no services for maybe 7 weeks 2500nm.
I am changing my oils. First time I have did it myself. 350 hour. I tried to get ahold of my yanmar dealer in thailand but it is holiday until next Tuesday. I have a few concerns was wondering if you could give me advice?
1. I have kept an eye on the out drives and always clear oil, however the port engine is a little dark white chocolate. Not sure as to what my reaction should be.
2. The manual says 2.8 liters standard. 3.0 liters with extension. I am not sure if my SD 60 have extensions or how I would know.
3. I have sucked and sucked from the suction house provided and through the dip stick but I can only manage to pull out about 1.8 liter how do I get the other 1 or so liters?
Any advice asap would be appreciated as I am anchored of a reef and don't want to be with out power..
Mike

[Krabimike]

Well a little update.. I was able to get 1.8 liters out of the drive.. I am using a 12v Jabsco oil changing pump. I begin to realize the bottom section needed real vacuum once I created that she came out.

[b_rodwell]

I also had difficulty in getting the oil out of my SD60 saildrives. I was using a sucker tube inserted into the engine dip stick tube. I could not get much out at all.

Can you explain how you did it?

Thanks

Brian

[Pascals Wager]

Originally Posted by b_rodwell

I was using a sucker tube inserted into the engine dip stick tube.

I haven't had to change the oil in mine yet but the sucker tube is inserted into the Sail Drive suction pipe, stay clear of the engine dip stick tube.

Mike if you get stuck I met this guy at the boat show">London boat show last year and he was very helpful and he's another Mike!! mike@frenchmarine.com also a Yanmar rep.

[Emerald Sea]

Mike,
1. It seems you have likely a broken shaft seal on your port SD. Once this is broken it will leak salt water into the drive oil casing and will turn your normally clear oil milky white. Chocolate - not sure where this may come from? Concerning this, after changing your saltwater infested SD oil, you will need to continue to monitor the oil for cloudiness to avoid any corrosion. You may have to change it frequently until you get the opportunity to change your shaft seals (haul your boat). We had the same situation while in Madagascar (fishing line around shaft and broke the seal) and had to pull the boat out in Zululand. Its an expensive lesson.
2. Yes, you will get near 2.8L out when you drain from the underside of the SD. Taking oil out from the drain tube or via the filler cap, will not take all your oil out as the tube doesn't reach the base of the casing. This is fine for a few oil changes but when your on the dry then drain the oil from the plug on the underside of the SD. You have standard SD's without extensions i.e. 2.8L.
3. See above. I have sucked it out from both the filler cap and the hose next to the filler cap. I use an electric oil pump but as mentioned, you will only get a portion of the oil out. A liter or so will continue to sit at the base of the SD casing..

Good luck.

[sailingforfun]

Not sure if this will help you but I'll share my story.

In Grand Cayman notice milky white in starboard sail drive. Pulled the boat out, drained the oil from the bottom. No fishing line or other evidence of a busted seal. Put a vacuum on it and it held the pressure. No obvious evidence of a bad seal. Put fresh oil in, no seals changed, dropped her back in the water.

Two months later and now in Ft Lauderdale and no sign of further salt water intrusion. Go figure. I keep a close eye on it.

I've shared my story locally. I was told there can be a hot/cold expansion issue which can let salt water in momentarily and then nothing. Has anyone heard of that answer?

[Krabimike]

Originally Posted by b_rodwell

I also had difficulty in getting the oil out of my SD60 saildrives. I was using a sucker tube inserted into the engine dip stick tube. I could not get much out at all.

Can you explain how you did it?

Thanks

Brian

I at first sucked out of the filler hole then put the tube into the tube that goes below. Then I got a little bigger tube and sealed it off and it began to suck.in the end I had 2.8L I am using a 12v Jabsco pump. But I lost my impellar when doing the engine. No spare impeller! waiting for a hand pump to arrive from Male to do the other side.

[Krabimike]

Originally Posted by sailingforfun

Not sure if this will help you but I'll share my story.

In Grand Cayman notice milky white in starboard sail drive. Pulled the boat out, drained the oil from the bottom. No fishing line or other evidence of a busted seal. Put a vacuum on it and it held the pressure. No obvious evidence of a bad seal. Put fresh oil in, no seals changed, dropped her back in the water.

Two months later and now in Ft Lauderdale and no sign of further salt water intrusion. Go figure. I keep a close eye on it.

I've shared my story locally. I was told there can be a hot/cold expansion issue which can let salt water in momentarily and then nothing. Has anyone heard of that answer?

I hope I have the same experience! thanks for sharing there is some hope. I removed the anodes to check for line and it was clear...

[Krabimike]

Thanks for the replies and the help! And as always a big thanks to the 2 boat angels Steve & Paul that I bother day and night for advice and help. Cheers almost ready to head to Chagos, waiting for a little sign of wind!

[PaulinOz]

Keep the stick with the sails up in the air, the sail drives in the water and you will not go to far wrong.

Safe travels.

[Pascals Wager]

Checked my SD 60 oil today as routine and the Port oil is slightly milky. Not impressed after only 170hrs. Will suck it out, replace and monitor and hope it stays clear like "Sailing for Fun's" did. Is this a know problem with SD60s?

[tuskie]

Originally Posted by Pascals Wager

Checked my SD 60 oil today as routine and the Port oil is slightly milky. Not impressed after only 170hrs. Will suck it out, replace and monitor and hope it stays clear like "Sailing for Fun's" did. Is this a know problem with SD60s?

PW, Let's know how the oil looks when removed.

Last year, I sucked out and replaced the Quicksilver high performance gear oil in one of my Yanmar SD50s as it looked milky on the dipsick when doing a routine check. Once removed, the oil looked perfect! Bugger! Only explanation was the upper layer of oil became a bit frothy and absorbed moisure from (?) internal condensation.

Lesson learnt: don't panic if gearbox oil on dipstick looks slightly milky.

Recommendation: if oil looks milky, stick a longer dipstick to gauge oil deeper in gearbox before changing.

[Pascals Wager]

Thanks for that Tuskie you've given me hope. When I get back to the boat in a few days I will check as suggested and report the findings.

[Krabimike]

Originally Posted by tuskie

PW, Let's know how the oil looks when removed.

Last year, I sucked out and replaced the Quicksilver high performance gear oil in one of my Yanmar SD50s as it looked milky on the dipsick when doing a routine check. Once removed, the oil looked perfect! Bugger! Only explanation was the upper layer of oil became a bit frothy and absorbed moisure from (?) internal condensation.

Lesson learnt: don't panic if gearbox oil on dipstick looks slightly milky.

Recommendation: if oil looks milky, stick a longer dipstick to gauge oil deeper in gearbox before changing.

the oil on the left is from STB the darker oil was from Port definitely a difference. I will keep an eye on it.

[Thumbs Up]

I just gave this same advice on another thread. Yes there is a hot/cold expansion issue. Do not overfill it! The more air in there, the lesser the issue. Some people rig up a vent or a header tank. But if the seal is already bad, loosen the dipstick or oil cap right after you shut it off and it won't suck water in. There is an inner seal, facing the other way but as long as there is no suction it can keep the water out.