Yanmar Oil Changing

[rigormortis]

Hi folks:
Question about oil filling on my Yanmar 4JHE. This engine has two oil filler caps--one on the valve cover on top of the engine and one lower on the timing gear housing. There appears to be only one dipstick, measuring oil in the main sump.
Why are there 2 oil filler caps? I have only added oil from the top cap, into the valve cover opening. Is the other one there only as an accessory in case the upper one is unavailable due to space restriction? When I look into the timing gear space through the oil filler cap the gear appears wet with oil.
Cannot find instructions/explanation in service or owner's manual.
Thanks,
Pete

[Sailmonkey]

yes, the caps both go to the same place, for different applications one or the other is impractical to use.

[steve_hendry]

OK, stupid question: is this typical of Yanmar models? The valve cover oil cap on my 3QM30 is difficult to get at (impossible if I put on weight). I've never thought to look for another filler cap.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by rigormortis

Hi folks:
Question about oil filling on my Yanmar 4JHE. This engine has two oil filler caps--one on the valve cover on top of the engine and one lower on the timing gear housing. There appears to be only one dipstick, measuring oil in the main sump.
Why are there 2 oil filler caps? I have only added oil from the top cap, into the valve cover opening. Is the other one there only as an accessory in case the upper one is unavailable due to space restriction? When I look into the timing gear space through the oil filler cap the gear appears wet with oil.
Cannot find instructions/explanation in service or owner's manual.
Thanks,
Pete

Had the same question with mine. It think it just depends on which cap is easiest to get to.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by steve_hendry

OK, stupid question: is this typical of Yanmar models? The valve cover oil cap on my 3QM30 is difficult to get at (impossible if I put on weight). I've never thought to look for another filler cap.

You know I never paid any attention when I was servicing engines, I always just looked for the eaisest way to put the oil back in

[rigormortis]

Thanks guys. On the one hand I would like to hand it to Yanmar to offer the option of oil filler locations. On my other hand, I would advise them to outsource their manual writing contracts to English-speaking idiots like me.
Pete--currenly in Chile and heading for Tahiti come April.

[barnakiel]

Same story here. I used the top one and the engine works ;-)

My VP has just one - cannot go wrong! (Unless you have a quick hand and add oil to cooling water tank -hahaha).

BTW The Yanmar engine manual is ... (pulp fiction) compared to our 30 y.o. VP manual - no good drawings to explain the maintenance steps !!!

b.

[Ziggy]

I've used both the upper and lower ports. The only difference I can see is that the oil poured into the upper opening seems to take longer to drain into the sump. If you take the dipstick reading before it drains down, you can overfill your engine.