130s saildrive oil

[sailaboutvic]

What oil do you use in your 130s saildrive ?
I have been using ATF oil in my saildrive but I have read that Volvo now suggest that I use engine oil,
An Email to Volvo didn’t get me far they suggested 15W 40W oil with Volvo spec , when I asked what do they mean by Volvo spec , the reply was Volvo spec , can anyone help , and before anyone come back with 15/40w followed by lots of letters I need to buy the oil in Greece .
Thanks .

 

[VicS]

Volvo now recommend the same oil as the engine, rather than ATF, in the 130 and certain other sail drives.

There was a service bulletin issued on the subject. I'l post a link if I can find it.



The link:

http://www.marinepartsexpress.com/saildriveoilchange.pdf

 

[sailaboutvic]

thanks vics but I still don't know what they mean by volvo spec , won't 15/40w engin oil do the job ?

 

[Tranona]

Mineral oil to CF spec. Not synthetic. Best to drain the ATF out of the bottom rather than pump from the top.

 

[VicS]

thanks vics but I still don't know what they mean by volvo spec , won't 15/40w engin oil do the job ?

Use the oil you use in your engine. All the letters and numbers refer to its specification and approvals as an oil for use in an engine. Apart from the viscosity next to irrelevant in a gearbox.

Eg
Viscosity: SAE 15W-40 Grade: VDS-2, API CG-4, ACEA E3
and
Viscosity: SAE 15W-40 Grade: VDS-3, API CI-4, ACEA E5
are diesel engine oil specs.

You should be able to find your engine listed under one of the oils at http://82.197.226.21/vpac/default.aspx?language=en&id=6904&sn=

 

[Stork_III]

I believe ZF make the gearbox and still think ATF is OK. If its out of warantee stick with ATF.

 

[Plevier]

See this thread
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342633

 

[nigelmercier]

More, and possibly conflicting, info here

 

[VicS]

More, and possibly conflicting, info here

Yes but not so much conflicting as not updated to take account of the recommended change even though it appears to be dated 2012. Unless of course they are withdrawing the 2010 service bulletin.

 

[nigelmercier]

Yes but not so much conflicting as not updated to take account of the recommended change even though it appears to be dated 2012.

Yes, that's what confused me.

 

[Plevier]

I would suspect old information as it says Dexron II or III both of which are obsolete (like CD engine oil) but not hard to get.
My understanding is that the current standard Dexron VI is not suitable but that is not cast iron information.
It is true that ZF still call for Dexron II or III.

More detail:
GM introduced Dex VI in 2005 and discontinued the Dex III specs in 2006 so there is now no such thing as an official GM licensed Dex III fluid.
Dex VI is fully synthetic and lower viscosity than Dex III and much slipperier - too slippery for the clutch pack is what I have heard.
In US Cadillac have forbidden the use of Dex VI in certain older transmissions although according to GM it is fully backward compatible.

CORRECTION
A more recent ZF saildrive manual Sep 2011 now calls for 15-40 oil not ATF.