1GM10 safe water level?

cliffordpope

cliffordpope

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The Yanmar Help site is so erratic I have given up trying to post there, so hope that someone here can advise:

The automatic bilge pump failed recently, and I found a lot of water in the boat.
The level reached just to the top of the gearbox, by the slots in the top of the bell housing. No water entered the engine, so after pumping out and after testing cautiously by hand while decompressed, I tried the starter and it fired and ran perfectly. The water clearly had not quite reached the starter motor, and perhaps it is sealed in any case.

I presume the bellhousing must have a drain at the bottom - anyway it was empty of water.

The gearbox oil however has a slight frothy appearance. Is this normal, or does it mean that some water has entered? The dipstick level is normal. Iwondered whether I should drain the oil just in case, but not having a suitable container available I left it till next visit. I haven't run it in gear since the flooding.

Is the gearbox totally sealed?
 
Personally I would be concerned at the sight of frothed oil - evidence of emulsification? Yanmar gearbox oil same as for the engine, for the sake of a couple of quid I'd change it regardless. Did the level go over the filler cap? Might be worth a look at.
 
i too would change the oil, keep the old stuff in a clear bottle to see if any water settles out. there is no easy way into the gearbox for water so i think you will be ok.
Make sure you wash the engine mounts down and repaint them if you can, as soon as the salt water gets on them they go fast.

steve
 
I too would feel inclined to change the oil but if you don't then inspect it for cloudiness after it has been run. If it says clear and bright it's OK but otherwise it should be changed.

I would be concerned about the effects water entering the bell housing might have on the starter mechanical gubbins. If the bell housing is damp or if a small amount of water was left and then flung around when the engine was run it might lead to some rusting. It might be prudent to remove the starter and give the pinion and all the moving parts there a quick blast with some WD40
 
Thanks everyone.
It's an old wooden boat only a month in the water after 20 years ashore being rebuilt, so there is a slow seapage still from planks not yet taken up. But it's a not unlikely occurence just from shipping a lot of water in astorm, so it's a bit odd that the manual gives no guidance on how much depth the engine can take.

I will change the oil (yes, separate sump from engine) next time as advised, although it's hard to see how water could have entered the gearbox. One reads of diesels' virtue in being able to run submerged, unlike petrol.
 
so it's a bit odd that the manual gives no guidance on how much depth the engine can take

These engine expect no depth but in the real world yes there are accidents
your lucky my gm10 was totaly submerged[fresh water] when i got the boat!

the engine crankcase had allowed a bit of water in althow there is no corosion inside
crankcase /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif...crank etc

seperate gearbox also had hardly let in any water

ive cleaned up starter gear and striped and freed of the starter motor

time will tell if this engine will run again as the bore is abit marked...

as said atleast take off starter and spray gears with wd40 also spray into bellhousing ...
 
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