Drat - Yanmar saildrive oil turned nasty brown colour

[West Coast]

Was checking over the engine today before leaving the boat for a few weeks. Checked saildrive oil as always, found blue quicksilver gear oil has turned brown with a bit of tell tale foaming. Drat, seals must have gone. Has happened in the past week as all ok when checked a week or so ago.

So - need to arrange haul out and new seals

Drive is a Yanmar SD 50, with the cone clutch. I had the cones refurbished in the spring, should have done the seals at the same time. Just hope this leak won’t have damaged the cone faces.

I know this might (will) provoke comment from the saildrive doomsayers, but this is the first time I have had any problem with a saildrive, and I have owned 3 boats now over a total of nearly 30 years with saildrives

 

[scottie]

Don’t leave it or run it get it done right away!

Suggest you discuss with whoever did the clutches

SD 50 is now SD 60 £5K

 

[West Coast]

It’s in hand. Am currently in kilmelford yacht haven, discussing with them to have this done in next few days here.

Cones were serviced by Craig mccallum of Kip Marina, but I understand he is no longer there? Does anyone know where he is now?

 

[RichardS]

The seals should definitely be replaced when a saildrive is being overhauled for any reason as they are so cheap and easy to replace.

But you don't need to panic .... there will be thousands of saildrives running with water in the oil but it's not the end of the world. I noticed that one of mine had gone but didn't bother to do anything about it for 6 months and everything was perfect inside.

Richard