Gearbox oil checking

[emnick]

I have a Yanmar 3JH3E engine with a Kanzakie KM3A gearbox . Not sure if I am checking oil in the gearbox properly.
Should I be screwing in the (yellow) dipstick or just dipping it .
I have always just dipped it but read on another forum that I should screw it in and out to check oil
Thank

 

[pvb]

Yanmar operator manuals generally say to fully re-insert the dipstick when checking the oil level (ie screw it in).

 

[Appledore]

Yanmar operator manuals generally say to fully re-insert the dipstick when checking the oil level (ie screw it in).

Not on my 1 GM. The manual says to place dipstic in but NOT to tighten it.

 

[lpdsn]

I've just checked the manual for my Kanzaki-Hurth KBW21 (attached to 4JH 2BE) and that has an explicit statement not to screw the dipstick in. It says it should rest on top of the oil filler hole.

 

[pvb]

Not on my 1 GM. The manual says to place dipstic in but NOT to tighten it.

The JH series manual says to re-insert it. The OP has a JH engine.

 

[lpdsn]

Nothing explicit in the 3JH 3E Manual.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/830963/Yanmar-3jh3e.html?page=1#manual

I haven't found a free one, but there are PDFs available for sale on the web.

 

[pvb]

I suspect there are conflicting instructions. At the end of the day it won't make a lot of difference - the OP could always just screw the dipstick in halfway!

 

[lpdsn]

I suspect there are conflicting instructions. At the end of the day it won't make a lot of difference - the OP could always just screw the dipstick in halfway!

I suspect I may have screwed it in to test the level last time I changed the gear box oil. It was only this thread that prompted me to re-check the manual.

 

[VicMallows]

This is a perpetual problem with every engine (and gearbox) I have ever owned ...marine, garden, or whatever. Not one has had clear instructions on how the dip-stick should be inserted for measurement. In most cases the difference (screwed in/rested on top) is greater than the difference between the min/max marks on the dipstick.

With nothing better to go on, I initially fill to give the maximum sump level ( as indicated by dipstick resting on top). If lots of oil gets thrown/burnt out that is obviously wrong, and the measurement is presumably meant to be with the 'stick screwed in :disgust:

Why this is such a difficult issue for manufacturers is beyond me.